How We Verify

Most travel content fails in the same way: a venue closes, a policy changes, and the article never notices. This page explains exactly how we keep that from happening — including where we use software, where we use judgment, and what we refuse to publish.

The problem we're solving

For the travelers we serve, wrong information isn't a minor inconvenience. A celiac traveler sent to a closed restaurant loses a meal window in an unfamiliar city. A tattooed visitor turned away at the door loses a planned onsen day. A parent hauling a stroller to a venue that no longer exists loses the one calm afternoon of the trip. So we treat venue data as something to be verified, not written.

Our rules

• Every venue is cross-checked against live Google Places data at the time of writing — official name, operating status, rating, and review count.
• We only feature venues that are confirmed operational with at least 20 reviews. If the data is thin, we don't publish the recommendation at all.
• We never invent hours, prices, or menus. Details like these change too often to print. Instead, every venue links to its live Google Maps listing so you can check current details the moment you need them.
• Monthly re-verification. Our systems re-check every listed venue's operating status each month. If a venue closes, the article gets flagged and corrected.
• Corrections are prioritized. If you spot something wrong, tell us — reader reports jump the queue.

Where AI fits in — and where it doesn't

We use AI tools to help research, structure, and draft articles. We're open about that. What AI is never allowed to do here: invent a venue, a price, an opening time, or an experience. Venue facts come from verified live data; cultural context and practical advice are edited for accuracy. The combination — software for verification at scale, editorial judgment for what actually helps a traveler — is the whole point of this site.

Affiliate transparency

Some links earn us a commission at no extra cost to you (marked on every page). Recommendations are never sold: no venue or product can pay to be listed, and affiliate partners don't influence which venues appear.