So it's official: Tokyo is the gourmet capital of the planet. That is the incontrovertible message of the new Michelin guide published Thursday, which awards the city a total of 191 of its coveted stars — compared with 98 in Paris and just 54 in New York.
Judging by the extent of media coverage around the world, this is big news. For those of us who make Tokyo our home, the reaction can only be, "What took the rest of the world so long to catch on? Why else do you think we live here?"
It's long been commonplace that French restaurants here, whether bistro, formal or haute cuisine, are the equal of those in France — often cheaper and with better service, too. The same applies for Italian or many other cuisines, with the possible exception of Chinese. However, few were expecting the fogies at Michelin (this being the general perception of their faceless inspectors) would actually recognize this.