The world famous Michelin gourmet guide has finally discovered Hokkaido – the food bowl of Japan – and announced the release of a Hokkaido edition in the spring of 2012.
The news that Michelin food experts are currently sampling food across the island is “a huge chance to get exposure for Niseko as a food destination and to attract more high-end customers,” says Yuichi Kamimura, chef and owner of Kamimura restaurant in Hirafu. Kamimura-san is the protégé of Tetsuya Wakada, a three-star Michelin chef himself heading the kitchen of one of Australia's best restaurants, Tetsuya's. “My restaurant is the style Michelin usually covers, with a Michelin star I could invest more money in the interior and easily find highly-qualified staff,” he says. “I wouldn’t change the menu just because Michelin might drop in. The food we do is very good.” Kamimura would be more than satisfied with one Michelin star, which denotes "a very good restaurant in its category". Two would be for “excellent cooking, worth a detour" and three stars “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey".
Japan now has more Michelin three-star restaurants than France and the first Michelin Tokyo guide became a sensation.
French broadsheet Le Figaro wrote at the time “Tokyo, The New World Center of Gastronomy” and “no one imagined the explosion that the results of this publication would cause."
Michelin has been operating in Japan for five years, not only covering Tokyo and Kyoto but the surrounding areas of these big cities as well. With Hokkaido finally getting some exposure an influx of tourists is expected. According to a Japanese government survey, more than 70 percent of foreign visitors in Japan cited food as a primary reason for their visit.
Michelin Japan has confirmed that the first details of the Japanese version will be announced in time for your New Year’s Eve dinner. Perhaps it's time to reserve your seats at Kamimura.