Editorial Policy
How Japaniche researches, verifies, and publishes its articles, including our sourcing standards, how we handle dates, our use of generative AI, our relationship with advertisers, and how we make corrections.
Japaniche covers travel and culture in Japan for readers outside the country whose interest in Japan began with anime, manga, and games. The site is run by GROWTH Holdings Inc. (“we” or “us”), and our articles are produced by an editorial team based in Japan. This page explains how we research, verify, and publish them.
1. Sources
We base facts on primary sources in Japanese and English. Primary sources include official sites and announcements for each series and its production companies, official information from venues, shops, and transport operators, and announcements from local governments and public agencies.
We use English-language articles, fan blogs, and social media posts as leads for our research. We treat them as the basis for a fact only when a primary source backs them up.
Key sources are cited in the text or in the reference links at the end of each article.
2. On-Site Checks and Photos
Our editorial team lives in Japan, and our standard practice is to visit the places we cover to check them and take photos in person. When we write about a place without visiting it, we cross-check official information against multiple sources before publishing.
Photos are taken by our team, provided or licensed by rights holders, or used under the terms of the material’s license. For details on how we handle images, see our Image & Copyright Policy.
3. Dates and Freshness
Opening hours, prices, event dates, transport services, and regulations change. We mark this kind of information with the date we checked it, for example “as of September 2026.”
Every article shows its publication date and last updated date. When we learn that a place has closed or changed what it offers, or that an event has ended, we update the article.
Information on this site is accurate as of the date we checked it. Before you visit, book, or buy, please check the latest details on the official website.
4. Japanese and English Versions
Articles are written first in Japanese, and the English version follows the same structure. The English text is reviewed by an editor who is a native English speaker.
5. Use of Generative AI
We sometimes use generative AI to assist with parts of our production process. The main uses are research support, outlining, first drafts of translations, and style checks.
We never publish AI output as is. Our editors verify facts, proper nouns, dates, figures, and quotations against primary sources. Every article is reviewed and edited by our team before it is published, and we take responsibility for its content.
We never create on-site experiences or photos with AI and present them as real. When we use an AI-generated image for illustration, the caption labels it as an illustration or names the AI model used.
6. Advertising, Affiliates, and Editorial Independence
Japaniche is funded by advertising and affiliate commissions. Our editors decide which places and products we cover and how we assess them. Advertisers and partners do not review or edit articles before publication. For sponsored articles, we may ask the sponsor to confirm facts, but final decisions on content and wording rest with our editors.
Whether we have a partnership with a business, and how much it pays, has no bearing on whether we cover it or where it appears in a list.
If we receive transport, accommodation, admission, or similar support for a story, we disclose it in the article.
Ads and affiliate links are labeled “Sponsored” or “PR.” For details, see our Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure.
7. Respect for Venues and Local Communities
When we photograph the inside of a shop or venue for an article, we speak to the staff first and follow their photography rules.
Our anime pilgrimage articles, which cover the real-life places that inspired anime and other works, include etiquette and photography tips for residential areas, religious sites, and businesses, and ask readers to visit with respect for the people who live and work there.
8. Corrections Policy
When we find an error, whether a reader reports it or we notice it ourselves, we verify the facts and correct it promptly.
Corrections that affect facts, such as dates, locations, prices, or details about a work, are noted in the article along with the date and what was changed. We may not note fixes to typos or wording changes that do not affect meaning.
Information that has gone out of date, such as a closure or the end of an event, is updated in the text and reflected in the last updated date.
If you spot an error, please let us know through our contact form, including the article URL and the relevant passage.
9. Editorial Team
The team members responsible for planning, writing, and English editing are listed on our About Us page. Each article shows its author.
10. Contact
Please send any feedback on this policy through our contact form.
Effective: October 1, 2026
