Inspired By Japan? Write For MATCHA!

Do you find Japanese culture inspiring? If yes, then write about it and share it with the world by having your articles published on MATCHA.

We explain below what kind of articles we create and publish on our website. If you consider writing for MATCHA, please read the following guidelines and send us an original article.

The Features of the Articles Published on MATCHA

At MATCHA we write articles that inspire readers to want to know more about Japanese culture and come to visit Japan. The article above is one example of such content.

Take for example the article linked below:

As the title suggests, this article explains how to eat sushi. It also explains in detail how to place an order at a sushi restaurant, how to pay, and how to eat sushi without using chopsticks.

After reading this article, the readers will know what they have to do when going to a sushi restaurant so they won't feel nervous about it anymore.

Another thing that we are striving for at MATCHA is to enhance the quality of what travelers experience during their visit to Japan.

There are many visitors who may feel too nervous to enter a sushi restaurant, in spite of the fact that they have come all the way to Japan. There are also people who get lost when trying to change trains and thus lose precious time. The main purpose of the articles on the MATCHA website is to offer the necessary information for travelers to fully enjoy their trip to Japan with as little trouble as possible.

As a MATCHA writer, you will be able to do the following:

To bring your own contribution to a better understanding of Japanese culture
1) Show why Japan is a country worth visiting
2) Have foreign travelers enjoy Japan
3) Inspire travelers to love Japan and its culture

Accomplish yourself as a writer
1) Your articles will be accessed worldwide
2) The image of Japan that you promote will reach readers from all around the world
3) You improve your writing skills and gain experience as a writer, as well as knowledge about the inbound tourism industry.

The Writing Process

The articles published on our website are usually created as follows:

1. Discuss the subject proposal with the editor

The writer discusses the subject with the editor, either directly or on Skype. The following criteria are considered when deciding on a topic.

• "Is it a place that is worth visiting?"
• "Is it an experience that can only be enjoyed in Japan?"
• "Would visitors from abroad want to visit that place or try that particular activity?"

Example 1
Rejected: "A great Italian restaurant in Kyoto - Le Fromage" → It's hard to believe that visitors to Japan would want to eat Italian.
A different approach: "A Japanese cuisine chef cooking Italian in Kyoto - Le Fromage" → elements of Japanese and Italian cuisine are blended to create a unique flavor.

Example 2
Rejected: "Read all the manga you want! How to use the manga cafe" → people who cannot read Japanese will not be able to enjoy the place.
A different approach: "No accommodation for tonight? Try staying over at a manga cafe"

Are there past articles on the topic on the MATCHA website? If there are, try handling the same topic from another angle.

Example
Past article: "Your First Guide to Sensoji Temple in Asakusa"
A different approach: "Ten Wishes You Can Make at the Sensoji Temple" or "Enjoy the Nighttime Light-up of Sensoji Temple"

2. The writer submits a rough draft of the article based on the discussion with the editor

3. The writer visits the facility and conducts the interview

The writer will contact the institution beforehand and ask for permission to feature it in a MATCHA article.

4. Writing the article and having it published

The article, which should be written based on the proposed structure and the information gathered personally, will be uploaded by the writer on the MATCHA website.

5. The editor will check the article draft and perform corrections if necessary

The most frequent corrections performed on the original manuscript are the following:

• The article was not written with consideration toward foreign readers
  For example, the article contains expressions such as "Showa 5" or "the danka of the temple" without adding explanations for readers who are not familiar with Japanese culture.
• The article lacks important information that travelers would need to know
  The article should not lack information on the price of certain products, on how to reach the places mentioned in the article, or on the availability of support in other languages than Japanese.
• The article doesn't make sense as a whole
• The information is too abstract or unfounded

6. The article is published

After receiving positive feedback from the editors, your article will be published after a few days. It is often necessary for the writer to ask for confirmation and permission from the institutions featured in the article.

How to Apply

Step 1. Please send us your resume and a trial article by e-mail to ramona@matcha-jp.com.

The article should be related to a travel destination in Japan or to Japanese culture and should be written with MATCHA's readership in mind (about 800 words, containing at least five pictures taken by the article's author. We recommend taking the pictures with a good quality camera.).

Step 2. The candidates who pass the first screening will be contacted for an interview.

Step 3. The successful candidates will be contacted by e-mail.

Other Conditions

Compensation

For a regular article of about 1,000 words, the compensation is 5,000 yen. Transportation and other expenses for the coverage will be paid separately.

For commissioned articles, the compensation differs depending on the project but is generally higher than for regular articles.

Other Requirements

1. The writers should be residing in Japan for at least six months. We do not accept pitches or articles written by authors who don't reside in Japan.

2. The writers should be able to conduct research and interviews on their own. For non-Japanese writers, a minimum N3 level of the JLPT is required.

3. The writing style should show consideration for Japanese culture and values.

We Look Forward to You Application!

Send us your applications and inquiries to ramona@matcha-jp.com.

Main picture by PIXTA