Tokyo is Michelin's top starred city for 2018

A total of 234 Tokyo restaurants have been awarded stars in the latest edition of the red book, including 166 one-star sites and 56 with two stars.

It means the Japanese capital remains the highest-rated culinary city in the 28 countries covered by Michelin.

Tokyo knocked Paris off the top spot when Michelin first came to the city in 2007,​​ and it continues to outrank the French capital, which has 105 restaurants with one or more stars. In comparison London has 72 starred sites, less than a third Tokyo's total, though its population is estimated at 8.7m compared to Tokyo's 9.2m.

Michael Ellis, international director of the Michelin Guides, says the numbers reflect the ‘great ability and skills found in Tokyo’.

“Sushi, French, Italian, Tempura, Izakaya…the rich variety of our selection is testament to the gastronomic strength of Tokyo,” says Ellis.

Tokyo’s 12 three-star restaurants all retained their ratings for another year. Four of the top sites, including sushi restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro and French restaurants Joel Robuchon and Quintessence, have maintained their position for 11 years.

In 2015 Michelin made headlines when it gave a star to a ramen restaurant for the first time, and a second noodle spot followed in 2016.

This year’s new two-star sites include Florilege, which serves French cuisine presented in Japanese plates and bowls, and Den, the quirky eight-cover restaurant known for serving fried chicken in a cardboard takeaway box and a garden salad of 20 vegetables picked daily.

Michelin also awarded Bib Gourmands, which recognise ‘quality food at affordable prices’, to 59 new restaurants, bringing Tokyo’s Bib total to 278.

Tokyo was the first city outside Europe and the United States to receive its own Michelin Guide in 2007.