Sukiyabashi Jiro No Longer A Michelin-Starred Restaurant

Sukiyabashi Jiro Honten, or more commonly known as Sushi Jiro, has long been known as the ‘best sushi restaurant in the world’ – but not anymore to the Michelin Guide.

The tiny basement restaurant in Tokyo that hosted U.S. President Barack Obama and featured in the documentary ‘Jiro Dreams of Sushi’ was removed from the 2020 Michelin guide to Tokyo as it no longer accepts reservations from the general public.

Upon unveiling the latest Tokyo edition, a representative for the Michelin Guide commented in The Guardian that it is not a case of the restaurant losing its stars, but mainly related to the fact that the Michelin Guide has a policy of introducing restaurants where everybody can go to eat. “We recognise Sukiyabashi Jiro does not accept reservations from the general public, which makes it out of our scope,” explains the representative.

Tough Reservations

Located in the upscale Ginza neighbourhood, the 10-seat counter restaurant run by 94-year-old Jiro Ono, had held a three-star rating since Michelin published its first guide to Tokyo dining in 2007. It has a guest list that includes the French chef Joël Robuchon, the actor Hugh Jackman and the singer Katy Perry.

Its popularity and high demand means it has never been easy to make a reservation, but now diners willing to part with at least 40,000 yen (£285) for the chef’s menu must be regulars or have special connections. In addition, overseas diners would have to make a booking through the concierge of a luxury hotel, as there have been cases where diners were unable to arrive on the date and time of their reservation. “

We at Sukiyabashi Jiro wish it were possible to accommodate all guests at our restaurant, but this is unfortunately not possible given the reality of our situation,” as stated in the restaurant’s reservation page. “We apologise for any inconveniences and thank you for your understanding.”

Source: Reuters

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