Photo credit: TripAdvisor

The land of seafood, sushi and scenery gains another gastronomical advantage. After a five-year hiatus, Michelin inspectors returned to the second largest island of Japan in search of new dining destinations worthy of being admitted into the exclusive starred club. The result? Two new three Michelin-starred restaurants from the island of Hokkaido.

Michelin published a one-off guide for the island in 2012. Overall, the 2017 edition of the guide features 22 new Michelin-starred restaurants. Amongst these include Hanakoji Sawada, which serves a seasonal Japanese menu. The restaurant was promoted from its two-star standing to three stars. The 36-seat restaurant is located in the city of Sapporo.

Sushi Miyakawa now also boasts a triple-starred ranking. Three Michelin stars denote “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey,” while two stars represent “excellent cooking, worth a detour.” A single star denotes “a very good restaurant in its category. Other notable new entries include Tempura araki, which received two stars, and Koyon Yamahisa, which unlocked its first star.

The Hokkaido Michelin guide 2017 launches officially on May 19.