Japan imposes new lodging taxes
- Kyoto raised its accommodation tax on March 1, while Hokkaido and Hiroshima started new prefecture-wide lodging taxes on April 1, 2026. (kyoto.travel) - The sharpest jump is Kyoto’s top band — ¥10,000 per person, per night on stays costing ¥100,000 or more. (kyoto.travel) - This is less a national tax than a local tourism-funding wave, with some places stacking city and prefecture charges. (sapporo.travel)
Japan’s hotel bill just got a little more complicated. But the big story is not that Japan suddenly invented a tourist tax — cities like Tokyo and local governments are now using lodging taxes as a regular tool to pay for tourism infrastructure, visitor place” fixes. In spring 2026, Kyoto raised its existing tax, and both Hokkaido and Hiroshima began collecting new prefecture-wide accommodation taxes. ### What actually changed in Kyoto? Kyoto’s tax changed on March 1, 2026. The old system had three bands — ¥200, ¥500, and ¥1,000 per person per night. The new one has five. Budget stays under ¥6,000 still pay ¥200, but midrange stays from ¥6,000 to under ¥20,000 now pay ¥400, stays from ¥20,000 to under ¥50,000 pay ¥1,000, luxury stays from ¥50,000 to under ¥100,000 pay ¥4,000, and the top end pays ¥10,000. ### Why is Kyoto the eye-catching case? Because the top rate is not something most travelers will see in Japan, but it tells you what Kyoto is trying to do — raise serious money from high-end tourism while keeping the entry-level charge relatively low. Basically, Kyoto is saying crowded, high-value tourism should contribute more to the city that hosts it. ### What changed in Hokkaido? Hokkaido started a prefecture-wide tax on guests staying at accommodation facilities in Hokkaido, with exemptions for school trips and some childcare-related group events. The prefecture says the money will go toward improving tourism services, strengthening systems that welcome travelers, adding value to destinations, and building resilience for disasters and other emergencies. A little more confusing? Because the charges can stack. Hokkaido’s own site says some municipalities also levy their own accommodation taxes. Sapporo is the clearest example — from April 1, 2026, guests there pay both the city tax and the Hokkaido tax. That means a stay under ¥20,000 pays ¥300 total, a stay from ¥20,000 to under ¥50,000 pays ¥400, and a stay of ¥50,000 or more pays ¥1,000. Hiroshima started collecting an accommodation tax on April 1, 2026. The prefecture says
