List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Nara
As of the 2025 Michelin Guide, there are 21 restaurants in the Japanese prefecture of Nara with a Michelin star rating.[1]
The Michelin Guides have been published by the French tire company Michelin since 1900. They were designed as a guide to tell drivers about eateries they recommended to visit and to subtly sponsor their tires, by encouraging drivers to use their cars more and therefore need to replace the tires as they wore out. Over time, the stars that were given out started to become more valuable.[2]
The Michelin Guide first entered the Japanese market with a list covering Tokyo, debuting in November 2007. Michelin would expand its coverage in Japan by issuing standalone guides for other regions in the country, including Nara's which debuted in 2022.[3] From 2010 to 2022, Nara was part of the Kansai Michelin region list that also included Kobe, Kyoto, and Osaka.
Multiple anonymous Michelin inspectors visit the restaurants several times. They rate the restaurants on five criteria: "quality of products", "mastery of flavor and cooking techniques", "the personality of the chef represented in the dining experience", "value for money", and "consistency between inspectors' visits".[2][4] Inspectors have at least ten years of expertise and create a list of popular restaurants supported by media reports, reviews, and diner popularity. If they reach a consensus, Michelin awards restaurants from one to three stars based on its evaluation methodology: One star means "high-quality cooking, worth a stop", two stars signify "excellent cooking, worth a detour", and three stars denote "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey".[5] The stars are not permanent and restaurants are constantly being re-evaluated. If the criteria are not met, the restaurant will lose its stars.[2]
Lists
|
One Michelin star |
|---|---|
|
Two Michelin stars |
—
|
The restaurant did not receive a star that year |
| Closed | The restaurant is no longer open |
2022–2025
| Name | Cuisine | Location | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| à plus | French | Gose | — | — | — |
|
| Ajinotabibito Roman | Japanese | Nara City |
|
|
|
|
| Ajinokaze Nishimura | Japanese | Sakurai |
|
|
|
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| akordu | Innovative | Nara City |
|
|
|
|
| Da Terra | Italian | Asuka | — |
|
|
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| Gen | Japanese | Nara City |
|
|
— | — |
| Gokan Uogin | Japanese | Nara City |
|
|
|
|
| Inada | Japanese | Ikoma |
|
|
|
— |
| Kaiseki Morimoto | Japanese | Kashihara |
|
|
|
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| Koikiryori Aji Manso | Japanese | Nara City |
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|
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| L'Auberge de Plaisance | French | Sakurai |
|
|
|
Closed |
| La Terrasse Irisée | French | Nara City |
|
|
|
Closed |
| La Trace | French | Nara City |
|
|
|
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| Lega' | Italian | Katsuragi | — |
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| Matsuki | Japanese | Nara City |
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| Musoan | Japanese | Nara City |
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|
|
— |
| Nara Nikon | Japanese | Nara City |
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| Naramuchi Kuko[a] | Chinese | Nara City |
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| Okada | Japanese | Nara City |
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| Oryori Hanagaki | Japanese | Nara City |
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| Oryori Hirooka | Japanese | Nara City |
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| SÉN | Innovative | Tenkawa | — | — | — |
|
| Sushi Kawashima | Japanese | Kashihara |
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| Tsukumo | Japanese | Nara City |
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| Villa Communico[b] | Italian | Nara City |
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Closed |
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| Wa Yamamura | Japanese | Nara City |
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|
| Reference(s) | [6][7] | [8] | [9][10] | [1] | ||
2010–2016
Between 2010 and 2016, Nara restaurants were reviewed and included in the Michelin Guide covering Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Nara. Michelin suspended reviewing Nara restaurants following the 2016 guide, until introducing a standalone guide for Nara in 2022.
See also
- List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan
- List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Hokkaido
- List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Kyoto and Osaka
- List of Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo
- Lists of restaurants
Notes
References
- ^ a b "The MICHELIN Guide Nara 2025 – New Selection Revealed". Michelin Guide. Michelin Asia. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ a b c Buchwald, Elisabeth (10 February 2024). "Michelin Guide history: How did a tire company become an elite restaurant rating guide?". CNN. Archived from the original on 20 February 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "MICHELIN Guides Worldwide". guide.michelin.com. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
- ^ "How Restaurants Get Michelin Stars: A Brief History of the Michelin Guide". Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. 9 February 2024. Archived from the original on 8 April 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ Dixon, Rachel (24 June 2008). "Q&A: Michelin stars". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 20 May 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ "First Edition Of MICHELIN Guide Nara 2022 Revealed". Michelin Guide. Michelin Asia. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ "「ミシュランガイド奈良2022」発表 新たな星付きレストランを紹介". Michelin Guide. Michelin Asia. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ "The MICHELIN Guide Nara 2023 is revealed" (PDF). Michelin Guide. Michelin Asia. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ "85 restaurants shine within the 2024 restaurant selection of the MICHELIN Guide Nara". Michelin Guide. Michelin Asia. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
- ^ Sendo, Ko (28 June 2024). "Michelin Guide recognizes 85 restaurants in Nara Prefecture". The Asahi Shimbun. The Asahi Shimbun Company. Retrieved 10 December 2025.