ronantakizawa/japanese-copywriting

Japanese Copywriting Skill

Write compelling marketing copy for Japanese audiences following cultural conventions, emotional triggers, and proven copywriting patterns.

Reference Files

• reference/catchcopy-examples.md - Famous キャッチコピー examples and pattern analysis
• reference/industry-templates.md - Templates for e-commerce, SaaS, landing pages

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Core Principles

Copy-First Product Development (コピー起点)

A powerful approach: instead of "make product → write copy," reverse it to "write copy → design product."

Example: iPod's "1000曲をポケットに" (1000 songs in your pocket) - the copy came first, then the product was designed to deliver that promise.

Process:

1. Discover an insight through observation (not surveys)
2. Express the value in compelling words
3. Design the product to fulfill that promise

Example: Pechat (ペチャット)

• Product: Button-shaped speaker for stuffed animals
• Copy: "お気に入りのぬいぐるみが喋り出す" (Your favorite stuffed animal starts talking)
• Insight came from observing a shy daughter who opened up through stuffed animals

Words as Lenses (言葉は眼鏡)

Words are like "glasses" that help us see the world differently:

• Naming unnamed concepts creates new value
• Changing words changes perception
• Find the "言われてみれば確かに" (now that you mention it...) insights

Logic Over Inspiration (ロジック > センス)

Copywriting is systematic technique, not magical inspiration:

• Gifted people solve problems intuitively; everyone else needs systematic methods
• Like baseball: some hit naturally, but technique creates reproducibility
• "発想力" (creative inspiration) is vague; technique is concrete and learnable

ワーディング is Everything

Wording (ワーディング) = the art of rephrasing

The core skill: How many ways can you say "おいしい" (delicious)?

• Not about marketing angles or positioning
• Pure linguistic rephrasing technique
• This IS copywriting

Building your vocabulary:

• Immerse yourself in quality Japanese text (not just copy)
• Copy-only study leads to imitation; broad reading leads to originality
• Read literature, essays, journalism - all good writing

The Library in Your Head (頭の中の図書館)

Everyone knows roughly the same words, but retrieval speed differs:

• Like knowing English words but not being able to recall them when speaking
• Words "near the entrance" of your mental library come out easily
• Words "in the back" need training to access quickly

Training: Daily exposure + conscious practice moves words to the "front"

Transcreation, Not Translation

Japanese copywriting requires transcreation (翻訳 + 創作) - adapting content to maintain intent, tone, and emotional impact rather than literal translation.

| Translation | Transcreation | |-------------|---------------| | Word-for-word conversion | Cultural adaptation | | Preserves literal meaning | Preserves emotional impact | | Often sounds unnatural | Feels native | | Misses cultural context | Leverages cultural values |

Cultural Values to Leverage

| Value | Japanese | Application | |-------|----------|-------------| | Trust | 信頼 (shinrai) | Build credibility before asking for action | | Quality | 品質 (hinshitsu) | Emphasize craftsmanship over price | | Harmony | 和 (wa) | Avoid aggressive or confrontational language | | Humility | 謙虚 (kenkyo) | Understated claims, let quality speak | | Detail | 細部 (saibu) | Provide comprehensive information |

Avoid Western Patterns

| Western Style | Japanese Style | |---------------|----------------| | "Buy now!" | "ご検討ください" (Please consider) | | "Best in class!" | "多くのお客様にご愛用いただいております" | | Hyperbole/superlatives | Specific facts and numbers | | Direct commands | Soft invitations | | Fear of missing out | Fear of making mistakes |

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キャッチコピー (Catchphrases)

Two Types

| Type | Purpose | Example | |------|---------|---------| | Image Copy (イメージコピー) | Brand awareness, not direct action | "そうだ京都、行こう" | | Response Copy (レスポンスコピー) | Drive action, sales, conversion | "今だけ50%OFF" |

Important: For most business purposes, focus on Response Copy (レスポンスコピー):

• Has systematized, learnable techniques
• Directly drives revenue and action
• Image copy without brand budget often just annoys people

Effective Patterns

| Pattern | Example | |---------|---------| | Rhythm (韻) | やめられない、とまらない | | Specific Numbers | 満足度81.2% (not 80%) | | Questions | 24時間働けますか？ | | "Wouldn't it be nice" | あったらいいなをカタチにする | | Wordplay | お、ねだん以上。ニトリ | | Self-deprecating | 一目で義理とわかるチョコ |

See reference/catchcopy-examples.md for detailed analysis.

Length Guidelines

• キャッチコピー: ~15 characters (scannable in 3 seconds)
• Tagline: 20-30 characters
• Headline: 30-40 characters

Headlines Determine 50-75% of Success

The headline is everything. If the headline doesn't work, nothing else matters.

