For international guests

Staying in a Japanese house: what to expect

A whole-house stay in Japan works a little differently from a hotel. Here's everything that tends to surprise first-time visitors, so nothing does.

Before you arrive

Guest registration. Japanese law requires a register of every guest. If you don't live in Japan, we need each guest's passport details and a copy of the passport.
Door code. We send it the day before check-in. Save it offline in case you lose signal.
Arrival time. Check-in is from 16:00 (no latest arrival time). Just let us know roughly when you'll arrive.
Luggage. We can't hold bags before 16:00. Big stations have coin lockers.

Shoes off at the entrance. Slippers are for indoors only.
The door locks itself. Take the code with you whenever you go out.
The bath. Press the "お湯はり" (fill bath) button on the control panel and the tub fills itself. Around 42°C is typical. Leave the fan running afterward.
The toilet has a bidet seat; the buttons are labeled with pictures.
Breakers. In winter, running the heaters, hair dryer and microwave at the same time can trip the breaker. Switch one off and reset.

Quiet hours are 22:00-7:00. This is a residential fishing town; voices carry.
Sort the garbage into burnable, non-burnable, and cans/bottles/PET. Put BBQ shells in a tied bag with burnable garbage.
No smoking indoors, including e-cigarettes. Smoking is fine outside on the property.

The local taxi company accepts credit cards. Smaller seafood shops may prefer cash; carry some yen.
There's a 7-Eleven 5 minutes away; 7-Eleven ATMs generally accept foreign cards.
Remember: your station is Takagimachi (高城町), not Matsushima Station. Directions →

Message the host in English, Japanese, Chinese or Korean.
Emergency numbers: 119 (ambulance, fire), 110 (police).
Japan Visitor Hotline (JNTO), 24 hours, in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese: 050-3816-2787.
Earthquake or tsunami: if you feel strong or long shaking, walk straight to the hill behind the house. Don't wait for a warning.