hello, yaponiya!

The karaoke was great! But here's what they actually built 👇

Hack Yakumo is the international hackathon we run as part of every batch — our engineers team up with developers from Japan and other countries to tackle real challenges from local companies and city governments. This time, the brief came from the City of Matsue itself.

Matsue has been drawing growing international attention since "Bakebake" — a major NHK drama inspired by Lafcadio Hearn, a writer deeply tied to this region — began airing in 2025. The city wants that momentum to last, but the right information still isn't reaching foreign visitors or residents. That gap became the brief. Hack Yakumo 2026 brought together engineers from Japan, Russia, Kazakhstan, India, and Indonesia to work on it. Five teams presented. Two won.

🥇 Gold — "Matsue Mate" A single app for foreign residents covering waste sorting, administrative processes, and healthcare support. Built with Nodeblocks, Node.js, React, TypeScript, and Express. Judges called it simple, practical, and immediately usable — one noted that it tackles exactly the kind of everyday friction that foreign residents in Japan run into, with a design that feels warm and approachable. 🥈 Silver — "Yokai Road Shimane" GPS and AR bring Lafcadio Hearn's stories and Shimane's yokai folklore to life as you walk through the real locations behind them. Built with Nodeblocks, Node.js, React, TypeScript, and MongoDB. One judge called it: "yokai is Matsue's content, and nobody else's."

After the presentations, the Mayor of Matsue joined the networking reception — congratulated the teams, answered their questions, and spent real time with the engineers who had worked on his city's problems for two weeks. (That's him in photos 2 and 3 👆) NHK covered it too 📺 (in Japanese): https://news.web.nhk/newsweb/na/nb-4030024921 Send the teams some 🔥🔥🔥 All five teams earned it! #about_HY_program

We've been off the radar for a few weeks — not because nothing was happening, but because everything was happening at once 😅

Here's what we were up to: Batch 7 just wrapped up two weeks in Izumo — and if you think a small regional city in Japan sounds quiet, Izumo would like a word!

Six engineers from Russia and Kazakhstan came to work on real challenges set by the City of Matsue, and ended up getting a full picture of what living in Japan outside the big cities actually looks and feels like. Quiet it was not! 🏢 Inside four Japanese tech companies The group visited four local companies who opened their doors for honest conversations about products, engineering culture, and what it's actually like to work in Japan's regions. These visits tend to shift something for participants: Japan's tech industry stops being an abstract idea and starts feeling like a real place you could work. 🎌 Everything else that makes Izumo, Izumo The programme made sure there was more to the two weeks than laptops and whiteboards. Tea ceremony 🍵, calligraphy 🖌️, an onsen ♨️, a kimono fitting 👘, a takoyaki party 🐙, nomikai at a local izakaya 🍻 — and karaoke. Several times. The engineers apparently discovered karaoke early in the trip and saw no reason to stop 🎤😂 The two weeks went fast. We're already missing this batch 🥹 The hackathon story is coming up next 👇 #about_HY_program

We’ve finished the selection process for Batch 8

This time, we selected 8 participants — and they’ll begin their Japanese language course already in May.

As always, the competition for spots was very high! We received a lot of strong applications, and honestly, there were many great candidates we simply couldn’t fit into one batch. 📩 Results are already in your inbox. If you don’t see them there, make sure to check your spam folder too! And to everyone who applied: thank you! We read every application carefully and appreciate the time and effort behind each one!

💡The next chance to join the program is planned for late 2026. We’ll share details closer to the launch.

#about_HY_program

🇯🇵 Two more engineers from Batch 6 have arrived in Izumo!

Meet Nikita, Full-Stack Developer (Go + Vue), working on a gaming platform around online games and digital entertainment. And Viktor, Backend Developer (Java), who joined a Japanese tech company focused on large-scale flash-sale e-commerce and curated online shopping.

