The Country With The 2nd Most Michelin Star Restaurants Is Home To An Array Of Unmatched Worldwide Cuisine

Earning a Michelin star is a huge deal. The Michelin Guide — created by the Michelin tire company in 1900 — bestows highly sought-after culinary recognition upon chefs at the absolute pinnacle of their craft. If your idea of a great vacation is visiting a country that offers excellent fine dining, you may want to head to a country that has a ton of Michelin-starred restaurants. The fact that France is the country that has the most Michelin-starred restaurants probably doesn't shock you. However, the country with the second-most Michelin-starred restaurants is a bit more interesting, and perhaps a little surprising — Japan. And because Japan is one of the best vacation destinations where the U.S. dollar goes the furthest, it may be a great place to plan your next foodie adventure.

While Japan doesn't have the most starred restaurants, it does have two other things going for it — the fact that its capital, Tokyo, has the most three-starred restaurants in the world and its starred restaurants serve a variety of cuisines, not just local fare. Interested diners can find three Michelin-starred restaurant options for Japanese, French, and Chinese cuisine in Japan. If you're not married to the idea of only trying three Michelin-starred restaurants, then your choices are even greater, including not just Japanese, French, and Chinese but also Italian and Spanish. It's important to mention here that whether a restaurant has one Michelin star, or three, the food it's serving is likely to be of elite quality.

Tokyo is a great place to start your foodie adventure as it not only has the most Michelin star restaurants in Japan, but also two major international airports (Narita and Haneda) that offer non-stop connections to and from major cities all over the world. Once you land in Tokyo, you will be spoiled with options for high-end restaurants. The capital city has an impressive 169 Michelin-starred restaurants, the most of any city. Of these, 12 have three Michelin stars.

If you're looking for great sushi, you should check out Harutaka, Japan's only three-starred sushi restaurant. Insisting on serving diners only the freshest of fish and produce, Hokkaido-native chef and owner Takahashi Harutaka's establishment is big in reputation and taste despite its limited seating. This spot is an Omakase — which literally translates to "I leave the details up to you" — and involves a culinary adventure wherein all dining decisions are left to the discretion of the chef. Diners needn't bother with choosing items off the menu; the chef will decide and serve dishes they deem well-suited for that particular meal. Such a uniquely Japanese dining experience at Harutaka will run each guest around 55,000 Japanese yen or $380, at the time of writing. 

Joël Robuchon offers a lovely dining alternative to Japanese cuisine, if that's what you're in the mood for. The restaurant focuses on harmonizing haute French techniques with fresh local ingredients to offer diners pre-set menus that cost anywhere between 25,000 and 55,000 Japanese yen or $172 to $380 per person, at the time of writing. Once you've had your fill of Michelin-starred Tokyo restaurants that are pushing the envelope, you can test out some more options at Tsukiji Outer Market, Japan's "food town" with the tastiest traditional eats.

Kyoto — the yesteryear capital of the Land of the Rising Sun — is home to 93 Michelin-starred restaurants, of which five are bestowed with the highest three-star honor. This city with the third-highest number of starred restaurants in the world is easily accessible from Tokyo by train and boasts of stalwarts like Mizai, a Japanese fine-dining establishment renowned for its generous portions of sashimi and incredible matcha tea ceremonies. And if you're looking for an inspiring Italian meal, look no further than Cenci. This restaurant thrives on experimenting with the best ingredients that both Kyoto and Italy have to offer to provide diners with a lip-smacking experience.

Osaka, another great food city in Japan, is also easy to reach from Tokyo. When in Osaka, we recommend Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama, a restaurant with three Michelin stars and a Michelin Green Star as recognition for the establishment's dedication to culinary sustainability. Chef Hideaki Matsuo is obsessed with the art of Japanese hospitality and getting every detail right. This is clearly reflected in Kashiwaya's incredible food and service. If you'd rather take a break from eating Japanese food, Alarde is a great option in Osaka for Spanish cuisine. The restaurant specializes in serving classic Basque dishes with an emphasis on utilizing aromatics and open-fire techniques, so diners can feel close to nature while being seated in luxury. However, no matter where you eat in Osaka, you'll soon realize why this city is nicknamed "Japan's Kitchen."