Key principles:

• Substantive long headlines beat empty short headlines
• Specific beats vague
• Longer copy beats shorter copy (when driving action)

The Chain Rule:

Title → exists to make them open the cover
Cover/OGP → exists to make them read line 1
Line 1 → exists to make them read line 2
Line 2 → exists to make them read line 3
...and so on

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Landing Page Copy

Structure (起承転結)

1. 起 (Ki) - Hook/Catchcopy
   └─ Grab attention in 3 seconds

2. 承 (Sho) - Problem/Empathy
   └─ "こんなお悩みありませんか？"

3. 転 (Ten) - Solution/Benefits
   └─ Product introduction with proof

4. 結 (Ketsu) - CTA/Closing
   └─ Soft invitation to act

First View (ファーストビュー)

Must include within visible area:

• Eye-catching visual
• Clear value proposition
• Primary CTA button

CTA Best Practices

| Aggressive (Avoid) | Soft (Preferred) | |--------------------|------------------| | 今すぐ購入！ | まずは無料で試す | | 申し込む | 詳しく見る | | 買う | 資料をダウンロード |

Power words to add:

• 無料で (free)
• まずは (first/to start)
• たった○分で (in just X minutes)
• 簡単に (easily)
• 今だけ (limited time)

CTA button examples:

✅ 無料で資料をダウンロード
✅ まずは30日間お試し
✅ 3分で簡単お申し込み
✅ 詳しい情報を見る

Trust Elements

Always include:

• Customer testimonials with real details (年代, 性別, 地域)
• Specific numbers (導入企業3,000社以上)
• Certifications/awards
• Media mentions (○○で紹介されました)
• Money-back guarantee (返金保証)

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Product Descriptions (商品説明)

6W2H Framework

| Element | Question | Example | |---------|----------|---------| | What | 何を | 商品名・種類 | | Who | 誰が | 製造者・ブランド | | Whom | 誰に | ターゲット顧客 | | When | いつ | 使用タイミング・季節 | | Where | どこで | 使用場所・原産地 | | Why | なぜ | 購入理由・ベネフィット | | How | どのように | 使用方法 | | How much | いくら | 価格・コスパ |

Structure

1. キャッチコピー (Hook)
   商品の最大の魅力を一言で

2. ボディコピー (Body)
   - 特徴・スペック
   - ベネフィット（体験価値）
   - 使用シーン
   - 口コミ・評価

3. クロージング (Close)
   - 限定特典
   - 保証情報
   - CTA

Benefits vs Features (メリット vs ベネフィット)

Critical distinction: Features (メリット) describe the product. Benefits (ベネフィット) describe the customer's life.

| Feature (メリット) | Benefit (ベネフィット) | |-------------------|----------------------| | 500mlの大容量 | たっぷり使えて長持ち | | 防水加工 | 雨の日も安心してお出かけ | | 軽量設計（200g） | 長時間持っても疲れない | | 副業で5万円稼げる | 諦めていたゴルフクラブが買える |

The "Why, Why, Why" Technique:

Keep asking "why does that matter?" to dig deeper:

Feature: 副業で5万円稼げます
↓ なぜそれが重要？
Benefit 1: 欲しかったものが買える
↓ なぜそれが重要？
Benefit 2: 家族とちょっといいレストランに行ける
↓ なぜそれが重要？
Benefit 3: 久しぶりに奥さんとデートできる

The deeper you go, the more emotionally compelling the copy becomes.

Include Drawbacks (デメリットも書く)

Japanese consumers trust copy that acknowledges limitations:

※ 効果には個人差があります
※ 〇〇の方にはおすすめしません
※ 最初は〇〇に感じる方もいますが...

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Emotional Triggers (心理トリガー)

Effective in Japan

| Trigger | Japanese | Application | |---------|----------|-------------| | Social proof | みんな使ってる | "累計○○万人が愛用" | | Authority | 専門家推奨 | "○○医師監修" | | Scarcity | 限定感 | "残りわずか" "期間限定" | | Fear of regret | 後悔したくない | "今始めないと..." | | Belonging | 仲間意識 | "○○な方に選ばれています" | | Curiosity | 好奇心 | "その秘密とは？" |

Less Effective in Japan

• Aggressive urgency ("買わないと損！")
• Extreme superlatives ("世界最高！")
• Fear tactics (too negative)
• Direct confrontation

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B2B / SaaS Copy

Key Differences from B2C

| B2C | B2B | |-----|-----| | Emotional appeal first | Logic and ROI first | | Individual decision | Consensus decision (稟議) | | Quick conversion | Long sales cycle | | Price sensitivity | Value/quality focus |

