It has been two years since we launched our business to help foreign investors acquire and operate licensed short-term rentals in Tokyo.
Going forward, we’d like to start sharing what we’ve learned — and are still learning — through our day-to-day operations.
Our very first project was this property, featured in the following video: https://youtu.be/O68Ovngpxzk?si=P1sd9RM3tPIsqUVp
(Thanks to Paolo-san — we received a lot of traffic!)
Our First Mistake: Trying to Do Too Much Ourselves
Looking back, I (Jin) took far too long to make decisions.
In an effort to save money, I tried to handle too many things personally — from planning to coordination — instead of delegating early to the right professionals. As a result, the project took 8 months to complete.
Today, the same type of project can be launched in 3–4 months:
- a few weeks for planning,
- 1–2 months for renovation,
- and about 1 month for furnishing and launch.
The delay wasn’t due to construction itself.
It was a decision-making mistake — and ultimately, a bad financial decision.
The Cost of Moving Too Slowly
We spent approximately JPY 9 million in total on the conversion:
- Interior renovation: JPY 3.0M
- Exterior renovation (including sauna): JPY 3.5M
- Furniture & appliances: JPY 2.5M
This is what the property looks like today:
Our guests range from groups of friends to multiple families, and the property earns roughly JPY 50,000 per night on average, with over 50% occupancy throughout the year.
Had we launched four months earlier, we would have generated approximately JPY 3 million in additional revenue.
That capital could have been reinvested into higher-quality interiors, allowing us to push ADR even further.
In other words, trying to “save money” upfront ended up limiting both quality and income potential.
Rethinking Daily Operations: Cleaning Was the Turning Point
We also learned an important lesson in daily operations — particularly cleaning.
At first, we used a conventional cleaning company. While they followed instructions, the quality was inconsistent and limited to checklist-based tasks.
Over time, we built relationships with local housekeepers (many of whom are long-time local residents). The difference was immediate.
They are quick-witted, exceptionally detail-oriented, and consistently deliver spotless results — far beyond what standardized cleaning services provide.
Thanks to them, we have maintained 5-star reviews from every guest since our very first stay.
Where We Are Today
Since then, we’ve expanded to managing eight properties of different types, across multiple locations.
The biggest lesson from our first project was simple but critical:
Speed, delegation, and upfront quality matter far more than trying to do everything yourself.
What investors are really outsourcing is not just operations, but decision-making under uncertainty — and that is where our experience now matters most.
