Revised May 2026 | Originally By Justin Liang
Key Takeaways
- Most restaurants, cafes, bars, takeout shops, and delivery kitchens in Japan need approval from the local health center before opening.
- The main permit is usually the Restaurant Business Permit, but alcohol, late-night operation, packaged food, food trucks, or online food sales may require extra checks.
- The license is tied to the actual location, kitchen layout, equipment, and operator, so confirm requirements before finishing renovations.
- The permit fee is usually around ¥15,000 to ¥20,000, but this does not include lease, renovation, incorporation, visa, or other setup costs.
Opening a restaurant in Japan is not only about finding a good location and building the menu.
Before you serve food or drinks to customers, you usually need approval from the local health center. Depending on your business model, you may also need separate permits for alcohol, late-night operation, food manufacturing, packaged food, or other regulated activities.
This article focuses only on restaurant-related licenses and permits.
For the full setup process, including company registration, lease timing, Business Manager Visa planning, tax registration, and bank account preparation, see our guide to opening a restaurant in Japan.This is part of our series offering valuable tips on incorporating a business in Japan. To learn more about setting up your company and achieving your dreams, check out our SmartStart service.
Quick answer: what license do you need to open a restaurant in Japan?
Most restaurants in Japan need a Restaurant Business Permit, known in Japanese as 飲食店営業許可 (Inshokuten Eigyō Kyoka).
This permit is issued by the local public health center, or 保健所 (hokenjo), that has jurisdiction over your restaurant location.
You will usually need this permit if you are opening a:
- Restaurant
- Cafe
- Ramen shop
- Izakaya
- Bar that serves food
- Bakery with food preparation
- Takeout shop
- Delivery kitchen
- Food truck
- Catering kitchen
The exact permit depends on what you prepare, where you prepare it, how you serve it, and whether customers eat on-site.
A simple cafe and a full-service restaurant may both need approval from the health center, but the facility requirements can differ. A restaurant that serves alcohol late at night may need additional police-related filings. A business that manufactures packaged food may need a different or additional food manufacturing permit.
The main point is simple: do not assume one “restaurant license” covers every food business model in Japan.
Restaurant license vs. restaurant setup
This article is about licenses and permits.
It does not cover every step of opening a restaurant in Japan. Things like company structure, lease negotiation, Business Manager Visa planning, tax registration, hiring, insurance, and corporate bank accounts are important, but they belong in the full restaurant setup process.
If you already know your concept and location, this article will help you understand which licenses to check before opening.
Note that you can open a restaurant in Japan and obtain the food service permit as a sole proprietor. It is not limited to corporations. However, if a sole proprietor later incorporates, the restaurant license obtained under their individual name cannot be transferred to the new corporation
he main restaurant license: Restaurant Business Permit
The main permit for most food service businesses is the Restaurant Business Permit.
In Japanese, this is usually called:
飲食店営業許可
Inshokuten Eigyō Kyoka
This permit allows you to operate a food service business at a specific location. It is not just a paper filing. The health center will check whether your facility is suitable for safe food preparation and service.
If your business model includes other regulated activities, it is worth checking the broader rules around business licensing in Japan before you finalize the location or menu.
The permit is usually tied to:
- The business operator
- The restaurant location
- The kitchen layout
- The equipment
- The type of food or drink being served
This is why you should contact the health center before finishing renovations. If the kitchen is already built and the layout does not meet requirements, fixing it can be expensive.
A common mistake is to think of the license as something you apply for at the end. In reality, the license should influence the layout from the beginning.
Who needs a Restaurant Business Permit?