And yes, yesterday the guys had a very Japanese onboarding moment: a local police officer came by to say hello 👮‍♂️— and even brought some sweets as a welcome gift. It’s part of the standard settling-in process here. He explained how safety works in the area — who to call, what to do during natural disasters, and where to bring lost items. He also made sure they knew him personally, so they’d feel comfortable asking for help if anything happens. Welcome to Izumo 🎉 #relocation_case

So, what does it actually cost to live in a small town in Japan?💰

Maria and Alexander, who moved to Izumo last May through our program, shared a rough breakdown of their monthly expenses — you can see it in the video (their blog is in Russian, and so is the video — but we’ve added English subtitles in the comments).

Like anywhere, it really depends on your lifestyle and the city you’re in. Some months are quite low-key, others are more expensive (especially when you’re buying things for your home or clothes). Day-to-day costs like utilities, groceries, and transport also change from month to month. #life_in_Japan

Nikita from Batch 6 shared his feedback on the program, and we’re excited to share it with you too 👇

Why Japan? It all started with anime. I got hooked on one series that ended out of nowhere — no continuation, nothing. But it had a light novel as the original source… and no translations. So the only option was to learn Japanese. That was five years ago. Today I’m around N3, and somewhere along the way, Japan stopped being just an interest and became a real goal. I discovered hello, yaponiya! through online communities. When I saw Batch 6 was open, I applied — and got accepted a month later.

Now Nikita is preparing for his move to Izumo, and in just a couple of weeks we’ll be welcoming him here 🇯🇵 👉 Read the full story in the cards above 👆 #reviews #relocation_case

⏰ Batch 8 closes tomorrow Submit your application before March 24, 17:00 (GMT+3) 👉👉👉 Apply now 👈👈👈

What happens after you apply? We take time to review every application manually. If your profile matches, we’ll invite you for a short intro call — a chance to get to know each other and go through the program in more detail. After that, we form the final group.

📣 Final results will be shared by late April / early May, with the Japanese course starting in May. All updates will be sent by email — don’t forget to check your inbox 👀 #about_HY_program

What does a normal workday in Japan look like When people imagine working in Japan, they often think in stereotypes. But once you look at real people’s routines, the picture becomes much more nuanced.

So we asked 4 developers from our community in Japan to share what a regular workday looks like for them.

📍Dmitry, Tokyo Works at Toyota’s software and mobility company, building next-generation technology, platforms, and tools for future mobility. I work in a hybrid format: 3 days a week in the office and 2 remotely. Officially, my working hours are from 8–9 a.m. to 5–6 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break. In reality, things are much more flexible. Some people come in at 11 and leave at 8, others work remotely more often. It probably depends on the team lead or manager, but overall it is easy to agree on a different schedule or a different number of office days per week. We also have a time tracker, but most people just fill it in afterwards for several days at once, so nobody seems too stressed about it. I personally prefer to log my hours properly as I go 🙂 I work in a toolchain team. Our job is to provide development tools for other teams and, potentially, external users as well. Most of my work is sprint-based, and I do not have that many meetings — usually around 1–2 hours a day. My routine is fairly structured: first I check work chats and emails, then help users with support requests, do code reviews, and only after that move on to my own tasks. I work in an international company, so people come from different countries and English is the working language. That makes the environment quite comfortable. At the same time, 4 out of 6 people on my team are from Russia, so in daily communication I actually speak Russian more often than English. The atmosphere feels comfortable and trust-based. I can take ownership of decisions and show initiative, but at the same time there is no pressure to constantly prove myself. I can simply do my work well, and that is completely fine too. Overtime is not really part of the culture here, so I have enough time for hobbies and life outside work. And if someone finishes earlier and leaves earlier, that is not treated as a problem either. ▬▭▬▭▬▭▬▬▭▬▭▬▭▬▬▭▬▭▬▭▬▬▭▬▭▬ The rest of the stories are on Telegraph — including remote work in Fukuoka and two different developer routines in Izumo. 👉 Click here 👈 ▬▭▬▭▬▭▬▬▭▬▭▬▭▬▬▭▬▭▬▭▬▬▭▬▭▬ 📌 Working in Japan can look very different from person to person — just like anywhere else, it depends on your company, your projects, your city, and the kind of life you build around work. What is the work culture like in your company right now? 🦄— Relaxed and flexible 🔥— Fast and demanding 🌚— Somewhere in between #IT_in_Japan #life_in_Japan

🇯🇵 Ready for Japan? Batch 8 Is Now Live! The deadline to join is March 24.

