The Michelin Guide has announced Kobe and Awaji Island as a new area to be covered and will unveil the selection for the area at a ceremony in Tokyo on 16 February 2027. The initiative is intended to showcase the diverse food cultures and ingredients of Kobe and Awaji Island to the world.
The Michelin Guide has selected Kobe and Awaji Island as its first new domestic area in five years and states that it will announce the selection for the area at the Michelin Guide Restaurant Ceremony Tokyo & Kansai 2027, to be held in Tokyo on 16 February 2027. The area covered comprises Kobe, Awaji, Sumoto and Minamiawaji. The selection is scheduled to be published in Japanese and English on the official website and official app.
The background cited includes Kobe's history and international character as a port city, and Awaji Island's abundance of ingredients as a Miketsukuni, a historic food-producing region. Both areas are said to be valued for their high-quality ingredients and close ties between producers and chefs, which form the basis for the evaluation. Inspectors have already begun surveying the area.
Gwendal Poullennec (グウェンダル・プレネック), international director of the Michelin Guide, commented that he was pleased to introduce Kobe and Awaji Island as a new destination, emphasizing the power of the two areas' food cultures and people to bring them together. Wakamoto Hirotaka (若本博隆), chairman of the Kobe-Awaji Island Gastronomy Association, also expressed expectations for cultural fusion and for showcasing the region's gastronomy.
The announcement also provides information sources and ways to access them, including a feature article on the official Michelin website and the official app's functions for searching and booking restaurants and hotels around the world.