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If you live in Japan, I think you have heard of many different types of Dating Apps. But since there are many different types, you might find it difficult to decide which Japanese dating app to use.
This article will provide you with basic information that allows you to find the app that suits your needs.
Want to Meet Japanese People? Japanese Dating Apps to Try!
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Do you want to get a Japanese partner? Do you want to have more chances to talk to Japanese people? Getting a Japanese boyfriend or girlfriend might be much more difficult than you think because Japanese people are very shy.
I have a friend from Vietnam who wanted to talk to Japanese people to practice his Japanese, but he did not have such a community. He tried using a dating app to talk to random girls in Japanese. From his experience, I learned that online dating apps can be a good way to connect Japanese people with foreign people in Japan.
Why You Should Use a Japanese Dating App
There are different Online Dating apps in Japan, but I recommend using dating apps made in Japan.
Tinder and Bumble are famous in Japan, and you can meet Japanese and foreign users who are looking to date. But, if you want to meet Japanese people, you should use dating apps that specialise in the Japanese experience. In Japan, people tend to look for serious relationships, so there is a higher chance of meeting Japanese people if you use Japanese apps.
They’re Often Free For Women
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You can use most dating apps for free if you are a woman. This is because the company has to gain enough female users to attract male users to purchase their service, and it is actually very hard for the company to get enough female users. If you are male, you must pay a certain amount of money every month if you register for a dating app. Therefore, you need to be extremely careful to ensure that the app you are using is reliable.
Be Careful of Fake Profiles!
One thing you need to be careful of when you use dating apps is ‘fake profiles’. When the dating app company finds that its number of users is decreasing, it’s said they may create fake users that actually do not exist to make them look popular.
You can also find users who are paid by the company to attract users. Some of the users keep sending you messages even though they have no intention of meeting you because if they send you a message, the company will reward them. Companies do this because they have to keep attracting users before they get bored and leave the app.
One way to ensure the app’s credibility is to check the company. If the app is operated by a renowned company, it should be reliable because large companies tend to have stricter restrictions to protect their reputation. ZEXY Koi Musubi and Matchbook are operated by Recruit, a famous HR company in Japan, so they tend to be more credible than other apps. Therefore, it is important to check the company that is operating the dating app.
So be careful of fake profiles!
Which Dating App Should I Use?
So, which dating app should you use? You can decide which app to use according to your purpose. Are you looking for someone who can be in a committed relationship? Or do you want to have a casual relationship?
The types of people you can find on dating apps are different because different dating apps target different users. If you are looking for a serious relationship rather than a casual one, Omiai, With and ZEXY Koi Musubi are great choices. If you are looking for a casual relationship, Pairs, Happy Mail, Tapple, and Matchbook will suit you.
What Are the Famous Online Dating Apps in Japan?
There are many companies in Japan that have launched Online dating apps, so it might be very hard to choose which app to use. To give you a general idea of the Online Dating App industry in Japan, I listed 9 famous online dating apps.
Omiai
Price: JPY2787~/Month
Omiai is considered one of Japan’s most reliable and renowned dating apps.
Omiai and Pairs are considered the 2 strongest online dating apps in Japan. However, Omiai differs from Pairs because its users demand a ‘serious’ relationship, as many Omiai users are looking for a marriage partner.
You can set up your own preferences for your possible mate. You can customize your interests such as income, body type, education and nationality.
Omiai is reliable because it requires your Facebook account or phone number when you register. The application is also monitored 24/7, so you won’t find any fake profiles at Omiai.
Pairs
Price: JPY3480~/Month
Pairs is another strong app in the Japanese dating app market. Although it is relatively young compared to other dating apps, it is growing rapidly.
One benefit of using Pairs is the app’s simple structure, which makes it easy for new users to join. You won’t need a Facebook account to register for Pairs. The app’s design and aesthetic also favor female applicants, making it easy for women to use.
Even though the matching rate is high in Pairs, we cannot guarantee that there are no fake profiles. According to many users, you can find fake users on Pairs so be careful when you choose your potential partner.
Happy Mail
Price: Pay per use
Happy Mail is also a well-established app. It was launched in 2011 and has 12 million users. Unlike Omiai and Pairs, for which you need to pay monthly bills, Happy Mail charges you according to the number of emails you send to other users. You will need to spend 1 point to send a mail, and it costs 1000 yen to purchase 100 points. It can be cost-effective if you can find your partner quickly.
