Minshuku
/mɪnˈʃuːkuː/noun
A small, family-run Japanese guesthouse, often offering traditional rooms and meals.
Did you know?Unlike a ryokan, a minshuku is traditionally a private home adapted for guests, making hospitality part of everyday family life rather than a formal inn.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Chinese
Chinese
民宿
“民 means “people” or “common people,” while 宿 means “lodging” or “to stay overnight.””
Classical Japanese
Japanese
民宿
“The Chinese-character compound entered Japanese writing and was read with Japanese Sino-derived pronunciations.”
Early Modern Japanese
Japanese
みんしゅく (minshuku)
“The compound developed as a term for modest, privately operated lodging rather than a formal commercial inn.”
20th Century
Japanese
民宿
“Minshuku became especially associated with rural, coastal, and resort areas where families hosted travelers in their homes.”
Modern English
English
minshuku
“An English loanword for a Japanese family-run guesthouse offering a more domestic alternative to a hotel or ryokan.”