The 2026 Michelin Guide for Kyoto and Osaka was unveiled on Thursday, with an establishment founded over a century ago during the Meiji era being elevated from two to three stars. Miyamasou, an inn and restaurant that opened in the 1890s in the Hanase mountains of Kyoto, received its first star in 2010 and has held two stars since 2011. It’s the first time in six years that Kyoto has welcomed a new three-Michelin-star restaurant.
About Miyamasou
The historic eatery specializes in a style of high-end Japanese cuisine called Tsumikusa, a rustic, highly seasonal style of cooking that focuses on foraged wild plants, herbs and flowers gathered directly from the mountains and fields. It is inspired by an ancient pastime of Heian period aristocrats, who ventured into the fields to pick young herbs to celebrate the arrival of spring. Dishes at the restaurant change with the seasons, reflecting the natural environment of the Hanase mountains.
Miyamasou was originally opened as a temple guesthouse by a family of Shinto priests serving Kasuga Taisha Shrine. In 1937, it began operating as a Japanese-style restaurant with an attached inn. Over the years, it has evolved from serving traditional honzen ryori dishes to modern, innovative and sustainable cuisine. Located in a deep valley, surrounded by dense forests and steep mountains, it is known for its sukiya-zukuri style building, designed by master carpenter Sotoji Nakamura.
Michelin 2026: Kyoto and Osaka Overview
The Hanase-based restaurant is now one of six establishments in Kyoto with three Michelin stars, joining the likes of Mizai, Hyotei and Gion Sasaki. The city boasts 19 eateries with two stars. Four of those — Doppo, Tokuha Motonari, Higashiyama Yoshihisa and Muromachi Yui — were promoted as part of the new edition. It also has 12 new one-star restaurants (73 in total), three new Bib Gourmand restaurants (47 in total) and 14 newly Selected restaurants.
In Osaka, Taian, Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama and Hajime remain the only three restaurants with the highest star ranking in the city. There are 12 two-star Michelin eateries there, including the newly promoted kaiseki establishment Teruya, and seven new one-star restaurants, making it 66 in total. Osaka boasts 59 Bib Gourmand restaurants, nine of which are new, and 16 Selected eateries making their debut in the prestigious guide, which features 479 entries.
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Michelin Adds Three-Star Restaurant in for the first time Since 2020
Updated On April 24, 2026
AloJapan.com