The answer depends on the business model. The table below gives a practical overview.
| Business type | Usually needs a Restaurant Business Permit? | Notes |
| Full-service restaurant | Yes | Prepared meals served to customers usually require approval. |
| Cafe | Yes | Coffee, drinks, desserts, and light meals can still trigger food service rules. |
| Ramen shop | Yes | Standard restaurant permit route. |
| Izakaya | Yes | Alcohol and late-night rules may also need to be checked. |
| Bar | Usually yes | If serving food, a restaurant permit is usually needed. Alcohol and late-night operation may require additional filings. |
| Bakery | Often yes | Depends on whether you bake, serve, package, or manufacture food. |
| Takeout shop | Usually yes | Seating is not the main issue. Food preparation is. |
| Delivery kitchen | Usually yes | Even without customer seating, the kitchen may need approval. |
| Food truck | Usually yes | Vehicle, storage, preparation location, and local rules need to be checked. |
| Packaged food seller | Depends | Manufacturing, labeling, storage, and product type matter. |
| Imported food seller | Depends | Import, labeling, storage, and sale method may require separate checks. |
| Online food business | Depends | The key question is where and how the food is prepared. |
If your business involves food preparation, speak with the health center before assuming you do not need a permit.
What the health center checks before approval
The health center is mainly checking whether the facility can safely prepare, store, and serve food.
Requirements vary by municipality and business type, but the inspection often looks at practical things such as:
- Kitchen layout
- Handwashing sinks
- Food preparation sinks
- Washing areas
- Refrigeration and freezer storage
- Food storage areas
- Ventilation
- Waste disposal
- Pest prevention
- Cleaning and sanitation
- Toilet location and hygiene
- Separation between kitchen and customer areas
- Whether the actual facility matches the submitted floor plan
The exact details can vary, so the safest approach is to bring your floor plan to the health center before the interior work is finalized.
This matters because the inspector is not only reviewing documents. They are checking the actual premises. If the layout does not work, you may need to add equipment, change the sink placement, adjust storage, or modify part of the kitchen before approval.
Food Hygiene Supervisor: who needs one?
Many food businesses in Japan need a Food Hygiene Supervisor.
In Japanese, this is:
食品衛生責任者
Shokuhin Eisei Sekininsha
This person is responsible for food hygiene management at the business. The owner does not always need to be the Food Hygiene Supervisor, but the business usually needs to appoint someone who qualifies.
If no one on the team already qualifies, the person can usually attend a Food Hygiene Supervisor training course. The cost is often around ¥10,000, depending on the local association and municipality.
You should handle this before or during the restaurant permit process. Do not leave it until the week you plan to open.
Restaurant license application: documents, timing, and cost
The exact application package depends on the municipality and business model, but the health center will usually ask for documents such as:
- Application form
- Floor plan
- Kitchen and equipment layout
- Facility details
- Food Hygiene Supervisor information
- Company or applicant details
- Other documents requested by the local health center
The application fee is usually around ¥15,000 to ¥20,000, depending on the municipality.
Food Hygiene Supervisor training is often around ¥10,000 if your business needs someone to complete the course.
For timing, many businesses submit the application around 2 to 3 weeks before opening. However, you should start speaking with the health center earlier than that.
A better timeline is:
| Timing | What to do |
| Before signing or renovating | Check whether the property can support your food business model. |
| Before construction finishes | Show the floor plan and layout to the health center. |
| 1 to 2 months before opening | Prepare Food Hygiene Supervisor requirements and application documents. |
| 2 to 3 weeks before opening | Submit the restaurant permit application. |
| Before opening | Pass inspection and receive approval. |
Build in a one-month buffer if possible. A small correction request can delay your opening date if the schedule is too tight.
Alcohol licenses and bar-related permits
Food service approval and alcohol approval are not always the same thing.
If your restaurant sells alcohol, you need to check whether your business model requires additional licensing or filings. The answer depends on how alcohol is sold and consumed.
For example:
- Serving alcohol inside a restaurant or bar
- Selling bottles for customers to take home
- Selling alcohol online
- Operating late at night
- Running a bar, club, or entertainment-style venue
These can involve different rules.
If alcohol is central to your business model, do not wait until the restaurant permit is finished. Alcohol-related licensing can take longer than the standard restaurant permit, and some applications should run in parallel with renovation and restaurant permit planning.
