The Michelin Guide named Tokyo the "world leader" in gourmet dining, awarding three-star status to eight restaurants in its inaugural edition for the capital.
The dining guide gave two stars to 25 restaurants, and one star to 117. Michelin awarded stars to 150 restaurants in all.
"Tokyo has become the world leader in gourmet dining, with more 'stars' than any other city," Michelin said in a release. The city boasts 191 stars in all. Professional evaluators for the guide anonymously visited 1,500 establishments for a year and a half to compile the list.
Paris boasts 98 Michelin stars and 10 three-star restaurants. London has 50 stars with one establishment at the top rank. New York has three three-star restaurants and 49 stars in all.
Michelin judges restaurants on their food and drink based on a set of "unpublished criteria," according to the company's Web site. One star indicates a very good restaurant, two stars denote excellent cuisine that is worth a detour, while three stars reward exceptional cuisine that's worth making a "special journey" for, the Web site says.
Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin, the world's second-largest tire maker, has published its eatery and hotel guides since 1900.