As tourism booms to Japan, hotels are feeling the strain of a 90% occupancy rate. Travelers to major cities are struggling to find decent, low-cost accommodation among a limited range of overpriced business hotels, expensive ryokans and luxury serviced apartments.
Turning to Airbnb is also becoming less and less of a viable option since the government began its crackdown on the home-sharing service. So how is Stay Japan, a new vacation rental platform, solving the issue?
Stay Japan, a website for listing and booking private accommodation, offers licensed vacation rentals that meet new lodging laws outlined by the government in response to the rise in the number of people letting to tourists via the unregulated Airbnb service.
Rather than allowing just anybody to list their room or apartment on the Stay Japan platform, they only accept accommodation that meets the requirements of the official regulations. This means that renting a private apartment or home from Stay Japan is safer and more reliable than booking through Airbnb or a similar service.
Guests are covered by insurance, have 24-hour on-hand customer support and can sleep comfortably knowing that everything is above board.
The platform’s expanding range of places to stay across Tokyo, Kanagawa and Osaka is managed by the Stay Japan team, who act as a kind of accommodation care provider arranging visitor’s check-in and check-out, as well as dealing with any problems that might come up during their stay. By leasing on behalf of property owners, Stay Japan is able to oversee guest satisfaction across all of its listings, ensuring that both owners and customers are happy all the way from the initial search and booking to during their stay and afterwards.
It’s all-inclusive; you get your own pad, properly kitted out under Stay Japan supervision, where you can cook, eat, watch TV, do your laundry and make full use of the Japanese bathroom with it’s neat features like heated bathtubs and sauna settings (depending on the place).
They’ve done a stellar job of overseeing the interior of each listing too, ensuring owners stick to neutral tones and quality furnishings that would appeal to guests. Each apartment or home is equipped with a comprehensive instruction booklet, including how to use the appliances, putting out the trash and even recommendations for things to do, plus good spots to eat and drink in the area.
The cheapest options for a private apartment or house with Stay Japan run from 2,000 to 3,000 yen per person at max occupancy – a lot less than what you would pay for a small hotel room in the center of many of Japan’s major cities. Their beachside villa listing in Kanagawa, a beautiful airy space which looks like something out of Good Housekeeping, is only 2,000 yen a night based on ten people sharing. This is extremely good value for money – especially given that you get a full house to yourself – that is more on a par with luxury accommodation you might find in Thailand or Malaysia.
Since Stay Japan lists entire apartments and homes, they are ideal for families or groups of people. Prices are calculated per room; the bigger the group the better value for money. So if you’re coming for a wedding, with a school trip or just have loads of friends, you can book a whole house to stay in all together. Right now, Stay Japan are also managing two floors of private accommodation in the same building (in Tokyo’s Nishi-Magome district), giving the option for groups to stay next door to each other but within their own self-contained space.
Staying in private accommodation, called minpaku in Japanese, is also a great way to immerse yourself in the local culture. Many of Stay Japan’s properties are situated in residential areas where you can get to grips with everyday Japanese life. It’s a chance to experience what it would actually be like to live in Japan, interacting with neighbors and exploring areas away from the well-worn tourist path. This is what it really means to make yourself at home in Japan.
The booking and listing system is pretty simple. Like Airbnb, you’ll need to make an account with an email or through a social media login, and from there you can start to plan your stay.
As one of the first providers of private accommodation under the new regulations, Stay Japan is pioneering a mediated homestay service that could change the face of accommodation in Japan. So, whether you’re looking to list a property or need a unique, convenient and low cost place to spend your trip, Stay Japan is a great place to start.
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