If your goal for 2026 includes working as a developer in Japan, now’s the time to apply!

We’ve already helped 40+ engineers relocate with their families, with most settling in Shimane Prefecture. Some joined with N5, some with higher levels — Japanese isn’t a barrier if you’re committed to learning it seriously. ● Here’s how the process works: We review your application, schedule an intro call, talk through your goals and experience, assess your English language level, and decide together whether this path makes sense.

● And what do you get if selected: • You’ll go through a 6-month online Japanese course, receive CV and interview preparation, and get direct access to job opportunities across Japan. • You’ll also take part in a 2-week tech & culture trip to Japan (Izumo), with your accommodation fully covered (see the accommodation photos here). During this immersion, you’ll explore Japan’s regional tech scene, meet CTOs, CEOs, and engineers, and join a hackathon where you pitch real-world projects to potential employers. • And once you receive an offer, we support you through the relocation process, from visa paperwork to settling into daily life.

📍Please note: employment isn’t guaranteed. Final decisions always depend on your interviews and company fit. Our role is to prepare you, support you, and connect you with real opportunities. Who can apply: Developers with a university degree in IT, mathematics, or physics, English level B2 or higher, and relevant work experience. If you don’t hold a degree, you can still apply with an ITPEC certificate or 10+ years of official IT work experience. Joining our program is free! 👉👉👉 Apply now 👈👈👈 We process applications manually, so expect a confirmation email within 1–2 business days. Got a friend who loves Japan and writes code? This might be for them! Pass it on 🔥 #about_HY_program

This video about Izumo was created by Shoji Goto — a filmmaker and one of the SAMI People 🎥 Here’s the English version of what’s being said in the video:

What really matters can’t be seen with your eyes. When you give your time to something, it slowly becomes precious. Don’t forget that. The things you truly care about are the things you’ve connected with — heart to heart. The stars feel beautiful because somewhere out there, hidden from sight, there’s a single flower. Thank you. Whether it’s the stars, or my old home… the beauty doesn’t come from what you can see. It comes from what you can’t. You have to look with your heart. And when you let your heart connect, you might end up crying a little. Because the most important things are invisible. At night, you look up at the stars. Everyone has their own stars. And you… you know the laughter of the stars that are yours. For me, this is the most beautiful view in the world — and the one I treasure the most: my hometown, Izumo.

When Makino-san, our founder, first started talking about connecting global IT talent with regional Japan, the vision felt bold and long-term 🌏

He imagined engineers coming to Izumo and becoming part of everyday local life — not only working here, but sharing space, culture, conversations, and responsibility with the community around them.

Today, if you walk into SAMI House — a renovated traditional Japanese home turned into an international coliving space — you might hear three languages in the kitchen. Someone is debating architecture patterns over tea. A local calligraphy teacher is explaining the meaning behind the kanji on the house signboard. Near Izumo Station, a coworking space became a meeting point for companies exploring the region. Hackathons turned into real hiring decisions and helped regional Japanese companies see international teams in a new way. Researchers from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies joined the journey, turning the idea of multicultural coexistence into something practical and lived.

▶️ This is how the idea of SAMI People took shape — through people choosing to trust one another.

