Editorial Policy

Last updated: March 2026

Our Standards

JapanCurious is committed to providing accurate, helpful, and up-to-date information for international visitors to Japan. Every listing and guide on our site follows the editorial standards outlined below.

Data Sources

Each listing draws from multiple independent sources. When sources conflict (and they often do), we investigate until we find the current truth.

  • Google Maps / Google Places API — Business hours, addresses, phone numbers, user ratings, and operational status
  • Official venue websites— Prices, booking policies, and service details verified against the business's own published information (often Japanese-only)
  • Japanese booking platforms — Tabelog, Hot Pepper, Jalan, and Asoview provide pricing tiers, discount coupons, and booking availability not found in any English source
  • English traveler communities — Reddit r/JapanTravel, TripAdvisor, and travel blogs provide visitor experience reports
  • Direct verification — For disputed information (tattoo policies, pet size limits, reservation requirements), we contact venues directly by phone or email

Verification Process

Every listing undergoes a 6-step verification before publication:

  1. Initial data collection from Google Maps API and official venue websites
  2. Cross-referencing hours, prices, and policies against Japanese-language platforms
  3. Filtering permanently closed, temporarily closed, or non-relevant businesses
  4. English name verification (romanization accuracy checked against venue signage)
  5. Quality scoring: each listing receives a data completeness score (0-100) based on available fields
  6. Listings below our quality threshold are withheld until additional data is collected

What We Check That Others Don't

Because our team reads Japanese, we catch errors that English-only sources propagate:

  • Animal types — we verify actual animals present, not just the cafe's marketing name
  • Reservation requirements — “Web reservation only” vs “numbered tickets” vs “walk-in OK”
  • Pricing models — per-10-min, per-30-min, flat-rate, or unlimited — Japanese cafes use all four
  • Discount availability — Asoview and Hot Pepper coupons that save 15-30% but are invisible to English searches

Update Frequency

We review and update our listings regularly. Each listing page displays a “last updated” date. Business hours and prices can change without notice, so we always recommend confirming details directly with the venue before visiting.

Affiliate Disclosure

Some pages on JapanCurious contain affiliate links to booking platforms such as Viator, GetYourGuide, and Booking.com. When you make a purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships never influence our ratings, rankings, or editorial recommendations. Our listings are ordered by user ratings and review volume.

AI-Assisted Content

We use AI tools to help draft descriptive text, which is then reviewed and edited by our Japan-based team. All factual data — hours, prices, addresses, ratings, policies — comes exclusively from verified sources listed above, never from AI generation.

Our editorial team adds context that AI cannot: personal visit observations, local knowledge about neighborhoods, seasonal considerations based on living in Japan, and cultural nuances that require firsthand experience to convey accurately.

Corrections

If you find inaccurate information on our site, please let us know through our Contact page. We take corrections seriously and aim to update listings within 48 hours of receiving verified information.