Japan Cupid: Full Review & How to – foreignwifehappylife.com

Japan Cupid: Full Review & How to

By JD / September 15, 2017

Price

Monthly Subscriptions starting at $12.25 per month

Profiles

1000's of profiles, many of which are active. Some sketchy profiles.

Security

Part of Cupid Media's circle of dating sites which have a good reputation, very few if any romance scammers

Allows Direct Contact?

Yes

Summary

Japanese Cupid is a dating site that caters to Western men looking to connect with women in Japan. The site is as practical and secure as its sister sites under the management of Cupid Media. 

The danger of getting outright scammed while dating in Japan are significantly lower than some of the countries of South East Asia. Still always exercise your better judgement when using the site. 

There 100,000's of profiles on Japanese Cupid, and there's usually just under 1,000 members online at any given time. Overall the profile seem legitimate and feel quite natural.

Unfortunately this site is the only we recommend using for the sole purpose of meeting women in Japan. The site works well, and there simply aren't a lot of other options (unless you speak Japanese). 



So you want to date a Japanese woman?

Japanese women, like Japanese culture, possess a certain but sometimes undefinable allure for the West. Japanese femininity often comes off as beautiful and exotic to the point that it can be intoxicating. 

So if you're interested in dating a Japanese woman I can hardly blame you. 

While the goal of meeting sincere Japanese women is a noble one, you have to understand that it will not be easy. This is not the Philippines. This is not Thailand. This is Japan and (like most with things), things are different here. 

Dating in Japan is hard...even for the Japanese


The dating scene in Japan is unique from any other in the world. If I'm honest, like a lot of things in Japan, I don't always get it. But if you're serious about finding a Japanese woman then maybe you do. 

Even so your quest for a serious relationship will not be easy. In Japan you won't have to contend with the scam pitfalls more common in other countries like the Philippines or Thailand. Instead your greatest obstacle will be the deeply imbedded cultural values of Japanese society. 

Japanese people aren't good at dating

No I'm not being racist with that statement. Japan has a sharply declining population rate, and it's not because of economic problems, low quality or life, or anything like that. The problem is that Japanese people aren't making babies. The libido levels of men and women are low with as many as 18% of the population stating that their not interested in sex at all.

Men and women simply aren't dating each other. It's gotten so bad that the government has stepped in to create matchmaking sites and events for young people, in hopes that one day they might procreate. The Japanese government is legitimately concerned because the country's population is projected to drop by over 40 million by 2060.

There's a lot of cultural and social theories as to what is causing this phenomenon. No matter how you look at it, when it comes to love (or at least sex), a lot of Japanese simply aren't that interested. 

Online dating is still pretty taboo in Japan

To make matters worse online dating did not get off to a good start in Japan. When it came out in the 1990's it was fraught with PPL scam sites that swindled users out of millions of dollars. The trend even continues to the present day, with another huge PPL site taken down in 2015

There is also a very strong cultural taboo against dating online. Native Japanese sites and apps have millions of users, but if you ask around no one will admit to using them.  

Cultural isolationism 

Japan has a long history of isolationism, and this cultural value will probably be the biggest challenge you face in your search for a Japanese woman. 

Japan is a notoriously polite country, but they're also notoriously unaccepting of foreigners (and not in an overtly mean way, because again...they're really polite). At best foreigners are seen as funny or entertaining (think novelty), but they will rarely be accepted into the exclusive circle that is Japanese society. 

Western expats often write on how they can live in the country for years, only to feel just as much a foreigner as they did when they first arrived.  

This cultural tendency toward exclusivity pretty much guarantees that as a foreigner your romantic options will be limited in Japan. It's simply not mainstream to date foreigners in Japan.   

Is finding a Japanese woman a hopeless endeavor?

To put it simply no. There is hope. Just recognize that if you're intent on dating genuine Japanese women, you're going to have to face the unique challenges we mentioned above.  

There are honest Japanese women out there who are interested in a serious relationship with a foreigner, there just aren't a ton of them. So how can you go about finding them?....

That's where Japanese Cupid comes in.

In comparison to the majority of the Japanese population women who are interested in dating a foreigner might be the exception, but Japanese Cupid makes it easier to find and connect with them.

