Is Minpaku or Ryokan Business Possible in Meguro Ward? External Facility Front Desk, Toilets on Each Floor, and Minpaku New Law Limited to Fridays and Saturdays
For simplified lodging facilities (簡易宿所, kan’i shukusho) in Meguro Ward, the installation of a front desk (玄関帳場, genkan choba) is required, but it is permitted to place it outside the facility. The response to guest needs must be within 10 minutes on foot, and keys can be handed over using a key box, so if one base functioning as the front desk can be prepared nearby, the facility itself can be operated unmanned.
The Minpaku New Law (住宅宿泊事業, jutaku shukuhaku jigyo), under ward’s additional ordinances, permits operation only on Fridays and Saturdays, and also requires notifying neighboring residents 15 days before filing the notification.
Meguro Ward is not an implementation area for the National Strategic Special Zone Minpaku (国家戦略特区民泊). Below, we explain the points to note separately for the Ryokan Business Act and the Minpaku New Law, as well as the easily overlooked facility requirements when converting detached houses.
The regulation information in this article is organized based on our inquiries to the health center and publicly available ward documents (as of August 2026).
Quick Reference Table of Minpaku and Ryokan Business Regulations in Meguro Ward
| Category | Item | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Ryokan Business (Simplified Lodging Facilities) | Front Desk (玄関帳場) | Required (outside facility allowed) |
| Response (駆けつけ) Requirement | Within 10 minutes on foot | |
| Notification to Neighbors | Flyers (distribution by posting) | |
| Key Handover | Key box allowed | |
| Minpaku New Law (Housing Accommodation Business) | Ward’s additional ordinance | Operation allowed only on Fridays and Saturdays / Notification to neighbors required 15 days prior to notification filing |
Ryokan Business (Simplified Lodging Facilities): Front Desk Can Be Located Outside the Facility
The Ryokan Business Act requires permission, and unlike the Minpaku New Law, there is no limit on the number of operating days per year. The requirements Meguro Ward demands are as follows.
- Front desk (玄関帳場): Required. However, it can be located outside the facility.
- Response (駆けつけ) system: Must be able to reach the facility within 10 minutes on foot.
- Key handover: Non-face-to-face handover with a key box is acceptable.
- Notification to neighbors: Flyers delivered by posting; briefing sessions are not required but must be arranged if requested by residents.
- Facility name: Displayed in a public and easily visible place.
- Toilets: Must be installed on each floor.
Where and to what extent a front desk outside the facility should be placed (distance from the facility, shared use with other purposes) has not been confirmed in this investigation. If you have a candidate location for the front desk, bringing that address to the health center for pre-consultation will speed up the process. Combining the front desk and the response base within a 10-minute walking distance significantly affects operating costs.
If Converting a Detached House, First Check "Toilets on Each Floor"
Meguro Ward requires that toilets be installed on each floor as a building requirement for simplified lodging facilities. For 2- or 3-story detached houses with a toilet only on the first floor, construction to add toilets on upper floors is necessary. The scale of plumbing work depends on where water supply and drainage pipes can be sourced, so please check blueprints and verify on site before deciding on a property.
When converting a residential building for ryokan business, consideration of use change and compliance with the Building Standards Act and Fire Service Act are required separately. Ryokans and hotels are generally prohibited from being built in purely residential neighborhoods (first and second class low-rise residential zones, first and second class medium-to-high-rise residential zones, and rural residential zones) and industrial or exclusive industrial zones; in first-class residential zones, the floor area must be 3,000㎡ or less. Confirm use zones from urban planning maps for each candidate property.
Minpaku New Law (Housing Accommodation Business): Only Fridays and Saturdays, Notification to Neighbors 15 Days Before Filing
The Minpaku New Law is a notification system with a nationwide annual limit of 180 days. Under Meguro Ward’s additional ordinance, operation is limited to Fridays and Saturdays only, and notification to neighboring residents must be given 15 days prior to notification filing. For absentee-type minpaku, the management must be entrusted to a housing accommodation management company (住宅宿泊管理業者).
| System | Allowed Operating Days | Annual Approximate Limit | Monthly Approximate Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryokan Business (Simplified Lodging Facilities) | Every day | 365 days | About 30 days |
| Minpaku New Law (Nationwide Limit) | No weekday restriction | 180 days | About 15 days |
| Minpaku New Law (Meguro Ward) | Fridays and Saturdays only | About 104 days (52 weeks × 2 days) | About 8–9 days |
Since the monthly limit is about 8 to 9 nights only on Fridays and Saturdays, cleaning and linen arrangements will be concentrated on weekends. Even if holidays or extended holidays fall on weekdays, the number of operating days will not increase, so please build your revenue plan accordingly.