B2B CTA Hierarchy

Primary:   資料ダウンロード (Download materials)
Secondary: 無料トライアル (Free trial)
Tertiary:  お問い合わせ (Contact us)

Must-Have Content

• Detailed feature documentation
• Case studies (導入事例) with company names
• ROI calculations / cost savings
• Security certifications
• Support structure (日本語サポート)
• Comparison tables

Formality Level

Use polite business language:

❌ 使ってみて！
✅ ぜひご活用ください

❌ すごく便利
✅ 業務効率化に貢献いたします

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Abbreviations & Slang

Match your demographic with appropriate shorthand:

| Full Form | Abbreviation | Demographic | |-----------|--------------|-------------| | スマートフォン | スマホ | General | | コストパフォーマンス | コスパ | General | | インスタグラム | インスタ | Younger | | アプリケーション | アプリ | General | | サブスクリプション | サブスク | Tech-savvy | | タイムパフォーマンス | タイパ | Gen Z |

Rule: Use abbreviations only if your target audience uses them naturally.

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Practical Business Mindset

"First to Say It Wins" (先に言ったもん勝ち)

Even if copy could apply to competitors, saying it first claims it:

• Generic benefits become yours if you articulate them first
• Don't overthink "unique angles" - clear articulation wins

Good Copy = Client Satisfaction

In professional copywriting:

• Good copy is what the client approves
• Not what you think is clever
• Not what wins awards
• Technique exists to get chosen

The Reality of "Angles" (切り口)

In real work, you rarely choose the angle:

• Client specifies target, key messages, tone
• Your job: execute brilliantly within constraints
• Don't romanticize "finding the perfect angle"

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Branding Through Copy

Branding ≠ looking good. Branding = making it easy for others to explain you.

Test: Can a stranger explain your product to another stranger?

• YouTube → "スマホやPCで動画が見れるサービス" ✅ Easy to explain

Key insight: Strength ≠ Brand. Converting strengths into 超説明しやすい形 = brand.

"ブランディングは言葉である" - Study copywriting to learn how brands are built.

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Common Mistakes

Language Errors

1. Machine translation - Always use native speakers
2. Wrong politeness level - Match audience expectations
3. Unnatural phrasing - Sounds translated, not written
4. Missing context - Japanese needs more explanation

Cultural Errors

1. Too aggressive - "Buy now!" feels pushy
2. Too casual - Damages brand trust in B2B
3. Ignoring seasons - Miss 季節感 opportunities
4. Western humor - Often doesn't translate
5. Superlatives without proof - "Best" needs evidence

Format Errors

1. Wrong date format - Use 2024年1月15日
2. Wrong currency - ¥ before number, no decimals
3. Missing 税込/税抜 - Always clarify tax inclusion
4. Phone format - 03-1234-5678 (with hyphens)

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Seasonal Campaigns (季節感)

| Season | Themes | Key Events | |--------|--------|------------| | 正月 (Jan) | New Year, fresh starts | 新年セール | | 春 (Mar-Apr) | Cherry blossoms, new beginnings | 入学・卒業, 新生活 | | 夏 (Jun-Aug) | Cool, refreshing, festivals | お中元, お盆 | | 秋 (Sep-Nov) | Harvest, reading, appetite | ブラックフライデー | | 冬 (Nov-Dec) | Year-end, Christmas, warmth | お歳暮, クリスマス |

Don't miss: バレンタイン (Feb 14), ホワイトデー (Mar 14), 母の日/父の日

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Quick Checklist

Before publishing Japanese copy:

• [ ] Native speaker review (not just bilingual)
• [ ] Appropriate politeness level
• [ ] Specific numbers over vague claims
• [ ] Benefits, not just features
• [ ] Soft CTAs, not aggressive commands
• [ ] Trust signals included
• [ ] Correct date/currency/phone formats
• [ ] Tax status clarified (税込/税抜)
• [ ] Seasonal relevance if applicable
• [ ] Mobile-friendly length
• [ ] No machine translation artifacts
• [ ] Acknowledgment of limitations (builds trust)

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Resources

Recommended Books

| Title | Author | Focus | |-------|--------|-------| | ザ・コピーライティング | ジョン・ケープルズ | Classic principles, headlines | | 人を操る禁断の文章術 | DaiGo | Psychology of persuasion | | シュガーマンのマーケティング30の法則 | ジョセフ・シュガーマン | Response copywriting |

Tools

• Google Trends - Compare which synonym is most searched in Japanese

Online Resources

• Square - キャッチコピーの作り方
• Future Shop - 商品説明の書き方
• IGNITE - Japanese Copywriting Matters
• Humble Bunny - Marketing Translation Best Practices
• iCrossBorder - Content Marketing in Japan
• Nihonium - B2B SaaS Marketing in Japan