How Multi-Source Search Works: HotPepper, Tabelog, Google, and the Fragmented Restaurant Data Problem

Japan's Restaurant Data Exists in "Islands"

When searching for restaurants in Japan, most people use multiple apps and websites. Check ratings on Tabelog, find coupons on HotPepper, look up the location on Google Maps, view the menu on the official website—this sequence cannot be completed on a single platform.

Why does this situation exist? Japan's restaurant data has historically accumulated across multiple platforms, each with its own data structure, category system, and evaluation criteria. No unified "restaurant database" exists.

Characteristics of Major Platforms

Tabelog

Launched in 2005, Tabelog is Japan's largest restaurant review site. With over 800,000 registered establishments and tens of millions of reviews, its distinguishing features are review depth and rating system rigor.

Tabelog's data has a "review-centric" structure. Beyond basic store information, it accumulates detailed user reviews, photos, and ratings. Categories are highly granular—"yakitori," "kushiyaki" (skewered grilling), and "tori-ryori" (chicken cuisine) exist as separate categories despite their similarity.

HotPepper Gourmet

Operated by Recruit Co., Ltd., HotPepper Gourmet excels in reservations and promotional offers. With hundreds of thousands of registered establishments, it's particularly strong for izakaya and chain restaurant information.

HotPepper's data has a "reservation and promotion-centric" structure. Course meal details, all-you-can-drink plans, coupon information, private room availability, smoking policies—practical information needed for reservations is systematically organized. An API is publicly available, allowing developers to access this data.

Google Maps

Google Maps is a global platform integrated with mapping services. While many Japanese restaurants are registered, its data structure differs from other platforms.

Google's data has a "location-centric" structure. Store location, business hours, crowdedness, and access methods are prioritized. Reviews are submitted in multiple languages, including many from foreign tourists. However, menu details and reservation functions are limited.

Data Field Differences

Each platform holds different information. Here are representative differences.

Regarding budget information: Tabelog displays "lunch budget" and "dinner budget" separately. HotPepper provides detailed pricing centered on course meal costs. Google Maps often shows only rough price ranges using "$" symbols.

Regarding category classification: Tabelog has over 100 subcategories under "washoku" (Japanese cuisine). HotPepper also classifies by use-case perspectives useful for reservations (for parties, for dates, etc.). Google Maps uses an international category system that doesn't accommodate Japan-specific granularity.

Regarding photos and visual information: Tabelog is rich in user-submitted food photos. HotPepper features official photos provided by establishments. Google Maps excels in interior and exterior photos.

Why Data Isn't Unified

The reason each platform holds different data lies in business model differences.

Tabelog prioritizes user engagement and time-on-site. Reading detailed reviews, viewing photos, carefully selecting restaurants—this process generates advertising revenue. Hence review depth is important.

HotPepper prioritizes completed reservations. With a business model earning reservation fees and listing fees from restaurants, information promoting reservations (coupons, course details, seat availability) is comprehensive.

Google provides restaurant information as part of search and map services. Combining location data and user reviews to enhance search result usefulness is the primary objective.

No economic incentive exists for these platforms to integrate. Rather, they tend to protect their data for differentiation.

API Access Limitations

Developers attempting to access this data face additional barriers.

The HotPepper Gourmet API is relatively open and free to use. Basic store information, addresses, categories, and photo URLs can be retrieved. However, review content and ratings are not provided.

Tabelog does not publish an API. Review data is a source of competitive advantage, and external provision is restricted.

Google Places API is paid, with usage-based charges. Data is abundant, but Japan-specific detailed information (e.g., private room availability, all-you-can-drink pricing) is often not included.

Problems Caused by Fragmentation

This fragmentation creates multiple problems for users.

First, gathering information takes effort. "Is this restaurant well-regarded?" "Can I make a reservation?" "What's the budget?"—answering these questions requires traversing multiple sites.

Second, information inconsistencies occur. The same restaurant may show different business hours or holidays depending on the platform. Determining which is correct becomes impossible.

Third, obtaining a "complete picture" is difficult. Tabelog reviews, HotPepper course information, and Google Maps location data must be mentally integrated to make a decision.

The Multi-Source Approach

One approach to addressing this fragmentation is utilizing multiple data sources across platforms. LocalWays adopts this approach.

By combining information from different platforms, comprehensive information unavailable from any single source can be provided. HotPepper's detailed establishment information, location-based search, and understanding of users' natural language queries—integrating these enables more accurate restaurant recommendations.

Complete data integration is difficult both technically and legally. However, understanding user needs and extracting information from appropriate sources is possible. That is the role of an AI assistant.