Tokyo is most Michelin-starred city

19 November 2007 by Kerstin Kühn

Tokyo has become the most Michelin-starred city in the world after the launch of the first Michelin restaurant guide for the Japanese capital.

The guide, which marks the first edition outside the west, awarded a record 191 stars to the 150 restaurants it lists, nearly twice as many as Paris's 97 stars and more than triple the 49 issued for London.

Michelin director Jean-Luc Naret said: " It is thanks to the incomparable quality of the products and cooking techniques used, and to the heritage and culinary traditions handed down from generation to generation and which continue to develop thanks to the talent of its chefs, that the Tokyo Michelin Guide has given stars to all restaurants."

Eight restaurants were honoured with the highest accolade of three Michelin stars, with 25 restaurants gaining two stars and 117 receiving a single star.

French chef Joël Robuchon was awarded a total of six stars in Tokyo with his eponymous restaurant Joël Robuchon being awarded three stars, L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon receiving two stars and La Table de Joël Robuchon gaining one.

The six extra stars make Robuchon the highest ranked chef in terms of Michelin stars at 17, ahead of Alain Ducasse at 15 and Gordon Ramsay at 12.

Two thirds of the restaurants given stars are Japanese, with the majority of the remainder serving French cuisine. These include Alain Ducasse's Benoit and Beige restaurants, which each received one star.

The restaurants awarded three Michelin stars are: