Front Desk (network)

Please send your resume in English and Japanese to [email protected]. Only Applicants in Japan will be considered.Position overview

• Position type: Full-time (day and evening shifts within staffed counter hours; overnight assignments only if separately contracted)
• Reports to: Consolidated Front Desk Manager
• Employment type: Full-time contract employee. Initial one-year contract. On good performance, the contract is expected to be renewed, with potential for promotion to seishain (permanent employee).
• Work location: Shiki Properties front desks and designated check-in counters in Kyoto (examples: Umekoji Shiki Suites, Kyoto Toji Suites, Tofukuji Riverside, and other hubs as they open). Multi-desk weekly rotation is expected.
• Depending on business and operational needs, the work location may later change to another Shiki Properties or Shiki Group location in Kyoto or elsewhere in Japan. Any material relocation will be discussed with you in advance.

About Shiki Properties

Established in 2014, Shiki Properties is a growing operator and developer of boutique accommodation in Kyoto and Osaka — hotels, machiya townhouses, short-term rentals, and monthly rentals.

We are an international team working in an international environment, while staying rooted in Japan. Our portfolio is built around Japanese aesthetics and the careful preservation of Japanese culture and traditions — from restored machiya and quiet hospitality spaces to small hotels that reflect local craft, seasonality, and a sense of place. Guests and colleagues come from many countries; the day-to-day language of the business is both Japanese and English.

Our front desks welcome guests and also handle legal face-to-face check-in plus day-to-day operational coordination for the properties they serve.

Role summary

As Front Desk Staff you are the face of Shiki at a live counter — and a coordination engine between peaks. You deliver warm, precise hospitality; complete mandatory identity verification and logging; sample room quality before arrivals; and carry out multi-property desk tasks assigned by the Manager (cleaning schedule updates, maintenance tickets, consumables logs) under clear SOPs.

This is a hands-on operator role across Shiki’s staffed desks, not a single-hotel general manager seat and not a property-specific luxury opening role.

Key responsibilities Guest services

Deliver excellent hospitality at check-in, check-out, and throughout the stay.

Respond promptly to guest inquiries, provide local recommendations, and resolve issues with care and professionalism.

Verify guest identities and manage mandatory data collection (nationality, passport numbers, and related records) under Japan’s Hotel Business Act and Private Lodging Business Act (Minpaku Law).

Follow Manager SOPs for physical face-to-face verification: identity + headcount + rules, then key/code release, with complete logging. Where live verification is required, do not release keys or access codes on remote identity documents alone.

Quality control

Conduct thorough room checks before guest arrivals against Shiki presentation, cleanliness, and amenity standards.

Sample quality at or near check-in windows and report defects immediately.

Property support and turnover

Assist with light cleaning and room set-up as needed to keep turnover efficient.

Act as liaison between housekeeping and maintenance; report issues that block occupancy immediately.

Desk coordination tasks (under Manager SOPs)

Update cleaning schedules and occupancy-linked triggers as instructed.

Log and route maintenance tickets; confirm completion notes.

Monitor, order, confirm, and log consumables with property-level records for owner billing (no undocumented spend).

Leave accurate end-of-shift handovers so the next shift and Manager can act without rediscovery.

Team coordination and reporting

Communicate closely with operations and housekeeping so daily work stays smooth.

Keep accurate daily logs and report property status, guest feedback, and operational issues to the Consolidated Front Desk Manager.

Admin and local support

Handle billing, payment processing, and daily admin with high attention to detail.

Help guests with tourist information, taxi bookings, garbage sorting rules, and property amenity guidance.

Emergency handling

Protect guest safety in fire, earthquake, and similar emergencies.

Act as on-shift contact for urgent maintenance or neighbourhood noise issues under escalation rules.

Requirements Experience

Minimum 2 years of professional experience in Japan (hospitality, hotel, or customer-service sectors preferred).

Skills

Strong multitasking, attention to detail, and a proactive, team-oriented mindset.

Comfortable following SOPs, using digital logs / property systems, and rotating across desks.

Reliable on weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts.

Languages

Japanese: business level or above (required); fluent preferred. You must handle phone calls confidently with guests and local partners.

English: conversational or above (required). Business-level English is a strong plus.

Chinese or Korean: highly valued.

Other

Valid Japanese driver’s licence or moped licence desirable.

Compensation and benefits

• Monthly salary: ¥220,000 – ¥250,000 depending on experience and skills.
• The monthly salary above includes a fixed overtime allowance of about ¥38,000 for 20 hours of overtime per month.
• Example at ¥235,000 total: basic salary about ¥197,000 + fixed overtime allowance about ¥38,000 (20 hours). Exact yen amounts are confirmed in the offer and labour conditions notice.
• The fixed overtime allowance is paid in full each month whether or not the full 20 hours of overtime are worked.
• Overtime beyond 20 hours in a month is paid separately in addition to the fixed allowance.
• Bonus: up to 2 months per year depending on performance and contract terms.
• Transportation expenses reimbursed per company policy.
• Employee discounts and standard Shiki benefits.

Employment terms

• Full-time contract employee.
• Initial contract: one year.
• On good performance: expected contract renewal.
• Potential promotion to seishain (permanent employee) based on performance and business needs, with further growth paths across Shiki Group (senior desk responsibility, hotel openings, and longer-term leadership tracks).
• Multi-desk Kyoto work is expected. Material relocation, if ever required, will be discussed in advance.

Growth and career at Shiki Group

This is an entry point into a growing hospitality group — not a dead-end desk job.

On strong performance, opportunities may include contract renewal, promotion to seishain (permanent employee), senior front desk / multi-desk lead responsibility, placement on higher-touch hotel desks (including new openings), cross-training across the Kyoto network, and a longer-term path toward assistant or Consolidated Front Desk Manager tracks within Shiki Group.

You will build real operating skills: guest service, legal face-to-face process, quality control, and multi-property coordination — the foundation for a serious hospitality career with us.

How to apply

Please submit your resume and detailed work history in Japanese and/or English to [email protected] with the subject line:

“Front Desk Staff Application – [Your Name]”

Selection process

Application screening → initial interview → possible practical exercise (case study) → final interview → offer

Note

This is a multi-desk Shiki front desk operator role. Property-specific hotel opening roles (for example a dedicated boutique hotel front desk) are recruited separately when needed.