Category: News

Around three months after opening, our therapist rental salon earns recognition for operating quality and guest reviews. Two rooms also appear in Instabase’s recommended top 20 rental salons in Minato Ward.

HOGUGU Share Salon Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yu Motoo) announces that ROOM4 at SALON by HOGUGU Azabu-Juban has been certified as a Gold Space by the rental space booking platform Instabase. The designation recognises spaces that meet high standards in both operating quality and user reviews.

View ROOM4 on Instabase

According to Instabase search results checked on 13 October 2026, only five of the 207 rental salons in Minato Ward held Gold Space certification. SALON by HOGUGU was the only certified facility in the Azabu-Juban Station area. Two rooms at the facility were also included in Instabase’s recommended top 20 rental salons in Minato Ward.

Approximately three months after opening on 27 July 2026, our work to provide a dependable treatment environment and attentive operations has contributed to this recognition.

Gold Space recognition for operating quality and user reviews

Instabase’s Gold Space programme recognises facilities that meet high standards in space operations and reviews. ROOM4 recorded the following results:

• Booking request approval rate: 100%
• First-message reply rate: 100%
• Listing rule violations: none
• Review score: among the higher-rated spaces on the platform

With only five certified rental salons among 207 listings in Minato Ward, this recognition marks an achievement in operating quality and user satisfaction in a competitive central Tokyo market.

The listing counts and certification status above are based on the company’s review of Instabase search results on 13 October 2026.

Beyond renting rooms: supporting therapists’ work

As working styles diversify, hourly rental salons offer freelance and part-time therapists in fields such as massage, seitai, bodywork and relaxation a way to secure space while limiting initial investment. However, arranging equipment, managing bookings and responding to clients can add work beyond the session itself.

SALON by HOGUGU was created in Azabu-Juban, Minato-ku, Tokyo, as both a rental salon and a relaxation salon linked with the home-visit relaxation service HOGUGU. Its location is also convenient for therapists working around Roppongi.

A one-minute walk from Azabu-Juban Station, the facility has five private treatment rooms with equipment such as electrically adjustable treatment beds. Therapists offering seitai, body care and oil treatments can use the rooms for the time they need. Reception support is another part of our effort to create a dependable experience for therapists and their clients.

Combining a share salon with a relaxation salon

The facility combines rental treatment space for therapists and bodywork practitioners with relaxation services, including body care, for general customers. Therapists can use the rooms for their own clients and, subject to the relevant conditions, combine this with serving the salon’s customers or providing home visits through HOGUGU.

Our aim is to offer more than space: an environment where therapists can build their own client base and work flexibly.

Comment from Representative Director Yu Motoo

“We are delighted that SALON by HOGUGU, which opened in July 2026, has received this recognition. Our goal is more than simply renting out treatment rooms. We want to create a place where skilled therapists can work freely in ways that suit them, whether independently or alongside another job.

We believe this certification is thanks to the therapists who use our salon and everyone who has shared valuable reviews. We will continue improving service quality so that both therapists and customers choose our salon.”

About SALON by HOGUGU Azabu-Juban

Facility: SALON by HOGUGU Azabu-Juban
Website: SALON by HOGUGU
Opened: 27 July 2026
Address: 4F, F Plaza, 1-3-8 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Access: one minute on foot from Azabu-Juban Station (Toei Oedo and Tokyo Metro Namboku lines)
Treatment rooms: five
Rental rates: from ¥550 per hour, subject to the listed plan and campaign conditions
Services: hourly rental/share salon and relaxation services including body care
Viewings: by appointment

Bookings: ROOM4 on Instabase. For enquiries, contact @salonbyhogugu on Instagram.

About HOGUGU Share Salon Co., Ltd.

HOGUGU Share Salon Co., Ltd. develops a share salon business linked with the home-visit relaxation service HOGUGU, supporting diverse ways for therapists to work. By combining treatment space rental with in-salon relaxation services, the company aims to expand therapists’ work opportunities and provide convenient services for customers.

Press enquiries

Public Relations, HOGUGU Share Salon Co., Ltd.
Address: 4F, F Plaza, 1-3-8 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Contact form

Certification, rankings and listing counts refer to information as of 13 October 2026. This is an English translation of our press release issued on 14 October 2026. Details reflect the original announcement; current availability and conditions may differ.

Past event notice: The September dates below have passed. This article preserves the original event announcement; it does not indicate current late-night availability. Please check the customer page and booking system for current hours and appointments.