In this article we'll look at the features of Japanese Cupid, the pros and cons of using the site, and we'll provide a little how-to on how you can get started meeting Japanese women overseas. 

Enjoy!

Features


Japanese Cupid is similar to most dating sites. With a free account you can upload profile pictures and information, as well as look through the profiles of other members. With a premium subscription you can send and read messages. 

A walk through of the search engine used on all Cupid Media sites

App

Japanese Cupid is also available via app. The app looks slightly nicer (though it's pretty much the same), it's also a bit more user friendly. 

Subscription levels

Japanese Cupid is offered in 3  different subscription options: Standard, Gold, and Platinum. 

Standard subscription (free)

The standard subscription is free. All that's required is your name and email address. At the standard level you can browse and search profiles, express interest, and communicate with women who have a paid subscription (most will not). 

Gold subscription

The gold subscription is the first of the two paid levels. With a gold membership you can send and receive messages with all members and also have live chats via an in-site instant messenger

Join for 12 Months

Join for 3 Months

Join for 1 Month

Platinum subscription

A platinum subscription gives you all the perks from the gold level in addition to providing you with some advantages over other members.

This includes things like ranking your profile over other profiles, highlighting your profile, providing more space for you to write in your profile, and (most notably) translation of messages into your native language. 

Join for 12 Months

Join for 3 Months

Join for 1 Month

Which level is the best value?

In the end you don't really need the bells and whistles that come with the platinum subscription. Granted, the price differences between the gold and platinum levels aren't huge. 

The biggest perk of the platinum subscription is probably the translation feature. But as you may already know, on FWHL we usually advice men against dating women they can't communicate with. 

This not only saves you money on translation, it helps protects you from scams. I don't think the whole translator/professional dater scam is much of an issue in Japan. Still, if you don't speak Japanese and your lady doesn't speak English, good luck on your dates. 

I'm not saying it can't happen. But it is unlikely. Japanese women who are interested in foreigners are much more likely to know English anyways, so this shouldn't be too much of an issue.

In the end I recommend the gold level. It provides everything you need to connect with women in Japan.

Honesty


We don't hesitate to recommend the Cupid media dating sites. The Australian based company has been in business for over 15 years, and there's a reason for it: they provide practical and safe alternatives for international online dating.  

There isn't another company I know of that successfully and honestly runs so many international sites.  

Also, and probably just as important, JC only charges a flat monthly subscription fee, which means you don't have to worry about PPL scams

 Westerwomensuck.com 

quote-left

"Negotiating through the website I see that Cupid passes my first and most important test: they allow direct contact with the women on the website. The worst type of dating agency is one that requires communication between you and the women you contact to be funneled through the agency. Most websites that limit your contact with the women that you are talking to do so because their ladies profiles are fake or they want to “lead you on” in order to get more sales from you"

Profiles


The profiles on Japanese Cupid look and feel legitimate and natural. There's no PPL bait. There can be as many as 800 members online at once so there are a decent amount of active profiles on the site. 

The instance of fake profiles might literally be zero on Japanese Cupid. On other Cupid dating sites (and most international dating sites), you can expect to receive 20+ messages from fake profiles after creating a free account (even if you don't upload any profile information).

On JC you simply don't have this phenomenon  

Using Japanese Cupid safely


Remember that Cupid Media can't possibly filter out the intentions and motivations of its members (that'd be impossible and creepy). Just because the site is honest doesn't mean all its users are. 

Cupid Media does provide a way to report suspicious or scammy profiles, but some may still slip through the cracks. 

As always be mindful of the typical signs for online romance scams

Insincere types

 As far as I can tell, the pitfalls in the foreign Japanese dating scene are a lot more innocent than the ones in  the nearby countries of South East Asia. 

At best there are categories of insincere women you're likely to meet in Japan (though I don't think we can really call them scammers). 

The Gaijin hunter

Gaijin is the transliteration of the Japanese word for foreigner, which literally means outsider. "Gaijin hunters" are usually Japanese women who take a huge interest in foreign guys not because of the guys themselves, but simply because of the fact that their foreigners. 

Japan has the 3rd largest economy in the world, and it's quality of life is pretty high. I say this to say that a Gaijin hunter probably isn't after your money. But she may care more about the novelty of having a foreigner on her arm than she does about you.

