A fire broke out Saturday afternoon at Chihana, a Japanese restaurant with three Michelin stars in the Gion district of Kyoto, affecting six neighboring buildings and burning 225 square meters in total.
No one was injured and the fire was mostly extinguished about two hours later.
The local police station said the fire started at about 2:30 p.m., when Chihana was not open for business. There were four employees working inside the restaurant, and no customers were present.
According to Chihana's website, the restaurant opened in 1946. It has earned three stars for nine consecutive years from the Michelin Guide 2010.
The restaurant is known for its intimate "itamae kappo" (chef's cuisine) style, with customers dining at a counter facing the chef. It has been visited by celebrities such as writer Ryotaro Shiba and businessman Jiro Shirasu and his wife Masako.
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