Permits • food and lodging

Restaurant, minpaku, and ryokan permits

FOOD SERVICE / MINPAKU / RYOKAN PERMITS

Restaurants need a health-centre licence. Minpaku is a notification with a 180-day cap. Year-round inns need a ryokan licence. Serving meals at a lodging often needs a separate food licence. Kumamoto City can require a hotel building review on change of use. We do not guarantee permission.

Target Applicants

People opening a restaurant, cafe, or similar food business in Kumamoto

People starting minpaku (private lodging) under the Residential Accommodation Business Act

People seeking a hotel, ryokan, or simple lodging licence

Inns that also serve meals and need both lodging and food-service filings

Our Support Services

Drafting and filing food-service licences with the health centre
Minpaku notifications (usually via the national lodging system)
Ryokan Act applications for hotels, inns, and simple lodging
Listing fire-safety and facility points that must be checked in advance
Flagging Kumamoto City’s hotel building review when a change of use applies

Application Process

Business type and property

We separate restaurant licence, minpaku (max 180 days a year), and ryokan licence for year-round lodging.

Advance checks

Health-centre facility standards, fire service, zoning, and—in Kumamoto City—possible pre-review under the hotel ordinance.

Drawings and papers

Application forms, floor plans, and corporate certificates if you are a company.

Filing and inspection

We file and can attend or advise at on-site inspections. A licence is not guaranteed.

After permission or notification

Display rules, and whether a food-service licence is still needed if meals are served.

Key Required Documents

Required documents vary by procedure and your situation. We provide a tailored checklist at the first meeting.

Equipment outline and floor plan

Building registry extract or lease

Articles and a commercial registry extract for companies

Water-quality reports if the health centre requires them

Fire-code compliance notice when lodging rules require it

ID and statutory filing fees (disbursements)

Fees are quoted in writing before you instruct us. See How to Instruct Us for our fee policy. Fee policy

Frequently Asked Questions

QHow does minpaku differ from a ryokan licence?

Minpaku is a notification system for lodging people in a “dwelling” for a fee, capped at 180 days a year. Year-round commercial lodging needs a Ryokan Act licence. Kumamoto City may require a hotel building review before a change of use.

QIf we serve breakfast, do we need a restaurant licence too?

Often yes. Serving food can require a separate food-hygiene licence. We confirm with the health centre based on how you operate.

QDo you handle late-night alcohol or entertainment-business filings?

Those are not given their own pages here. They can overlap with a restaurant licence; we will say at consultation whether they are in scope. Details are to be confirmed.