Handbook

You are not a professional guide. You are not an instructor. You are someone who loves what they do and is willing to share it — for a few hours, with one curious person.

We deliberately avoid job titles because they flatten who you are. Your profile, your listing, and everything you write should sound like you — not a service provider.

Guests choose you because of who you are. They've read your bio, looked at your photos, and decided they want to spend time with specifically you. Keep that in mind when you show up.

You set your own price — the full amount you want to earn for a session. There is no platform commission on that amount. You collect it directly from the guest on the day (cash, PayPay, or bank transfer).

MeetAnInsider charges the guest a 15% booking fee on your experience price at reservation. That fee goes to us — it's our only revenue. It is not deducted from your price.

Example: you set ¥20,000. The guest pays ¥20,000 to you on the day, plus ¥3,000 to MeetAnInsider when they confirm the booking. You receive exactly ¥20,000.

Most experiences on the platform sit between ¥15,000 and ¥50,000 for a full session.

Guests book directly through the platform. You receive a notification by email for every new booking. You do not need to approve bookings — if you've opened a slot, it's available.

A booking is confirmed the moment the guest pays. You will see the guest's name, the date, the number of participants, and any notes they've left.

If you need to cancel a confirmed booking, do so at least 48 hours in advance. Repeated last-minute cancellations may affect your listing's visibility.

Guests may cancel up to 48 hours before the session for a full refund of the MeetAnInsider booking fee. If they cancel, the session does not take place — you will not collect your fee for that slot.

Every confirmed guest receives a QR code by email after booking. At the meeting point, ask them to show it. Scan it with your phone — this confirms they showed up.

After the session, the guest confirms the experience happened on their side. Once both sides confirm, the booking is marked complete and the guest can leave a review.

If a guest doesn't show up: wait 15 minutes, then mark it as a no-show in the app. You are not penalised by MeetAnInsider — but since the session didn't happen, you will not collect your fee. The guest does not receive a refund of the MeetAnInsider booking fee.

If you can't make it at the last minute: contact support immediately. The guest will be fully refunded and we'll work with you on rescheduling.

You set your own availability. Open slots whenever you want — one weekend a month or every Tuesday evening. There is no minimum frequency.

You can set a maximum number of participants per slot. Most experiences work best with 1–4 people; home dinners can accommodate up to 8.

Close a slot at any time before it has a booking. Once a slot is booked, you cannot close it without cancelling the booking.

This is not legal advice. MeetAnInsider is an introduction service — we do not employ you, we cannot advise you on your tax or visa situation, and we are not liable for your compliance with Japanese law. What follows is general context only. Get proper advice for your own situation.

You are solely responsible for your own tax and visa compliance. If you are on a salaried employment visa in Japan, side income may be permitted up to ¥200,000/year without a separate filing. Above that threshold, you must register as a sole proprietor (個人事業主). We strongly recommend consulting an English-speaking tax adviser (税理士) in Tokyo — do not guess.

Tourist and short-stay visa holders cannot legally earn income in Japan. Full stop. You confirmed your legal eligibility when you applied — it is your responsibility to ensure that is still true every time you host. If your situation changes, stop hosting until it is resolved.

MeetAnInsider does not report your income to Japanese tax authorities. That does not mean you are exempt from reporting it yourself.

Show up. A guest has paid a booking fee, travelled to your city, and rearranged their day for this. Being there matters more than anything else.

Be yourself. The reason guests choose MeetAnInsider over a conventional tour operator is the human connection. A scripted session defeats the point.

Keep photos current. Your cover image should show a person — ideally you with someone else. Not a product shot, not a landscape.

Respond to booking notifications within 24 hours.

A rating below 4.0 over 10+ reviews will trigger a conversation with our team.

For any booking issue, email support@meetaninsider.com with your booking reference. We respond within 4 hours on weekdays.

For urgent issues on the day of an experience, use the emergency contact number sent in your onboarding email.

For questions about your listing, payments, or profile, use the Help Center.