For a deeper breakdown, see our guide on how to get a bar license in Japan.
Other food-related permits that may apply
Some restaurants only need the main Restaurant Business Permit.
Others need additional permission because of how the food is prepared, packaged, stored, or sold.
You may need to check extra permits if your business involves:
- Packaged food
- Food manufacturing
- Sweets or confectionery production
- Meat processing
- Fish handling
- Dairy products
- Frozen food
- Imported food
- Catering
- Food trucks
- Delivery-only kitchens
- Online food sales
For example, selling a meal inside a restaurant is different from manufacturing packaged food for retail sale. Baking bread for customers to eat in your cafe may be different from producing packaged baked goods for supermarkets. Selling alcohol by the bottle may be different from serving drinks inside your restaurant.
The important question is not only “Are we a restaurant?”
The better question is:
What food or drink are we preparing, where is it prepared, and how is it sold?
That is the question the health center and other authorities will care about.
What happens if you buy an existing restaurant?
Buying an existing restaurant can save time, but you should not assume the previous owner’s license automatically covers your business.
A restaurant permit may be tied to the operator, premises, layout, equipment, and approved business details.
You should check with the health center before signing the purchase agreement or lease if:
- The operator will change
- The company will change
- The menu will change
- The kitchen layout will change
- Seating will change
- Alcohol service will change
- You will add takeout, delivery, or packaged food
- You will renovate the space
The existing restaurant may have passed inspection before, but your business still needs to be confirmed under your actual operating plan.
Do foreign founders need a different restaurant license?
The restaurant license itself is usually about the facility, food operation, and business operator.
Foreign founders do not normally need a separate “foreigner restaurant license” just because they are not Japanese.
However, foreign founders do need to think about issues outside the restaurant permit, especially if they plan to live in Japan and manage the business directly.
These may include:
- Company incorporation
- Business Manager Visa
- Office and lease requirements
- Capital planning
- Tax registration
- Social insurance and labor setup
- Corporate bank account preparation
If you still need to set up the company, SmartStart Japan can help with incorporation services in Japan as part of the broader setup process.
If you need to live in Japan to run the restaurant, licensing is only one part of the process. Your visa, company structure, office, capital, employee plan, and opening timeline should be checked before you commit to the project.
For visa planning, see our guide to the Business Manager Visa in Japan.
For the full setup flow, see our guide to opening a restaurant in Japan.
Restaurant license cost summary
The license itself is usually not the largest cost of opening a restaurant.
The bigger costs are usually lease deposits, renovations, equipment, staffing, company setup, and visa-related requirements if needed.
For licensing only, the common costs are:
| Item | Approximate cost | Notes |
| Restaurant Business Permit application | ¥15,000 to ¥20,000 | Varies by municipality. |
| Food Hygiene Supervisor training | Around ¥10,000 | Needed if no one already qualifies. |
| Liquor-related registration tax | Around ¥30,000 | Only if applicable to the business model. |
| Secondhand Dealer License | Around ¥19,000 in Tokyo | Usually not relevant to restaurants unless selling used goods. |
| Professional support | Case-dependent | Depends on license type, municipality, documents, and complexity. |
Do not use this table as your full restaurant launch budget.
If you are calculating total startup cost, include lease, deposit, key money, renovation, kitchen equipment, company setup, tax setup, employees, and visa planning if applicable.
If you are applying for a Business Manager Visa, budget planning is especially important. The visa requirements changed significantly in October 2025, and the capital, employee, office, language, and business plan requirements can affect the entire project. See our article for Business Manager Visa in Japan for a full breakdown on the cost.
How SmartStart Japan can help
SmartStart Japan helps foreign founders understand which licenses apply before they open in Japan.
