How to File a Minpaku (Home-Sharing) Notification in Osaka: Steps, Documents, and Key Points

Osaka City's special-zone minpaku program stopped accepting new applications on May 29, 2026. Today there are two routes to start a lodging business in Osaka: a license under the Hotel Business Act (typically the simple-lodging category) or a notification under the Housing Accommodation Business Act, commonly called the Minpaku New Law.

The Minpaku New Law's biggest appeal is that you can start with a notification (todokede) rather than a license. The paperwork burden is lighter than the hotel-license route, making it a good fit for hosts who want to start small with a spare room or a vacant house.

That said, "notification" does not mean "easy." The 180-day annual cap, Osaka City's additional restrictions, and the mandatory management company for absent hosts all deserve careful attention before you commit to a property.

The defining restriction of the Minpaku New Law is the 180-night annual cap on operations. The count runs from noon on April 1 to noon on the following April 1, based on nights guests actually stay.

This means the notification route is not suited to hosts who want a full-time, year-round business — that calls for a simple-lodging license with no day cap. But for hosts with a day job, or owners who only want to rent out a property part of the year, 180 nights can be plenty.

When budgeting, do not assume you will fill all 180 nights. Build a conservative plan with a discounted occupancy rate.

Under the Minpaku New Law, municipalities may further restrict when and where hosting is allowed. In Osaka City, operations in residential-only zoning districts are limited: in covered areas, hosting is essentially restricted to weekends (operations are barred from Monday noon to Friday noon as a rule).

In other words, the number of nights you can realistically operate depends heavily on the zoning of your specific address. Always confirm the zoning district and whether the additional ordinance applies before choosing a property. You can check with Osaka City's minpaku desk or on the city's website.

Ordinances can change over time. This article reflects our understanding at the time of writing — please verify the latest rules with Osaka City before filing.

Your obligations depend on whether you live in the listed home. If you host guests in the home you live in, you can manage it yourself. But for absent-host (kanushi-fuzai) operations — which include virtually all investment properties — the law requires you to entrust management to a registered housing accommodation management company.

The management company handles hygiene, guest guidance, neighbor complaints, and the guest register. Fees are typically a percentage of revenue plus actual costs, so factor them into your financial plan from the start.

If you are buying a property specifically to run minpaku, start searching for a trustworthy management company in parallel with your property search.

The rough sequence in Osaka City is: (1) confirm zoning and the additional ordinance, (2) for condominiums, check the building's bylaws (a minpaku ban means you cannot proceed), (3) consult the fire department and obtain the fire-code compliance certificate, (4) notify neighbors in advance, (5) file through the national minpaku portal (minpaku.mlit.go.jp), and (6) receive your notification number.

Fire-safety equipment is the most common bottleneck. Automatic fire alarms and exit lighting may need to be installed, with real construction costs. Consult the fire department as soon as you settle on a property, not right before filing.

For rented properties, confirm that your lease permits subletting. Starting minpaku without the owner's consent is a fast track to trouble.

Key documents include the notification form, the property's registry certificate, floor plans showing room sizes and equipment locations, the fire-code compliance certificate, the owner's sublet consent for rented homes, a copy of the condominium bylaws where applicable, and corporate documents if filing as a company.

Floor plans must show details such as guest-room floor area and emergency lighting, so plans from the real estate agent often need annotation before they can be submitted.

Incomplete documents mean rework and delays. Read Osaka City's official guidebook (published on the public health center's website) before you start preparing — it is the fastest path in the end.

In short: the Minpaku New Law notification is easier to start but capped at 180 nights with Osaka's weekday limits, while a simple-lodging license is harder to obtain but has no day cap. If your property sits in a commercial district where a hotel license is feasible, the license route usually wins on profitability.

If the property is in a residential district where a license is not possible, or you simply want a low-commitment start, the notification route is the practical entrance. Work backward from your property's zoning and your target operating style.

Our site lists Osaka properties suited to minpaku and lodging businesses, with zoning and licensing feasibility in mind. For legal specifics, we recommend consulting an administrative scrivener or Osaka City's minpaku desk.