Over eager English learner

English speakers are few and far between in Japan, and people who are learning the language are eager to practice with native speakers. However the way they do it is pretty impersonal. They seem to talk at you not with you, and have little interest in you as a person. This is probably less of an issue when meeting women online, but it's something you might see when you're in the country. 

It's not really a scam, and it's usually pretty obvious when it happens.

Best way to use Japanese Cupid


If after reading this you decide you want to take the plunge and use Japanese Cupid to meet women, then we recommend you use the following process:

Note: this example runs on a 12 week timeline. Feel free to modify it according to you needs. Just remember that the point is to contact women for the purpose of arranging dates face to face in the real world. Don't get stuck chatting to ladies for months only to never visit them!

Phase 1: 12-6 Weeks before your trip

Create a basic list of requirements

The first thing you want to do is to create a general list of criteria for the type of woman you want to meet. emphasis on the word general here. We don't mean pick out things like eye color, height, and occupation. 

You should make a list of the basic requirements you'll use to  sift through the 1,000s of profiles on JC. Things like age range, whether she has kids or not, relationship status (divorced, widowed, etc), religion, and English level should make up your list.  

A Friendly Reminder: Only date women you can communicate with

We advise men to only date women they can easily communicate with in person. Unless you know a foreign language this means dating women with a good level of English.

We advise this because it eliminates the need for hiring a translator; which not only saves you money, but makes you much less vulnerable to the "professional dater" type scams. 

Now that you have your list, create a free basic profile on Japan Cupid. Use your requirements to search for women on the site. Make sure that their is a good number of active women on the site who live in or near the city you plan on traveling to.

Verify your city and dating site

If there are enough women who meet your criteria go ahead and green light your trip and purchase your travel arrangements.  

If there aren't enough women in the city you chose, try searching near a different city. With other sites I normally recommend that if you can't find enough women in the area you want to travel to, you should try a different site altogether. 

Phase 2: 6-4 weeks before your trip

For the next two weeks you want to start putting together the pieces of your personal profile, which you will post to JC once you purchase a premium membership. 

This part is a bit more important than most guys think. You site profile is the virtual equivalent of a first impression. Just as there are 1,00's of women on JC, you can bet there are a lot of men using the site too. 

How to make a good (virtual) impression

You want to use your profile pics, description, and introductory letter to help you stand out from the pack.

Photos

Typically most guys on online dating sites take a series of selfies on their cell phone, post them on the site, and call it a day. There's nothing wrong with having 1 or 2 natural type photos that aren't all that glamorous, but all your photos shouldn't look like that.

 You can do better

To be honest you should probably avoid the whole selfie idea all together. Odds are that you know someone with a half way decent digital camera. Put on a nice shirt and have them take some shots of you.  

You don't have to get too fancy with things, just get two portraits, a full body pic, and maybe a candid action shot showing you playing a sport or dressed up for a party (pick something you normally do). Putting in this little bit of extra effort will go a long way toward helping you stand out from the other guys on the site. 

Remember: 

Ladies on dating sites often put up with a lot of creeps and sleazy guys. Just as you don't want to be bombarded with scammers and bots, a woman doesn't want to bombarded with tasteless or over sexualized messages. 

Go the extra mile and to make your profile standout because in the end that's what you would want a woman to do for you. 

Profile description tips

Most profiles list desires, hobbies, interests, and something about life style. There's nothing wrong with any of that. One tip here though is to try to get specific when talking about these things.

Many guys will put that they like movies (who doesn't?), you should list some of your favorite movies or genres of film. A lot of guys might say they want a woman with family values. What if you said you value a woman who brings warmth and love to the home? Do you see the pattern here? Be honest, but also be specific. 

The introductory letter

Honestly we could write an entire post on how to write an introductory letter (we probably will soon).  Because you will be contacting numerous women it's best to write a general introductory letter that you can use as a template. 

More or less the letter can follow this pattern. Each item should be about a paragraph long:

  • 1
    Hello I'm....(basic biographical info: age, where you live, height, weight, lifestyle, education, career, religion, etc.) 
  • 2
    Paint a picture: Description what you enjoy about your life and lifestyle, and things you do in your city. Give the woman an glimpse into what life would be like with you.
  • 3
    I'm looking for more: Your life is good, but you need/want a ___ woman because____.....(what attributes/character traits are you looking for?)
  • 4
    I'm serious: Talk about how you're a man on a mission and don't want to waste time on online romance. Mention your upcoming trip and its purpose. 
  • 5
     Ask her for contact info: This is the part where you transition and ask the woman if she would be willing to contact you and see if there's any chemistry between you. 

