The story
Just minutes from Osaka Uehonmachi Station, on a quiet street in Ishigatsujicho, Yugen (幽玄) translates its name into an experience: the profound, wordless depth of Japanese cuisine. Chef Keisuke Mifune, a graduate of Nakamura Culinary School in Fukuoka, trained at the esteemed Osaka ryotei Kichizai before opening Yugen in June 2019. Within a year, the restaurant earned its first Michelin star; by the 2024 edition of the Michelin Guide Kyoto-Osaka, it had been elevated to two stars—a recognition it continues to hold.
Mifune’s cooking is built on a simple conviction: do not overwork the ingredient. He sources primarily from Osaka and his native Kyushu, visiting farms personally to select vegetables he trusts. The resulting kaiseki courses—dinner at ¥28,875 (10 dishes) and lunch at ¥15,015 (7 dishes)—let each season’s character speak. A summer menu might begin with a wanmono (clear soup) whose dashi is gentle and refined, followed by a hassun (seasonal assortment) that Mifune considers the most vivid expression of the moment. A donabe of Fukuoka “Yumetsukushi” rice arrives with a seasonal preparation; guests are encouraged to enjoy a second helping of takikomi gohan (seasoned
Recognition
Ambience
Details
Location
