An overview of the operator's duties set by law, and the daily work of running a minpaku, from bookings to cleaning and reviews.
Duties set by law
- Hygiene: At least 3.3㎡ of space per person, cleaning and ventilation
- Safety: Emergency lighting, evacuation route signs, etc.
- Support for foreign guests: Information in a foreign language on the facilities, transportation, and emergency contacts in case of disaster
- Guest register: Verify guests' identity, keep a register, and store it for 3 years
- Explaining consideration for neighbors: Explain noise rules, how to dispose of garbage and similar matters to guests
- Handling complaints: Respond appropriately and promptly to complaints from neighbors
- Posting the minpaku sign and bimonthly reports (every 2 months)
For host-absent type operations and similar cases, these duties are outsourced to a registered minpaku management company. → How to choose a management company
Daily work
| Task | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Booking management | Booking site calendars, rate adjustments, managing the cap on operating days |
| Guest communication | Questions before booking, check-in instructions, inquiries during the stay (in multiple languages) |
| Check-in | Identity verification, key handover, explaining the house rules |
| Cleaning and linens | Cleaning after check-out, changing linens, restocking supplies, inspection |
| Handling problems | Dealing with noise, garbage, equipment breakdowns, lost keys and similar issues, including going on site |
| Reviews | Replying to reviews, making improvements based on feedback |
| Administration | Storing the register, bimonthly reports, recording sales and expenses |
Detailed practical guides
- Cleaning standards and how to outsource cleaning (Japanese)
- Check-in instructions (Japanese)
- Hosting foreign guests (Japanese)
- Preventing problems (Japanese)
- Improving your reviews (Japanese)
- Building an operations system (Japanese)
The workload and costs depend on how much you handle yourself and how much you outsource.
This page is a translation of our Japanese page. If there is any difference, the Japanese version prevails. Japanese version