This is what it's all about
We love Japanese food! From crispy pork chops to shimmering raw fish, all kinds of noodles to vegan temple cuisine. We love the careful presentation, the playful use of consistencies and textures, the sophisticated flavors - the depth of dashi, miso and shoyu, the spiciness of wasabi, the acidity of yuzu and the sweetness of mirin and sake. The variety of culinary offerings in Japan is unique and fascinating; there is so much more to discover than sushi and ramen.
Especially if you only travel to Japan for a short time, it is not easy to find your way through this diverse offer. That’s why we are realizing JAPPAN.
JAPPAN is an app that helps travelers discover the immense variety of Japanese cuisine. It leads to unique and sometimes discreet places to eat. Restaurants specializing in specific dishes shall meet izakayas and simple yatais, cozy cafes and hidden bars. From Hokkaido to Kyushu. From inexpensive to upscale. From crowded to elegant, from world-famous to neighborhood eateries - the selection presented in the app is as diverse as the offerings on Japan’s streets.
The tips are sorted by city. The list is constantly being expanded and possibly also extended to cities outside Japan. 
It is quickly apparent what kind of food is served here. The slideshow and description give an impression of the place. Further information can be found at the end of each article. 
Specific dishes and ingredients are explained in an in-depth glossary. The offline map helps to find the places easily.
That’s why it’s special
During longer stays in Japan over the last ten years, we have dived deeper and deeper into the culinary universe of Japan. The list of personal restaurant highlights grew longer and longer - we now want to make this collection accessible, it forms the basis for the JAPPAN app.
The idea has matured over the last four years. We are proud to finally enter a next phase with this crowdfunding and present you the highlights and features in detail:
CONTRIBUTORS
The app is only as good as its content. That’s why we’re building a network of people who share our passion for Japanese food culture and want to give us their restaurant recommendations. Among them are befriended salary(wo)men, restaurateurs, architects, journalists, designers and so on. They will all share their favorite places in Japan and tell you why they are worth a visit. Furthermore they will provide useful tips on specialties, prices, opening hours and contacts.
STRUCTURE
The recommendations are organized by city, and it is easy to see what type of food is served here. A carefully prepared picture slideshow gives an impression of the restaurant and its offer.
DIRECTIONS
Japanese cities are some of the most densely populated places in the world, and without knowledge of the language or location, it can be challenging to find certain places. The app assists by providing an offline map as well as access descriptions.
GLOSSARY
The integrated glossary describes specific ingredients and dishes in more detail, allowing for a deeper dive into Japan’s culinary universe. This makes the app exciting even for people who are not currently planning a trip to Japan.
FAVORITES
Users can save their personal favorites without having to create a profile.
DESIGN
Behind the project is a group of designers who care as much about the look of the app as the content. We want to show the locals from their best side and provide the users with an app that is not only useful, but also fun to discover.
This is why we need your support!
For us, this app is not a business case, it is created out of pure passion for the topic. We therefore refrain from selling advertising space or annoying in-app purchases, and of course the restaurants are not charged for appearing in the app. Nevertheless, we want to offer the app for free and thus make it accessible to as many people as possible. This is only possible thanks to the great unpaid commitment of various contributors and this crowdfunding - that means you!
FUNDING GOAL 1
With the amount of CHF 15’000 we will bring the app in its simplest form over the home stretch and thus into your smartphones. In concrete terms, this means that our app partners Milk Interactive will make it ready for launch in one language (EN) and for all Android and iPhone users.
In addition, we can cover the running costs (server, CMS, domains, etc.) for the first phase.
FUNDING GOAL 2
But if you think there is still more to do, then help us to reach the second funding goal of CHF 20’000. This will give us - besides an immense motivation boost - the opportunity to invest in the content and features again and to put the app on a sustainable foundation. In concrete terms, this means: more features, more contributors, more tips, better articles, better pictures.
We would also expand the recommendations to cities outside of Japan - for example, Paris, London, and Zurich. This makes the app valuable not only for travelers to Japan, but for fans of Japanese food culture in general.
WHO IS BEHIND THIS PROJECT?
We, Stephanie Cuérel and Sophia Goedecke, have been running Harubaru Copy Club since 2019. Working full-time as designers, we explore the enormous diversity of Japanese cuisine through this supper club by hosting culinary events and realizing other projects around the theme.
For JAPPAN, we were able to win the Zurich-based app agency Milk Interactive AG as a partner. Together with them we developed the concept and the design, which is also implemented by them. They are the patrons of the first hour and have our eternal gratitude.
THANK YOU
Are you also an otaku when it comes to Japanese food? Or are you planning a trip to Japan soon and still looking for tips? Or you just want to support us? Then get one of our rewards and help us to bring the app to the Apple Store and Google Play this autumn.
Thank you for your support! Stephanie & Sophia