Why not gently soothe your summer fatigue on a late-summer night?

The heat is still lingering this time of year.

If you’re feeling worn out from the summer but are too busy during the day to make time for a salon visit, we have something special for you: SALON by HOGUGU’s “Midnight Salon” ★

Enjoy a special late-night relaxation experience, a little different from your usual salon visit.

【September Midnight Salon】

September 2, 6, 7, 10, 14 & 15
10:00 PM – 5:00 AM the following morning
Last appointment: 4:00 AM

The Midnight Salon is perfect not only for those finishing a night shift or working late into the night, but also for anyone who:

• Wants to take some time to relax and unwind in the peaceful atmosphere of the night
• Wants a quiet break before heading to work

Body Care & Oil Treatments

We offer 50-, 80-, and 110-minute courses, allowing you to choose the treatment that best suits how you’re feeling and how tired you are that day.

For those who want to thoroughly loosen up their tired muscles, we recommend Body Care.

For those who want to completely let go and relax, Oil Treatment is a wonderful choice.

We also offer an exclusive Premium Course with a dry head treatment for an even more indulgent experience.

A Relaxation Experience You Can Only Enjoy at Night

Experience the quiet streets of Azabu-Juban at night, with an atmosphere quite different from the daytime city.

Take a moment away from your busy daily routine.

Why not stop by after work, before going to bed?
Or perhaps visit us before heading out to work and give your mind and body a chance to reset?

If you feel like the fatigue of summer is still lingering, don’t hesitate to visit SALON by HOGUGU’s Midnight Salon ★

For those seeking a late-night break, including after work…

Take a little detour to SALON by HOGUGU in the quiet of midnight.
Gently reset your summer fatigue. ?

We look forward to welcoming you.

Relaxation at SALON by HOGUGU in Azabu-Juban

Our salon offers relaxation-focused body care, oil treatments and dry head spa. These services are not intended to diagnose or treat illness or injury, and we do not promise relief from pain or other symptoms. Tell us about your health and preferences before booking; some conditions may mean a session is unsuitable.

Find the current menu, prices, opening hours and booking information on our English customer page. Address: 4F, F Plaza, 1-3-8 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo. One minute on foot from Exit 7 of Azabu-Juban Station.

HOGUGU Share Salon Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yu Motoo) announces that its relaxation share salon, THE SALON by HOGUGU Azabu-Juban, changed its name to SALON by HOGUGU Azabu-Juban effective 1 September 2026. This is a change to the store name. The location, services, bookings, rates and operating company name, HOGUGU Share Salon Co., Ltd., remain unchanged.

To our customers and therapists

Only the store name has changed. The location, service details, existing bookings, pricing and operating company remain the same.

Updating the name across our materials

Signs, in-store displays, printed materials and listings will be updated progressively. Both the old and new names may appear for a while, but they refer to the same store. For questions, please use our contact form.

What makes SALON by HOGUGU Azabu-Juban different

The salon is a hybrid of a share salon and a relaxation salon.

Benefits for therapists

1. A share salon you can use like your own space
Alongside monthly plans based on days of the week, hourly plans let therapists use the space when needed. Treatment wear, towels and oil are available, with some items charged separately, making it possible to visit without bringing all supplies.

2. Combine salon work with HOGUGU to use gaps between appointments
Therapists using the home-visit relaxation service HOGUGU can wait at the salon between home visits and may serve customers visiting the store. Therapists renting a room can also register with HOGUGU and use unbooked time as an opportunity to serve the salon’s customers.

3. Build continuing relationships with customers
After serving a salon customer, therapists can build an ongoing relationship through subsequent requests for the same therapist. Customers can choose a home visit or an in-salon appointment according to their preferences, allowing flexible service and a lasting relationship.

Benefits for customers

1. Services from experienced therapists
Therapists working at SALON by HOGUGU are experienced and have passed HOGUGU’s screening process. Technical ability and customer service are assessed during that application process.

2. Choose the setting that suits your plans
After finding a therapist you like at the salon, you can choose between the salon and a home visit to fit your schedule or situation. For example, visit the conveniently located Azabu-Juban salon after work, or arrange a therapist’s visit at home on a day off.

