[April 6th is Castle Day] 70% have visited, 'History' rather than 'Instagrammability' is the reason - What is the charm of castles? We asked 8,194 people. [Primary data & survey委托 effective in the era of SEO & AIO]

MediaSeek Inc. operates "ICONIT Research," which conducts daily surveys for app users within its "ICONIT" QR/barcode reader app, downloaded over 36 million times.

In recent years, with changes in search results and the spread of generative AI, the evidence supporting the reliability of information has become more important than ever. "Primary data" is gaining attention in this context. Primary data refers to data that a company has directly collected or verified itself, rather than summaries or conjectures from other companies, and includes survey results, user usage data, and verification data.

Primary data can enhance the persuasiveness of articles, press releases, and sales materials, and can be utilized as a reliable source for citations and references, not only for SEO differentiation but also for AIO/LLMO (AI optimization).

ICONIT Research offers commissioned survey research for companies and organizations, providing consultation from questionnaire design to data collection, aggregation, and report creation.

This press release announces the results of an awareness survey conducted with 8,194 individuals regarding their "connection to castles."

Scope of Commissioned Survey Research - Collection method: In-app survey within the ICONIT app - Collection speed: Possible to collect up to 10,000 responses per day - Target: ICONIT users (attribute specification negotiable depending on the project) - Questions: Single choice, multiple choice, etc. - Deliverables: Raw data, simple tabulation, cross-tabulation, graphing, etc. (as per request) - Example use cases: New product concept validation, advertising expression A/B comparison, price sensitivity surveys, purchase behavior surveys, brand recall surveys, article content/program content creation, etc.

For companies that want to enhance the persuasiveness of articles, videos, social media posts, press releases, white papers, and sales materials using primary data, we offer consultation from questionnaire design to data collection, aggregation, and reporting.

Overview of ICONIT Research and the commissioning process can be found here: https://www.iconit.jp/iconit-research/

Survey Results Topics - Approximately 70% of people have visited a castle, making them the majority. - The most frequently cited charm was "the ability to feel history." - Multi-faceted ways of enjoying castles, such as architectural beauty and scenery, are supported.

(Totals may not reach 100% due to rounding.)

Survey Results ### ■ Question 1: Have you ever visited a castle remaining in various parts of Japan? - Visited 1-2 times: 40.7% - Visited many times: 32.4% - Not particularly interested: 18.6% - Have not visited, but would like to: 8.2%

### ■ Question 2: What do you find appealing about castles? 1. The ability to feel history 2. The beauty of architecture such as buildings and stone walls 3. Good views and scenery 4. Enjoyment of sightseeing and strolling 5. Stories of warlords and historical figures 6. Do not particularly feel any charm 7. Instagrammability/photogenic aspects

*For questions regarding respondent attributes and other detailed data, please contact info@iconit.jp.*

Information on Commissioning Survey Research ICONIT Research offers commissioned survey research for companies and organizations that wish to quickly gather responses through in-app surveys. This service can collect approximately 10,000 responses per day.

For companies that want to enhance the persuasiveness of articles, videos, social media posts, press releases, white papers, and sales materials using primary data, we offer consultation from questionnaire design to data collection, aggregation, and reporting.

Overview of ICONIT Research and the commissioning process can be found here: https://www.iconit.jp/iconit-research/

Survey Outline Survey method: Conducted via the in-app survey corner of the QR/barcode reader app ICONIT Implementation period: March 23, 2026 Number of valid respondents: 8,194 Note: Figures in tables, graphs, and text are rounded to the first or second decimal place. Source attribution: ICONIT Research

About QR/Barcode Reader ICONIT A popular app with over 36 million cumulative downloads. It implements the company's proprietary barcode reader engine Camreader, providing fast and accurate reading capabilities. By linking with multiple point services such as Rakuten Points, it is also used by users who engage in "poi-katsu" (point-collecting activities).

About ICONIT Research An in-app survey research conducted daily targeting ICONIT users. It is a service that can quickly gather around 10,000 responses per day.

For companies that want to enhance the persuasiveness of articles, videos, social media posts, press releases, white papers, and sales materials using primary data, we offer consultation from questionnaire design to data collection, aggregation, and reporting.

Overview of ICONIT Research and the commissioning process can be found here: https://www.iconit.jp/iconit-research/