This is a general outline, but you should get the idea. 

Now don't go copy and pasting this template verbatim, and then start spamming every pretty woman you see on the site. Use the template as, well....a template. You should be reading a looking over each profile you message. Incorporate something personal or specific to a woman's profile in your letter to her. 

Phase 3: 4 weeks- trip date

This is where you sign up for a premium subscription on Japan Cupid, upload your photos and personal info, and start contacting ladies. 

Use the general requirements list you made earlier to inform your search. Be honest and realistic, and stay clear of any red flags

You'll want to send out a lot of introduction letters, as not all women will respond or be interested in contacting you. If you're taking your time and reviewing each profile like you should, this could take a while. 

Make sure the women know that you're planning on meeting multiple women in their city, but that you will only pursue the one you have the most chemistry with. 

At this point you should know when you'll be in town so give the dates to the ladies who are interested in meeting you and start arranging dates .

Phase 4: the trip

This is where your hard work, planning, and research pay off! enjoy your dates with the ladies, and always deal honestly with them. If you feel there is chemistry between you and a woman tell her, and ask her if she feels the same way. 

If you don't feel things clicking then be honest and tell the lady at the end of your date (make sure you thank her too!). 

What other people say about Japanese Cupid


quote-left

PETER WANG

"Japancupid.com is the best online dating site to find a Japanese girl. The site has more than 700,000 members, which is a very large number since online dating still haven’t gained its popularity in Japan.

It’s not easy to get dates in Japan without using JapanCupid because not many girls here speak very much English. You can rely on Japan Cupid, which is designed for anyone especially foreigners who want get a date with English-speaking Japanese woman. JapanCupid is the best dating site to use if you want to have a causal sex or a proper girlfriend in Japan."

quote-left

 Addison Sears-Collins 

"JapanCupid.com is the best online dating site in Japan. If I only had money to spend on one site, this is the site that I would spend it on." 

Alternatives to Japanese Cupid


Japanese dating sites for Western men are few and far between. Some successful Western based companies have branched into the Japanese market but these sites are completely in Japanese. 

If you know some Japanese you can try the Japanese portal for Match.com. It's one of the most popular dating sites in the country so it's definitely worth a look.

Asian Dating is a sister site of Japanese Cupid, and is also run buy Cupid Media. Asian Dating works the same way, and maintains the same quality of experience. 

The site has a good amount of Japanese women with active profiles, and you can also search within nearby Asian countries as well. 

Some men love the adventure of traveling alone to a foreign country, setting up dates, and handling the travel arrangements and logistics of a trip to a place they've never been to (I'm one of them). 

But for others the idea isn't as appealing. The company about to talk about goes to great lengths to solve that problem. If you want to meet Asian women in a more sure and secure way, and if you're willing to go to Thailand instead of Japan, then there may be a better option for you.

Dream Connections is an American based company started by the American/Ukrainian couple Mark and Ana Davis. Dream connections offers tours in Bangkok Thailand, as well as in Ukraine and Colombia. 

The company is unique in that they function more like an introduction/matchmaking agency than a romance tour agency (which is good because I don't trust most romance tours). 

Each tour has about 15-20 guys and up to (I think) 90 or so local ladies. The company screens both men and women for relational intent and basic background information. 

They also feature a unique system where each man has a personal translator/personal assistant for the trip. The dating starts off with a series of short speed dating sessions after which men are free to contact interested ladies and go on dates apart from the group. 

Conclusion


If you're serious about meeting women in Japan then Japanese Cupid is probably the best online dating option out there. There are a significant amount of profiles even though the site is smaller than other international dating sites. 

As always be aware of the signs of possible scammers.  There don't appear to be very many if any on the site, but you can never be too careful. 

About the author

JD

Founder of FWHL. When JD's not writing articles he's probably practicing his Russian or trying to play AC/DC on his guitar.

Click here to add a comment

Leave a comment: