Tokyo hokenjo licensing: what guests should check

If a Tokyo apartment is offered as licensed lodging, ask for the licence details and the authority that issued them. Match them to the property you're booking. If you have questions about the licence, start with the local 保健所 (hokenjo, public health office).

A sixty-night stay can still count as lodging. The number of nights alone won’t tell you which rules apply. Ask whether you’ll be staying as a lodging guest or signing a residential lease before checking the paperwork.

Lodging permission and a residential lease are different

The Japan Tourism Agency’s explanation of the Ryokan Business Act describes what counts as a lodging business. If you’re unsure whether that law applies to a home, it says to ask the local public health office. The law includes boarding houses that charge by the month or longer, so monthly billing alone doesn’t mean a licence is unnecessary.

Some homes offer paid short stays, called minpaku, registered with the local authority under the private-lodging law; others use a separate scheme available in designated areas. Ask the company which permission or registration it uses. Each scheme has its own paperwork and numbers, so you need to know which one to check. Our licensing overview explains the differences.

For a building lease, ask for the agreement and the name of the person or company renting the home to you. They may own it or rent it from its owner. A furnished home does not automatically need a hotel licence. If you are unsure whether the home is offered as lodging or a lease, tell the office what services the company provides and ask which rules apply. The 2018 national guidance recommends using one month as a guide when checking whether a stay is lodging. A local authority may already use a different stay length when deciding whether a rental counts as lodging, and may continue to use it. The office also considers how the company runs the property. Staying thirty days does not, by itself, remove the need for a lodging licence.

What happens before a lodging licence is issued

Shinjuku’s licensing page shows what a company needs to check before opening. These checks cover the location, building and fire laws, and local rules. The page explains how to discuss plans with the office and apply, including an inspection of the property by public health office staff.

For example, Minato's procedure requires the company to give nearby residents written notice of its plans at least twenty days before applying for a licence. The ward gives this example: if neighbours are notified on 1 July, the company can apply on 22 July or later. The company still needs to meet the rest of Minato's procedure. Other wards may set different deadlines, and this is not a deadline for guests to book.

For a new property, “we’ve spoken to the office” doesn’t mean “we have a licence.” If the company wants you to book before approval, ask what happens to your payment if the opening is delayed. Get the answer in writing.

Building and fire requirements need their own work

Building and fire-safety checks form part of preparing a property for lodging. Tokyo Fire Department's minpaku guidance tells businesses to consult the local fire station before preparing to open. Its Honjo procedure describes the building information and fire-equipment details needed for that consultation.

You can’t tell from a photograph whether a home meets all its fire-safety rules. Seeing an alarm or exit sign answers only part of the question. Ask for the safety instructions and escape route for your apartment, and use the fire-safety guide to check the home when you arrive.

Even if the licence checks out, report anything unsafe when you arrive. If a marked escape route is blocked or equipment looks faulty, tell the manager promptly and ask them to put it right.

Match the details to the home

Ask for the exact address, building and unit number, legal operating name, licence or notification number, and issuing authority. Compare those with the agreement and listing. A trading name may differ from the legal name, but the company should be able to explain the connection.

Check the authority’s current public records if it publishes them. If you can’t find a clear match, contact the office with the full address and company details. Searching only the brand name may not find the right record. Authorities publish different details, so a missing search result doesn’t prove the home is operating illegally.

For an M-number private-lodging listing, use the minpaku lookup guide. For a Ryokan Business Act licence, follow the issuing office's procedure. The two searches are related, but they are not interchangeable.

What permission doesn't tell you

A licence is not a promise of twenty-four-hour reception, daily cleaning or a particular cancellation policy. Ask for those services separately.

Keep the booking terms alongside the licensing information. If your concern is a refund, date change or broken appliance, start with the company you booked with and the relevant terms. If you’re worried that a lodging business is operating illegally or is unhygienic, ask the local public health office whether it can help.

If you need to raise a concern

Keep a factual record: address, unit, dates, booking reference, what you observed and the company's response. Photographs of the issue can help, provided you don't intrude on other guests or alter safety equipment.

Ask the office whether it handles that address and problem, and what information it needs. If the company offers you another apartment, check its details too. Get any change to the price or cancellation terms in writing.