Hokkaido Airbnb management FAQ
Straight answers on fees, licences, tax, winter and leaving. If yours is not here, ask it in the estimate form.
Fees and payouts
How much does Airbnb management cost in Hokkaido?
Our fees are 12% of net room revenue for Co-host, 22% in winter and 18% in the green season for Full management, and 25% for Premium chalets (Co-host minimum ¥20,000 a month while listed), with no consumption tax added. Net room revenue means what guests pay for the nights after the platform takes its commission. Cleaning fees and accommodation tax are not included in the base. Japanese industry articles in 2026 put full service agencies at 15 to 25%, and the one Niseko manager we found that publishes its rates charges about 35% of gross rental income, though services included differ.
When do I get paid?
Your statement arrives by the 10th of each month and the payout by the 15th, for all stays that checked out in the previous month.
Do you mark up repairs or supplies?
No. Repairs, utilities, consumables and rubbish collection are billed at cost with the receipt on your statement. Our income is the management fee only.
Can you pay me overseas?
Yes, in yen to an overseas account, with the bank charge shown on the statement. Owners who are not resident in Japan still file a Japanese tax return on this income. We work with a Japanese tax accountant and confirm before you sign whether anything must be withheld from your payouts.
Licences, tax and the law
Do I need a licence to rent my property short term in Hokkaido?
Yes. You need either a minpaku notification under the Private Lodging Business Act, which caps rentals at 180 nights a year, or a ryokan business licence (simple lodging, 簡易宿所), which has no night cap. Most ski chalets in Niseko use the ryokan licence. Our licence guide explains both.
What is the difference between a minpaku and a ryokan licence?
A minpaku notification allows up to 180 nights a year and, if you do not live there, must be run by a registered minpaku manager. A ryokan licence for simple lodging (簡易宿所) has no night limit but stricter zoning, building and fire rules. Most full-time rentals in Niseko use the ryokan licence. See our licence guide.
Can you get my property ready for a licence?
Yes. Our licence-ready setup costs ¥150,000 for up to 4 bedrooms, or ¥250,000 for 5+ bedrooms or several units, with works and equipment at cost. We survey the property, organise and supervise the fire safety installation and check-in system, and attend the inspections. By law the application documents themselves are prepared and filed by a licensed administrative scrivener (行政書士), who invoices you directly.
What is the 180 night rule?
Properties registered under the minpaku law can host guests for no more than 180 nights a year. For a Niseko chalet that mostly earns in winter this is often enough, but a ryokan licence removes the cap.
Who pays accommodation tax?
Guests pay it. Since April 2026 Hokkaido charges a per person, per night tax, and towns including Kutchan, Niseko, Sapporo, Otaru and Furano add their own. We collect it with each booking and give you the figures each month.
Can a foreign owner run a licensed rental in Hokkaido?
Yes. Japan does not restrict foreign ownership of residential property, and a foreign owner or company can hold a ryokan licence or a minpaku notification. Owners who live outside Japan and must file Japanese tax returns usually appoint a tax agent in Japan (納税管理人).
Do I need insurance?
Yes. Airbnb's Japan Host Insurance covers Airbnb bookings only, and nothing booked through Booking.com or directly. You need your own fire and contents insurance that allows paying guests, and facility liability cover (施設賠償責任保険). We can introduce a broker.
Guests, cleaning and winter
Who checks the property after guests leave?
The cleaning team inspects every stay with photos. Anything broken is reported to you the same day and claimed from the guest through the platform where possible.
What happens with snow and frozen pipes?
In winter we check heating and pipes before each arrival and drain the water system when the property will stand empty in freezing weather. Snow clearing and roof checks come as a fixed price package, so there are no surprise invoices.
Can I stay in my own property?
Yes, as often as you like with 30 days notice. The only blackout is 20 December to 10 January and the week of Chinese New Year, which are the highest earning nights of the year. You pay the cleaning fee for your own stays.
How do you handle noise complaints?
House rules set quiet hours from 10pm. If a neighbour complains, we or a local partner respond straight away and contact the guests.
Switching and leaving
Who is on the ground in Niseko?
Our registered office is in Kutchan. Cleaning, inspections and call-outs are carried out by local partners we contract for each property, and we name who covers your address before you sign.
Is my money held separately?
Yes. Owner money will be held in a bank account used only for owner funds, never mixed with our own, and every yen is shown on your statement.
Are you a registered minpaku manager?
Not yet. Japanese law requires a minpaku to be run by a registered minpaku manager (住宅宿泊管理業者) when the owner does not live there. Until we hold that registration we take on ryokan licensed properties, and keep minpaku owners on a waiting list.
Can I switch from my current manager?
Yes. Check your current notice period first. We waive the Full management setup fee for switching owners (repayable pro rata if you leave within 12 months) and handle the handover of future bookings.
What if I want to leave?
You can end the agreement at any time with 60 days notice. After the first 12 months there is no exit fee. If you leave within the first 12 months, you pay back any setup fee we waived, reduced by one twelfth for each full month completed. Listings are set up in your name wherever the platform allows, so the reviews stay with your property.
Can you manage my property if I live overseas?
Yes. The service is designed for owners who live overseas or outside Hokkaido. You get the statement and payout every month, in English, Japanese or Chinese, and you can see the booking calendar at any time.
Ask us about your property
The estimate form has space for any question.