Tokyo sparkles with most stars

When it comes to food, no city can match Tokyo for its star appeal according to the esteemed travel guide Michelin. In a world first, the French tyre-maker and travel publisher awarded a coveted star rating to every restaurant entered in its new Tokyo edition. Among the 150 restaurants in the Michelin Guide Tokyo 2008, eight received the top three-star rating, 25 received two stars and 117 received one star. The three-star winners included Japanese, French and sushi eateries. At a press conference, Michelin Guides director Jean-Luc Naret praised Tokyo as "a shining star in the world of cuisine" with the most stars worldwide.

Five anonymous judges visited 1500 Tokyo restaurants over 18 months to determine the ratings based on food quality, culinary technique and tradition. The guide, the first for an Asian city, was published on November 22 and sold out in a matter of days.