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Update, September 9, 2026: Taitō Ward -- home to Asakusa and Ueno -- is moving to ban new minpaku in residential areas from January 2027, hot on the heels of a similar announcement from Shinjuku. Full update below. Booking an Airbnb-style apartment for your trip to Japan is about to get trickier, at least in the quieter corners of the cities. On June 17, 2026, the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA) announced that it will allow local governments to effectively ban minpaku -- short-term private lodgings such as Airbnb rentals -- in residential neighborhoods. The formal notice went out to municipalities nationwide in July. The decision reflects a shift from the agency's previous stance; the JTA had long maintained that banning private lodgings was at odds with promoting tourism. But a pile-up of neighborhood complaints -- mostly around late-night noise and mishandled garbage (a notorious challenge, even for residents) -- has changed things. What's happening? Municipalities will now be able to set the legal cap on minpaku operating days at zero -- a so-called "zero-day regulation" that amounts to a ban in all but name. These bans are expected to target quiet residential areas and spots near schools. Local governments will also be allowed to mandate that minpaku operators install equipment such as noise meters and security cameras, to help keep the peace. Up until now, minpaku operators have been allowed to rent out their accommmodation for a maximum of 180 days each year, with municipalities technically able to reduce that -- but this was largely discouraged by the JTA. Now, municipalities will be able to bring in stricter limitations by changing their local ordinances as they see fit, without resistance from the JTA. If they deem that a particular area would be better off without tourists staying overnight, then that could get the local Airbnb ban. Why now? Complaints have mounted as private lodgings have spread into ordinary residential neighborhoods. In Shinjuku alone, tourist-related minpaku complaints jumped from 70 in the 2021 fiscal year to 924 in 2025 -- a more than thirteenfold increase. Update: Shinjuku moves first On September 7, 2026, Shinjuku Ward said it plans to revise its ordinance to ban minpaku in residential zones and in areas near schools, as reported by Sankei Shimbun. Shinjuku has more registered private lodgings than anywhere else in Japan, close to 4,000 of them, and ward officials estimate that around half would be affected. It was the first ward to announce it would use the powers the Japan Tourism Agency opened up in June -- but it is no longer alone, with Taitō following a day later on a faster timetable (see below). Nothing has changed yet. The ward has not published a draft ordinance, set a date, or held a vote, and officials say there will be a grace period for existing operators to wind down. What that period looks like has not been decided. There is now a timetable. The ward plans to put the proposal out for public comment in October, submit the amended ordinance to the assembly in February 2027, and bring it into force around summer 2027. Existing operators get a grace period on top of that. Two details matter beyond the headline ban. Operators may still be allowed to run if the owner lives on site and manages the property properly. And in commercial areas, where minpaku will still be legal, the annual cap on operating days is set to drop from 180 to 120 — so even the permitted areas get tighter. Pro tip: If you already have a Shinjuku booking, there is nothing to do right now. Any ban is months away at the earliest and would not cancel a reservation overnight. If you are booking an apartment for a trip well into 2027, it is worth having a backup in mind, and worth checking your host is properly registered. Update: Taitō follows -- on a faster timetable On September 8, 2026, Taitō Ward -- home to Asakusa and Ueno -- submitted a draft ordinance to its assembly that would ban new minpaku in residential-only zones and designated school districts, as reported by NHK. The ward wants the ban in force by January 2027 -- months ahead of Shinjuku, which isn't planning to flip the switch until around summer 2027. The reasons will sound familiar: complaints from residents about noise and badly handled garbage. According to Tokyo Shimbun, the ward had around 1,440 registered minpaku as of the end of August. Existing rentals -- including those in the affected zones -- get to keep operating, though the ward says it will step up guidance and inspections, and bring in tougher penalties for rule-breakers. Taitō was already tightening things separately: minpaku registered there from October 1, 2026 onward can't operate on weekdays at all, per the ward's ordinance page. And it isn't just these two. Toshima Ward has already passed its own crackdown: from December 2026, the annual cap there drops to 120 days -- and unlike in Taitō, existing operators are included. Pro tip: Same advice as for Shinjuku -- if you already have an Asakusa or Ueno booking, it stands. Existing registered rentals aren't affected by the ban. What does it mean for budget travelers? Japan is still chasing an ambitious goal of 60 million annual visitors by 2030, but this move could thin out the cheaper end of the market in the most popular city areas. You can likely expect fewer options, and possibly higher prices, with more emphasis on mainstream hotel accommodation. The change won't be seen everywhere at once. Importantly, the notice itself doesn't actually ban anything -- what it does is clear the way for each city to decide whether they want to ban vacation rentals or not. The notice is non-binding, so it's entirely up to each individual municipality how to proceed. In the meantime, if you're thinking about where to stay, our guides to cheap accommodation in Tokyo and where to stay in Tokyo cover hostels, capsule hotels, and budget hotels are full of recommendations. Sources: Mainichi Shimbun, Nikkei, Sankei Shimbun, NHK, Tokyo Shimbun, Taitō Ward While we do our best to ensure it's correct, information is subject to change.

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