Azabu-Juban store details

Store: SALON by HOGUGU Azabu-Juban (formerly THE SALON by HOGUGU Azabu-Juban)
Address: 4F, F Plaza, 1-3-8 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0045
Access: one minute from Exit 7 of Azabu-Juban Station on the Oedo Line, or two minutes from Exit 5a on the Namboku Line
Website: SALON by HOGUGU

For rental enquiries or relaxation appointment requests, message @salonbyhogugu on Instagram.

Company and contact information

Company: HOGUGU Share Salon Co., Ltd.
Representative Director: Yu Motoo
Website: SALON by HOGUGU
Head office: 4F, F Plaza, 1-3-8 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0045
Business: planning and operation of relaxation share salons and franchise operations
Enquiries: contact form

English translation of our press release issued on 15 September 2026. Details reflect the original announcement.

Bringing the share salon model popular in the beauty industry to relaxation, with a new style of store that expands opportunities for therapists.

HOGUGU Share Salon Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yu Motoo) announces the opening of the first THE SALON by HOGUGU in Azabu-Juban. The hybrid salon combines shared treatment space with a relaxation salon for customers.

Challenges facing share salons in the relaxation industry

In the beauty industry, the growth of freelance hairdressers, eyelash technicians and nail artists has helped spread salons where treatment space is rented by the hour. Investment and acquisitions involving share salon operators are also changing the store business model.

Although individual skills create value in the relaxation industry too, large share salons focused on relaxation remain limited. Many facilities are small operations with one or two beds, restricting available times and space and making it harder for relaxation therapists to secure a reliable place to work. Some have no on-site reception, making equipment maintenance and user support more difficult; inconvenient or hard-to-find locations can also affect the experience.

Addressing these challenges with two complementary services

THE SALON by HOGUGU aims to address these issues through a new model combining a share salon with a relaxation salon.

Features of the Azabu-Juban store

As a share salon
• A convenient location one minute from Azabu-Juban Station.
• Five treatment spaces, including private rooms, to provide a dependable working environment.
• Reception staff support users and handle facility management, including cleaning, helping therapists focus on sessions.

As a relaxation salon
• Combining room rental with customer-facing salon operations creates income streams beyond room rental alone.
• The salon draws on the therapist network of HOGUGU, the home-visit relaxation service. Therapists with established experience and reviews can serve customers, supporting service quality without requiring the same fixed staffing cost structure.

Through this dual model and its link with HOGUGU, the company aims to establish a new share salon standard for the relaxation industry.

THE SALON by HOGUGU Azabu-Juban: store details

Store: THE SALON by HOGUGU Azabu-Juban
Address: 4F, F Plaza, 1-3-8 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0045
Access: one minute from Exit 7 of Azabu-Juban Station on the Oedo Line, or two minutes from Exit 5a on the Namboku Line
Website: SALON by HOGUGU

For room rental enquiries or relaxation appointment requests, message @salonbyhogugu on Instagram.

Comment from Representative Director Yu Motoo

“In the beauty industry, the share salon model has created new freelance working styles and markets. In relaxation, share salons are still less widespread, and we believe a new store model is needed.

THE SALON by HOGUGU combines shared treatment space with a relaxation salon for general customers. By generating income from salon services as well as room rental, we aim to create sustainable store operations. The HOGUGU therapist network also provides an environment where experienced therapists can work in the salon.

We will refine the model in directly operated stores and expand nationwide through franchising. Our aim is to establish a new share salon standard for relaxation and contribute to the industry by creating value for therapists, customers and store operators.”

Updates on Minowa’s YouTube channel

Progress is also shared on the YouTube channel 箕輪世界観チャンネル。 Watch the video.

Future plans

The company will continue testing its operating model in directly operated stores while considering franchise development in major cities. Rather than simply copying the beauty industry’s share salon model, it aims to adapt it to the relaxation industry and create a sustainable arrangement for therapists, customers and stores.

The long-term target is 100 stores nationwide within five years, expanding therapists’ opportunities to work and provide sessions while encouraging adoption of this new store model.

Company overview

Company: HOGUGU Share Salon Co., Ltd.
Representative Director: Yu Motoo
Website: SALON by HOGUGU
Head office: 4F, F Plaza, 1-3-8 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0045
Business: planning and operation of relaxation share salons and franchise operations
Enquiries: contact form

The company is recruiting franchisees. See the franchise recruitment release for details.

English translation of our press release issued on 10 August 2026. The store name and other details reflect the original announcement. The store was subsequently renamed SALON by HOGUGU on 1 September 2026.