TOKYO >> Michelin has published its inaugural guide to Aichi, Gifu and Mie prefectures in Japan’s central Tokai region.

A total of 68 restaurants across the region were awarded coveted Michelin stars in May. Three restaurants received three stars each: Sushi Ueda and Hijikata, both in Aichi Prefecture, and Komada, a sushi restaurant in Mie Prefecture.

Fourteen restaurants, the majority of which specialize in Japanese cuisine, received two stars. Those include Kaiseki Hachisen, Sekine, Hasshokan, Myo-an, Sushi Shunbi Nishikawa, Sushi Hiji- kata and Tempura Niitome, all in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture; Yanagiya in Mizunami and Ryoutei Susaki in Takayama, both in Gifu Prefecture; and Kaiseki Kamimura, in Ise, and Kappou Nishimura in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture.

Specialists in non-Japanese cuisine at the two-star rank were French restaurants La Vagabonde and Reminisce in Nagoya, and Chinese restaurant Shosai- chuka Hiro in Gifu.

The remaining 51 restaurants each received one star.

In addition, 102 restaurants were awarded Bib Gourmand status, in “recognition of a good meal with good value for under 5,000 yen (about $46).” Restaurants with Bib Gourmand status serve regional dishes such as Nagoya’s miso katsu (cutlets, pictured left) and hitsumabushi unagi (steamed eel served over rice with condiments such as wasabi, nori and dashi, poured over the eel and rice to make ochazuke).

Michelin already publishes guides for other cities and regions across the country, including Tokyo (230 starred restaurants), Kyoto (103 starred restaurants) and Osaka (97 starred restaurants). Find these guides at guide.michelin.co.jp. The Michelin Guide Aichi-Gifu-Mie 2019 has not yet been posted online.