Michelin showers stars on Tokyo

Twelve restaurants in Tokyo were awarded a three-star rating in the latest Michelin Guide Tokyo 2015, the publisher of the guidebook series announced Tuesday.

Japanese cuisine restaurant Makimura was newly promoted from two to three stars, but there was one less three-star restaurant in Tokyo compared to the previous year's edition.

According to the publisher Nihon Michelin Tire Co., 226 restaurants were named including 53 that garnered two stars and 161 with one in the guidebook set to hit shelves Friday.

In addition to the starred restaurants, 325 others were designated Bib Gourmands, which recognises establishments offering quality food for less than 5,000 yen (S$55).

Launched last year, Bib Gourmand restaurants include those serving washoku traditional Japanese cuisine such as oden, chanko nabe hotpot, loach dishes and ramen noodles for the first time.

The three-stars restaurants are, for Japanese cuisine, Ishikawa, Esaki, Kanda, Makimura, Yukimura and RyuGin; Usukifugu Yamadaya for blowfish cuisine; Quintessence and Joel Robuchon under French cuisine; and finally for sushi, Saito, Sukiyabashi Jiro and Yoshitake.