(SPOT.ph) A spokesperson for the Michelin Guide revealed that Sukiyabashi Jiro in Ginza, Japan just lost its three Michelin stars for no longer being open to the public—as in, you must now have special connections to get a reservation, or be assisted by a luxury-hotel concierge, according to an article by The Guardian.
This boots it from Michelin’s radar, as their policy dictates that the restaurants they list must be places “where everybody can go to eat.”
In their defense, Jiro’s website states that they were “experiencing difficulties in accepting reservations,” and that as sad as it makes them to do it, the decision was not made lightly.
Chef Jiro Ono’s younger son currently runs another branch of the restaurant in Roppongi Hills, Minato, Tokyo, which is still open to the public; they have kept their two stars.
This isn’t the first time it’s happened, though. Tokyo’s Sushi Saito was also removed from the list not too long ago for the same reason.
For more information, visit the Michelin Guide's official website.
