The world’s best sushi restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro, has been stripped of its three Michelin stars.
However, as the Guardian notes, the decision has nothing to do with the Tokyo institution’s quality sushi; the restaurant is losing its stars because it is no longer open to the public.
“We recognize Sukiyabashi Jiro does not accept reservations from the general public, which makes it out of our scope,” a spokesperson for the Michelin Guide said in a statement. “It was not true to say the restaurant lost stars but it is not subject to coverage in our guide. Michelin’s policy is to introduce restaurants where everybody can go to eat.”
Sushi Saito, another restaurant in Tokyo, also lost its three stars for the same reason.
Sukiyabashi Jiro was the subject of the 2011 documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, and up until this year, it received three stars from the Michelin Guide every year since the culinary guide launched its Tokyo edition in 2007. Diners must book through the concierge of a luxury hotel, be regulars or have special connections to get in. The restaurant, where Barack Obama once dined in 2014, currently can only seat 10 guests at a time.
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