The deadline for notifying neighbors is 15 days before filing the notification. Follow the ward's guidance regarding the scope and method of notification, and keep records of the dates and recipients of the notification to make explanations easier during application.
Property Market Averages in Meguro Ward (August 2026)
| Indicator | Meguro Ward | Rank Among 23 Wards |
|---|---|---|
| Listed Detached Houses Price (Median) | 150 million yen (70 properties, total floor area 107㎡) | 3rd highest out of 21 wards |
| Rental Detached Houses Asking Rent (Median) | 410,000 yen/month (91 properties, 99㎡) | 2nd highest out of 21 wards |
| Whole Building Income Property Gross Yield (Median) | 3.8% (38 properties) | 19th highest out of 23 wards |
Source: Urbalytics Market Report (Meguro Ward). Medians of properties listed or rented out in August 2026. Indicators with fewer than 10 samples are not shown.
Meguro Ward ranks high among the 23 wards for detached house sales prices and has the second highest rental asking rent for detached houses. Acquisition costs for whole-building rental properties and rents when leasing and subleasing are both high, so using the subleasing model with minpaku under the new law limited to Fridays and Saturdays makes recovering fixed costs difficult.
On the other hand, gross yields of whole-building income properties rank low among the 23 wards, making it a challenging area to secure returns with ordinary rentals. To aim for added value through lodging business, the realistic approach is through ryokan business with no limits on operating days, and cost control by consolidating an external front desk and response base.
Checkpoints When Considering Properties in Meguro Ward
- Check the use district zone with urban planning maps, and if in a residential-only zone, consider using the Minpaku New Law (Friday and Saturday only) instead of ryokan business.
- Verify whether there is a toilet on each floor, and if not, whether there is a plumbing route to add one on unserved floors through blueprints and site inspection.
- Consider candidate locations for an external front desk and how to configure response bases within 10 minutes on foot.
- If proceeding under the Minpaku New Law, schedule notification to neighbors at least 15 days before filing.
- For condominium units, check whether minpaku or ryokan business are prohibited in the management rules; for rentals, confirm in writing the landlord’s permission for subleasing and usage.
Because Meguro Ward allows consolidating the front desk outside the facility, the per-facility burden decreases when operating multiple sites nearby. An operational system combining front desk, response, and cleaning is introduced on the Minpaku Operation Agency page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the front desk for a simplified lodging facility in Meguro Ward be located in a separate building?
Meguro Ward requires a front desk installation but allows it to be located outside the facility. Since conditions vary by property, pre-consult the health center with the candidate address.
Under the Minpaku New Law in Meguro Ward, can we accept guests on Sundays or holidays?
According to our summary, the ward’s ordinance only permits operation on Fridays and Saturdays. If you want to operate on Sundays or weekdays that are holidays, consider applying under the Ryokan Business Act (simplified lodging facility permit).
Can a two-story detached house with toilets only on the first floor be used as a simplified lodging facility?
Meguro Ward requires toilets on each floor, so adding a toilet on the second floor is necessary. Along with change of use procedures and fire equipment work, estimating costs before acquisition is advisable.
Contact Information and Reference Materials
- Meguro Ward Health Center (Ryokan Business Section): 0357229502
Compare with Other Wards
- Minpaku and Ryokan Business Regulations in Tokyo 23 Wards – List
- Minpaku and Ryokan Business Regulations in Shinagawa Ward
- Minpaku and Ryokan Business Regulations in Ota Ward
Regulations and practices may change due to revisions or health center judgments. Please consult the responsible health center before acquiring properties or filing applications.
Featured photo: Finan Akbar / Unsplash
About this article
- Author
- Takanobu Ezaki（Accommodation Business Manager）Qualifications: Type A Fire Prevention Manager, Type 1 Health Officer, Hazardous Materials Engineer, Class B-4, Class 2 Boiler Engineer
Has held the posts of manager, general manager, and director at hotels, ryokan, and golf courses across more than 30 years, taking charge of overall facility operations along with P&L management, liaison with government authorities, licensing and permits, and large-scale renovation projects. Work spans launching new glamping facilities through to repositioning existing ryokan, consistently covering everything from pre-opening preparation to stabilizing operations. At TLL, oversees accommodation business operations and leads pre-opening preparation for new properties.
View profile → - Publisher
- TLL合同会社宅地建物取引業 東京都知事(1)第108202号住宅宿泊管理業 国土交通大臣(01)第F03424号
Data in this article cite their source and as-of date. Market conditions and regulations change, so check the latest information and consult a professional before deciding. Translated from the Japanese original.
