Tsukumo

"Masato Nishihara is intrigued by the beauty of the incomplete; art that stops just short of perfection. Subtracting one line from a hundred makes the character for ‘tsukumo’ an old-timey word for ‘ninety-nine’, but it also denotes ‘white’, the starting-point akin to a ‘tabula rasa’, as it is one short of one hundred, or completion. Nishihara unravels the culture of Nara, where Japan’s history began. Seeking a deeper understanding of Japanese cuisine, he weaves his menu from local ingredients and his innate ingenuity. Originality flows like tales from the old capital." - Michelin Inspector

Tsukumo

"Masato Nishihara is intrigued by the beauty of the incomplete; art that stops just short of perfection. Subtracting one line from a hundred makes the character for ‘tsukumo’ an old-timey word for ‘ninety-nine’, but it also denotes ‘white’, the starting-point akin to a ‘tabula rasa’, as it is one short of one hundred, or completion. Nishihara unravels the culture of Nara, where Japan’s history began. Seeking a deeper understanding of Japanese cuisine, he weaves his menu from local ingredients and his innate ingenuity. Originality flows like tales from the old capital." - Michelin Inspector

「MICHELIN Guide Nara 2022」An Interview with Starred restaurants

"The chef celebrates the occasion with his wife, the proprietress, and is committed to continuing their culinary efforts." - MICHELIN Guide Japan

First Edition Of MICHELIN Guide Nara 2022 Revealed

"At Tsukumo, chef Masato Nishihara, who trained in Kyoto, New York and London before settling in Nara, offers a most original Japanese cuisine. Bringing together local ingredients and more daring flavours such as truffles, while imagining a culinary dialogue between different Japanese traditions, including shojin ryori (an assortment of vegan dishes classically served in Japanese Buddhist temples), the chef and his team create memorable menus that defy classic Japanese codes." - MICHELIN Guide Japan