Among the news, this year’s edition sees SÉZANNE promoted to Three MICHELIN Stars, Tempura Motoyoshi promoted to Two MICHELIN Stars and 13 restaurants newly awarded One MICHELIN Star. The MICHELIN Green Star also highlights the virtuous commitments of one new restaurant: Daigo. In addition, three Special Awards were given to talented professionals: the MICHELIN Mentor Chef Award, the MICHELIN Service Award and the new MICHELIN Sommelier Award, presented for the very first time in Tokyo.

Secreted away in the basement floor on a curving side street in upscale Aoyama, Tempura Motoyoshi was tricky to find in the days before Google Maps. The space is dark and intimate, with just nine seats at the counter. Be sure to take in the handmade ceramic teacups displayed on the rough-textured stucco wall—the chef is an avid collector of Japanese pottery.

But Tokyo gourmands go crazy for tempura, and Kazuhito Motoyoshi’s dexterous, majestic technique demonstrates exactly why. Seating is limited to eight counter stools – snag one and you’ll be able to watch his every delicate, deliberate move up close, soundtracked by the swooshes and fizzles of brief rendezvous between vegetables and a deep-fryer...

Chef Motoyoshi's deep-fried delicacies are fantastically light, sheathed in a crisp coating of golden batter that owes its crunch to a mixture of canola and sesame oil. He has a knack for vegetables, which he ferries from Tsukiji market on the back of his motorbike every day. Among his signatures are succulent Takagime peppers from Kyoto, pudding-like croquettes of sweet Japanese corn, and myoga wild Japanese ginger buds.

Tempura Motoyoshi is another popular choice to experience the changes of the seasons through gastronomy fully. Tempura Motoyoshi moved from its original location in Gaienmae to a brand-new building in Ebisu. The owner-chef Kazuhito Motoyoshi refers to the koromo batter as “clothes” wrapping each ingredient, carefully varying its thickness and consistency to capture its natural aroma and maximise its umami flavours.

Everything about this tiny restaurant, which specialises in tempura and only seats eight, is beautifully Japanese – from the décor (a large tree branch juts out of the kitchen and into the diners’ space) to the handwritten sake list (I opt for a chilled sake). A small plate sits in front of us for the tempura paper to be placed on it and what you notice with every placement is that there’s no oil left on the paper.

Motoyoshi is one of the better Tempura restaurants in Tokyo that is relatively easy to book. Kazuhito Motoyoshi-san is known for his light and extremely crispy batter. He grew up in a family of fishmongers which is why his Tempura omakase incorporates a lot of seafood (cooked and raw), giving birth to his signature Uni with Shiso Tempura and Ikura with Nori Tempura.

The batter is mixed right before frying and the viscosity is adjusted accordingly to each ingredient being cooked. Placed in front of the guests is a beautiful box containing all of the vegetables used in the meal, showcased like prized treasure. Motoyoshi lightly dips everything in batter and fries them to a perfect golden crisp.

Meticulous, discriminating and highly-acclaimed, the chef at Tempura Motoyoshi has a clear vision for entertaining his guests. Now that you are here in his perfect warm space, surrounded by beautiful accoutrements, with your eyes feasting on the brilliantly colourful ingredients, his focus is on you ...

Small but mighty, Tempura Motoyoshi (天ぷら 元吉) is a Tempura restaurant with a counter table and 9 seats, located in Aoyama area. Motoyoshi received 1 Michelin star and it’s one of the top rated restaurants on Japanese gourmet website Tabelog. Make sure to book in advance!

With 100 branches in Tokyo alone, Tenya is clearly doing something right; turning tempura it into an affordable, any-time meal. The basic bowl features a selection of seafood and veggies; keep an eye out for seasonal specialties, such as bamboo shoots in spring.