For restaurant and food businesses, we can help with:
- Checking which permits may apply to your concept
- Coordinating with the local health center
- Preparing license application documents
- Reviewing food, alcohol, bar, and related permit needs
- Connecting license planning with incorporation and visa planning
- Helping you avoid sequencing problems between the lease, company setup, license, and visa
Restaurant licensing is usually manageable when the steps are planned in the right order. The problems happen when founders sign a lease, finish renovations, or announce an opening date before checking the permit requirements.
If you are unsure which license applies to your restaurant, cafe, bar, or food business, contact SmartStart Japan before you commit to the location or renovation plan.
Case Study: Learning More About Starting a Restaurant in Japan
Take a listen to our podcast with William Ryan, owner of An Sólás Irish Pub in Yoyogi and CEO of Japan Hospitality Consultants, who shares practical advice on opening and running a successful restaurant or bar in Japan. Drawing from two decades of industry experience, he discusses cultural expectations, licensing, financial pitfalls, and how to build a loyal customer base as a foreign entrepreneur.
FAQ
What license do I need to open a restaurant in Japan?
Most restaurants need a Restaurant Business Permit, known as 飲食店営業許可 (Inshokuten Eigyō Kyoka). This is issued by the local health center.
Depending on your business model, you may also need alcohol-related permits, late-night operation filings, food manufacturing permits, or other approvals.
How long does it take to get a restaurant license in Japan?
The restaurant permit process often takes around 2 to 3 weeks from application to approval, assuming the documents and facility are in order.
However, you should speak with the health center earlier, especially before renovations are finalized. If the inspector asks for corrections, your opening date can be delayed.
How much does a restaurant license cost in Japan?
The application fee is usually around ¥15,000 to ¥20,000, depending on the municipality.
Food Hygiene Supervisor training often costs around ¥10,000 if your business needs someone to complete the course.
These are only licensing-related costs. They do not include lease, renovation, equipment, incorporation, staffing, visa, or bank account costs.
Do I need a Food Hygiene Supervisor?
Many food businesses in Japan need a Food Hygiene Supervisor, or 食品衛生責任者 (Shokuhin Eisei Sekininsha).
The person does not always need to be the owner, but the business usually needs someone qualified before approval.
Can I open before the health center inspection is complete?
No. You should not open before receiving the required approval.
The health center inspection is part of the approval process. If the facility does not pass, you may need to make corrections before opening.
Do cafes need a restaurant license in Japan?
Usually, yes.
Even if the cafe only serves drinks, desserts, or light meals, it may still need health center approval. The exact requirement depends on what is prepared and served.
Do bars need a different license?
Bars often need a restaurant or food service permit if they serve food or drinks on-site.
Depending on the business model, they may also need alcohol-related permits or late-night operation filings. Entertainment-style venues may have additional requirements.
See our guide to getting a bar license in Japan for a deeper explanation.
Do I need a separate license to sell alcohol?
It depends on how you sell alcohol.
Serving alcohol inside a restaurant or bar is different from selling bottles for takeout or online sale. If alcohol is part of your concept, check the requirements early because alcohol licensing can take longer than the restaurant permit.
Can I use the previous owner’s restaurant license?
Do not assume so.
If you buy an existing restaurant, the license may not automatically transfer to your company or operating structure. Check with the health center before signing the purchase agreement or lease.
Can a foreigner apply for a restaurant license in Japan?
Yes, foreign founders can be involved in restaurant businesses in Japan.
The restaurant permit is mainly about the facility, food operation, and business operator. However, foreign founders also need to consider visa status, company setup, tax registration, lease structure, and bank account planning.
Do food trucks need a restaurant license?
Usually, yes, but the details depend on the vehicle, preparation location, storage, menu, and local rules.
Food trucks should check with the relevant health center before buying or modifying the vehicle.
Do online food businesses need a restaurant license?
It depends on what you sell and where the food is prepared.
If you prepare food for sale online, your kitchen or facility may still need health center approval. Packaged food, imported food, frozen food, and manufactured food may require additional checks.
