As of the 2025Michelin Guide, there are 21 restaurants in theJapanese prefecture ofNara with aMichelin star rating.[1]
TheMichelin Guides have been published by the French tire companyMichelin 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]
TheMichelin Guide first entered the Japanese market with a list coveringTokyo, debuting in November 2007. Michelin would expand its coverage inJapan 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 theKansai Michelin region list that also includedKobe,Kyoto, andOsaka.
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]
 | One Michelin star |
|---|---|
 | Two Michelin stars |
 | Three Michelin stars |
 | One Michelin green star |
— | The restaurant did not receive a star that year |
| Closed | The restaurant is no longer open |
 | One Michelin key |
| Name | Cuisine | Location | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| à plus | French | Gose | — | — | — | |
| Ajinotabibito Roman | Japanese | Nara City | | | | |
| Ajinokaze Nishimura | Japanese | Sakurai | | | | |
| akordu | Innovative | Nara City | | | | |
| Da Terra | Italian | Asuka | — | | | |
| Gen | Japanese | Nara City | | | — | — |
| Gokan Uogin | Japanese | Nara City | | | | |
| Inada | Japanese | Ikoma | | | | — |
| Kaiseki Morimoto | Japanese | Kashihara | | | | |
| Koikiryori Aji Manso | Japanese | Nara City | | | | |
| L'Auberge de Plaisance | French | Sakurai | | | | Closed |
| La Terrasse Irisée | French | Nara City | | | | Closed |
| La Trace | French | Nara City | | | | |
| Lega' | Italian | Katsuragi | — | | | |
| Matsuki | Japanese | Nara City | | | | |
| Musoan | Japanese | Nara City | | | | — |
| Nara Nikon | Japanese | Nara City | | | | |
| Naramuchi Kuko[a] | Chinese | Nara City | | | | |
| Okada | Japanese | Nara City | | | | |
| Oryori Hanagaki | Japanese | Nara City | | | | |
| Oryori Hirooka | Japanese | Nara City | | | | |
| SÉN | Innovative | Tenkawa | — | — | — | |
| Sushi Kawashima | Japanese | Kashihara | | | | |
| Tsukumo | Japanese | Nara City | | | | |
| Villa Communico[b] | Italian | Nara City | | | Closed | |
| Wa Yamamura | Japanese | Nara City | | | | |
| Reference(s) | [6][7] | [8] | [9][10] | [1] | ||
Between 2010 and 2016, Nara restaurants were reviewed and included in the Michelin Guide coveringKyoto, Osaka, Kobe, and Nara. Michelin suspended reviewing Nara restaurants following the 2016 guide, until introducing a standalone guide for Nara in 2022.