One big advantage of using Happy Mail is the huge number of users in rural areas. While many users of other dating apps are focused in central Tokyo, Happy Mail users are scattered all over Japan, so you can find a lot of users even if you are not living in Tokyo.
With
Price: JPY1800~/Month
With is operated by a listed company called IGNIS Ltd. This app is directed by DaiGo, a famous mentalist in Japan. You can take a psychology test, and based on your test results, they will find you a suitable person. Another strong point of this app is the price; it costs 1800 yen per month, which is relatively cheaper than other services.
The target users are also relatively young compared to other apps. 60% of the male and 70% of the female users are in their 20s. If you want to meet young Japanese people, With will suit you.
PCMAX
Price: Pay per use
PCMAX is another large app that you should know. Like Happy Mail, you will need to pay according to the number of mail you sent to other users. There are relatively a lot of woman who are registered in this app, so if you are male you will have a higher chance of matching.
However, PCMAX has one huge disadvantage. A lot of girls in PCMAX are fake profiles. Therefore, if you want to use PC MAX, be careful! I have a friend who invested 20000 yen into PCMAX and ended up meeting no one.
Tapple
Price: JPY2317~/Month
Tapple is a unique dating app designed by CyberAgent. CyberAgent is one of the famous IT companies in Japan. This dating app will match users with the same interests and hobbies. Once you register for the app, users will be shown on your list, and you can choose according to your preference. According to the official website of Tapple, 7200 people can find a lover through Tapple every month. This application is also growing at a rapid speed. 4500 new users are registered to Tapple every day.
Since this app is operated by Cyber Agent, a famous IT company in Japan, its credibility is high. Therefore, the number of users is also high compared to other services.
CROSS ME
Price: JPY2900~/Month
Here is another interesting app. If you are bored of using ordinary dating apps, CROSS ME will be a good choice for you. CROSS ME will match users who passed each other in real life. CROSS ME will give you a list of users living close to or staying close to you, and you can contact them as you like.
If you walk a lot, you may have a chance to meet 10 people a day! If you are bored with other dating apps, CROSS ME would be an interesting choice. Most of the people in CROSS ME are looking for casual relationships, so the matching rate is comparatively high.
Zexy Koi Musubi
Price: JPY2592~ /Month
ZEXY is a wedding planning magazine published by Recruit Co. It is the most famous wedding planning magazine in Japan, and Recruit Co is now expanding its business to an Online dating app.
ZEXY Koi Musubi is an online dating app that specialises in helping people find their potential marriage partners. There are 3,000,000 users, and the male-to-female ratio is 2:1. You might think that the users’ age is high, but you can find many users in their 20s.
If you want to register for ZEXY Koi Musubi, you must have a Facebook account so the users are 100% reliable. However, because the number of users is decreasing these years and the users are demanding serious relationships, the matching rate is low compared to other dating apps.
Matchbook
Price: JPY3980~/ Month
Matchbook is another dating app produced by Recruit Group. Compared to ZEXY, this app is designed for people interested in a more casual relationship. According to my friend who has used Matchbook, most of the girls in Matchbook are in their 20s, and most of them are looking for casual relationships rather than serious relationships. The structure is very similar to Pairs, but the number of users is smaller.
Enjoy Using an Online Dating App in Japan!
Image credits: Canva.com
There are many different types of online dating apps in Japan, and you can find a lot of different opinions about them on the internet. If you are new to online dating apps, starting with Omiai or Pairs might be safer because they are the most popular apps in Japan. If you are bored of using ordinary dating apps, try other apps and see if you can find someone good.
If you are looking for someone to marry, ZEXY Koi Musubi is the best choice because it specializes in helping people find a marriage partner.
If you are interested in using an Online dating app, why not try one? You can talk to many Japanese people and have a new experience in Japan. Even if you cannot find a lover, it is also a good chance to practice your Japanese and learn more about Japanese culture.
*Note the app info and prices are correct at the time of publishing.
Read about Relationships in Japan:
Japanese Relationships & Marriage: Traditional vs. Modern times
Featured image credits: by rawpixel.com on Freepik
