The Executive Director of Japan National Tourist Organization' Beijing Office, Kashiwagi Takahisa, shakes hands with the representative of the Michelin Red Guides Tokyo, at a press release to celebrate the publishing of a Chinese version of the Michelin Red Guides Tokyo, on Thursday, October 23, 2008, in Beijing. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/ Liu Lu]

The Chinese edition of Michelin Red Guides Tokyo is now available to Chinese readers, offering a comprehensive restaurant guide for travellers to the Japanese city.

At a press release in Beijing on Thursday, Mr. Kashiwagi Takahisa, Executive Director of the Japan National Tourist Organization's Beijing Office, said he hopes the book can help Chinese learn more about Japanese culture.

The Michelin Red Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The book, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards Michelin stars, is recognized as Europe's authoritative travelling-dictionary.

Selections are made by Michelin's anonymous and highly professional inspectors and only restaurants that are recommended will be included.

The Michelin Red Guides Tokyo was officially launched in 2007 as the first guide for an Asian city, but only in English and Japanese.