It is clear that every time the way of linking focuses more on applications and social networks. The face to face has gone into the background and the profile catalogs grow without stopping as if what you have to choose is the dress of the next wedding you have to go to.

It is a reality that dating ‘apps’ are not the best option. To be fair, the responsibility lies not so much in the design of these, but in the general experience of mobile appointments. Today, who has not used them? Finding someone online is at least as old as the network itself, although the uses and customs have varied throughout all these years.

Photos with perfect torsos, brand models, maximum postures in trips and VIP parties … endless users that are completed with phrases like: “I like people who do not take themselves too seriously”, “I’m looking for have a good time “or” I would like to try “. But if you think you’ve seen it all, you’re wrong. The applications of Japanese flirting go further, they are very different.

On a purely visual level, men in Japanese dating applications are more dressed and do not seem to claim permanent residence on the beaches. But it’s not just about images; The design of Japanese dating apps also differs from Western ones. From classifying profiles by popularity to blood type and birth order (if they are several siblings) as profile information, there are many characteristics that distinguish them from Tinder, Grindr or Badoo.

Do the ‘apps’ Japanese quotations are doing something that others do not have? Did they have managed to make people meet online is not a real war of attrition? Or is it just a different way of recognizing that you could spend the rest of your life alone? Naturally, there is only one way to find out.

‘Baishun’

Fear of online fraud seems to take possession of most Japanese applications. Although it is relatively easy for a person to register, as we know here, you can link them directly through your Facebook account. If you want to access certain essential functions such as sending messages to someone else, you have to identify yourself with a photo.

That it does not seem strange to you if they ask you your blood group, what is your economic status or in what order you were born in your family

For the Japanese, that would imply uploading images of their driving licenses or health insurance cards. For example, for a Taiwanese who speaks the language fluently, it means having to upload a photo of your passport and even, if you have a Facebook account, that there are at least 10 friends in it. Any minor amount invites suspicion that it may be fraudulent. This scrupulous verification procedure speaks of the caution with which these forms of linking are still considered there. Online dating has a long dark history in this country due to the large number of frauds, as well as the prevalence of “baishun”, the practice of young women who sell sex to older men in networks.

Security systems, such as registering through other profiles, may have helped alleviate the likelihood of being cheated, but all Japanese applications prefer to be more cautious with their photo identification requests. Even PCMax, which fosters a greater sense of anonymity compared to others (a vast majority of users use avatars or obscured photos for their profiles) asks them to upload official documents to verify age, among other things.
Details

When creating a new profile, the routine of questions is almost always the same in western ‘apps’: sex, ethnicity, religion … unusual things in Japanese. When it comes to religion, Japan’s affiliations are comparatively less diverse: Shinto and Buddhism, the most dominant in the country. And despite the heterogeneity of its ethnic composition, there is a lack of dialogue regarding race. A unifying vision of racial harmony and homogeneity is often enacted, while its discrimination within society is ignored.

Instead of questions about race and beliefs, they have their own specific cultural categories that they want users to respond to: the blood type is common. Although many do not know it, there is a very important fact, since they are perceived as predictive of their own personality, similar to how astrological signs are considered in other cultures.

Another question that is required is the birth order. While in the US or Europe, we do not care what position the other person is in, the Japanese care a lot. For them, who are looking for a potential partner, marrying the firstborn can be a blessing or a burden, since in more traditional families, the eldest son inherits almost all the properties of his family and the obligation of caring for his parents as they get older. .

Money is also important. In so

me, for example, users can choose whether to answer the question of who they think should pay the first appointment: he, the person with the highest income or half each? When it comes to information about income, almost all ‘apps’ give the option to show your salary level. In the case of Omiai, you can even filter the profiles by income groups.

As for occupations you can also choose between people who: “work in a publicly traded company” or “in one of the top 10 financial companies”, which indicates the purchasing power of each.

The Japanese fear that there are many false profiles, that’s why extreme forms of verification

The large amount of profile information provided on these platforms helps Japanese users to avoid certain uncomfortable scenarios in online dating. For them, who are known for their discretion in their culture, by reading the answers to certain questions, it can help them to reduce the tension involved in meeting someone they do not know and avoid the possibility of being perceived as discourteous.
Status update

One of the most distinctive aspects is that they have the “my diary” section, a component that allows users to post and read status updates from other people on a network platform similar to Twitter. This element offers a rare and intimate prism in the minds of its users because it provides the opportunity to express what you feel instantly and that others can contact you at once.
Popularity contest

Discovering the level of “desirability” with which you qualify, becomes a nightmare. Although there is no way to really know with certainty, several japan apps offer the function of seeing how popular other profiles are. In Peers, you can see the number of people who “like” a user and in what position they are placed. Also, in Omiai and With, you can filter profiles based on their popularity level.

It’s not that ours do not collect data on who or what is considered more attractive or desirable, and some have even taken advantage of their internal rating systems to attract more users or more income or use their personal data, which distinguishes Japanese is how accessible this information is to regular users. In Con, for example, you can filter profiles according to different criteria, two of which are the number of “likes” you have received and the number of Facebook friends you have.

Which ones are better? Is it so much detail? Which would you prefer? Search, compare and choose, superficiality is here. Now it depends on your needs and decisions.