Skip to content
Reveal Japan
日本語で読む

Editorial Standards

Reveal Japan is run by a small editorial team based in Tokyo, together with AI tools. We write what’s actually true about how the site is made, in the interest of transparency.

How an article gets published

  1. Topic selection. The team picks topics — based on reader feedback, things that come up in everyday life, and things that feel under- or mis-explained in English-language coverage of Japan.
  2. Research and drafting. AI tools (Claude and others) gather primary sources, build the structure, and write the draft. We prioritize Japanese-language primary sources wherever possible — dictionaries, geographic indication registries, industry statistics, expert testimony.
  3. Editorial review. The team — native Japanese speakers based in Tokyo — checks every draft for factual accuracy, cultural fit, voice, and the multi-path landing — does the article let the reader actually do something with what they just read (travel, experience, talk, buy, share). If something feels off, the article gets rewritten.
  4. Publish. Each article carries a last_reviewed date at the bottom. We revise when readers flag corrections or when language usage shifts.

On a validator program

We do not yet have a third-party named-expert validator program. All article reviews are currently done by our editorial team. Long term we’d like to add named reviewers for specialized domains (tea ceremony, regional craft, food specialties, historical research). If you’d be interested, contact us.

How we use AI

  • For research speed, drafting, and structural iteration.
  • Every published article passes through human review by the team for facts, voice, and accuracy.
  • No article is published from AI output alone.
  • We don’t hide that we use AI. Hiding it would cost trust faster than disclosing it.

Sources

We prioritize Japanese-language primary sources:

  • Japanese-language dictionaries (Kōjien, Daijirin, Daijisen, and others)
  • Government and prefectural data (Geographic Indication registry, Ministry of Agriculture statistics, prefectural pages)
  • Academic papers and named expert testimony

English-language secondary sources are used for context only, never as authoritative claims.

Corrections

Spot a factual error? Contact us. Material corrections are noted at the bottom of the affected article with a dated changelog.