Japan Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Regulations 2026
LawfulStay tracks short-term rental (STR / Airbnb / Vrbo / holiday let / vacation rental) regulations for 14 cities and regions in Japan. Select a location below for current permit requirements, tax obligations, and compliance details.
Japan at a glance
- Places tracked
- 14 places: 14 restricted
- Licence or registration
- Required in all 13 places
- Tax on stays
- Applies in 10 of 13 places
- National law
- Short stays in a home need a minpaku notification and are capped at 180 nights a year nationwide. National rules ›
Japan short-term rental questions
Are short-term rentals legal in Japan?
In all 14 places we track in Japan, short-term rentals are allowed, all with permit conditions or limits.
Do I need a licence for a short-term rental in Japan?
All 13 places we track in Japan require a licence, permit or registration. Check your city's page for its rules.
Is there a national short-term rental law in Japan?
Short stays in a home need a minpaku notification and are capped at 180 nights a year nationwide.
Which places in Japan have the strictest rules?
On our records: Kyoto, Osaka, Niseko / Hokkaido, Okinawa, Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Regions in Japan
- Tokyo 3
Japan Airbnb & Vacation Rental Regulation Overview
The short-term rental regulatory landscape in Japan encompasses 14 tracked jurisdictions: 14 with restrictions. Hosts operating on platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com should verify local requirements before listing, as rules vary significantly between cities and regions.
All 14 tracked jurisdictions in Japan require some form of permit, license, or registration for short-term rental operations. Requirements range from simple online registration to comprehensive permit applications with inspections.
Tax obligations apply in 14 of 14 jurisdictions. Common taxes include occupancy taxes, tourist levies, and sales taxes. Many jurisdictions require hosts to register for tax collection, and some platforms like Airbnb collect and remit taxes automatically in select locations.
Cities with significant restrictions on vacation rentals include Japan (nationwide), Kyoto, Osaka. These jurisdictions typically impose permit caps, zoning limitations, or primary residence requirements.
LawfulStay monitors Japan STR regulations daily and updates this page as rules change. Each city page includes detailed permit requirements, fee schedules, tax rates, zoning rules, and penalty information sourced from official government websites.