• There’s the engineer from our very first hello, yaponiya! pilot batch who now shares his experience and helps others understand whether regional life in Izumo feels right for them. • There are developers who brought real local challenges into hackathons and stayed as long-term collaborators. • Local residents who guided newcomers through everyday cultural details no relocation checklist can teach. • Japanese partners who chose to launch projects here because they believed in where the community was heading. Although Izumo is the starting point, the community extends far beyond it. It stretches between Tokyo and regional towns, across Japan and overseas, connecting companies, universities, engineers, and families — people who care about building bridges between Japan and the world.

SAMI People continues to grow quietly — through contribution, trust, and the decision to build something meaningful together.

For those considering hello, yaponiya!, this is the wider context. Relocation is one chapter. Becoming part of a living, evolving community is something deeper and longer-term. ​​If this speaks to you, you may already feel that pull! 🗓 On February 24, we launch Batch 8 of the program. Don’t miss the announcement — and make sure to apply! #about_HY_program

Not every tech career move is about writing code in a product team. We usually talk about developers joining Japanese companies — but Japan’s tech ecosystem also needs people who teach, mentor, and grow local talent, especially in the regions. Today we’re sharing an IT teaching role in Shimane that combines education, real tech skills, and close work with the local community. 💼 IT Instructor (Full-time) MAYA Gakuen / Shimane IT Design College 📍 Okuizumo, Shimane Prefecture, Japan The only design & IT college in the region ● Responsibilities • Teach IT-related subjects, including programming in C • Plan, review, and update curricula • Act as a homeroom teacher: student support, class meetings, communication with parents and international students • Support students with learning progress and job placement • Handle academic documentation • Take part in school events and admissions activities • Collaborate with companies to support graduates’ future employment ● Requirements • Education: vocational school or higher • IT experience: 3+ years, including development management experience • Experience teaching programming languages (e.g. C) • Bonus: experience in game development (including student projects) • Language: Japanese N2 or higher (English is a plus) • Standard Japanese driver’s license required ● Conditions • Permanent full-time position • Probation period: 6 months (same conditions) • Salary: ¥250,000–¥380,000 / month *includes fixed overtime (up to 22 hours) • Bonuses: twice a year (around 2 months’ salary total) • Transportation allowance: up to ¥30,000 / month • Working hours: 08:45–17:00 (60 min break) • Overtime: around 10 hours/month • Days off: weekends + national holidays • Paid leave: 10 days after 6 months • Full social insurance • Housing support available ▶️ For questions or applications, contact: @Alinasensei

📍 For reference, here’s a post where we break down the cost of living in Shimane Prefecture, so you can better understand everyday expenses in the region.

#IT_in_Japan

Anna moved to Izumo in late 2024. Over a year later, she’s still here — and here’s what that move actually turned into.

She’s been a frontend developer since 2013, with experience in both product teams and outsourcing. Before Japan, Anna lived in Bryansk, Moscow, and Tbilisi, worked with React and TypeScript, and at the moment she applied to hello, yaponiya!, she wasn’t even employed. 👉 In the longread 👈, Anna shares her experience of working in Japan and living outside Tokyo — how stereotypes compare to reality, and what daily life in Izumo looks like. 🦄🦄🦄 #relocation_case

And if you want to dig a bit deeper, we’ve put together a set of posts that answer the questions people usually have before making this move. 👨‍💻 Work in Japan → FAQ: Common Questions About Working in Japan → What Visa Do You Get When Relocating Through hello, yaponiya → Who Can Get a Work Visa in Japan → IT Job Interviews in Japan: What Developers Need to Know → Top 5 Tips to Prepare for Interviews in Japanese Companies → What to Expect in a Japanese Employment Contract → Top 5 Japanese IT Companies Where Our Engineers Work → Work-Life Balance in Japan: How Much Do People Rest → Think You Need Fluent Japanese to Work in Japan 🏡 Life in Japan → Your Guide to Living in Japan → How Challenging Is It to Get a Japanese Passport → How to Find an Apartment in Japan → How Our Engineers Adapt in Japan → Expectations vs Reality: Life in Izumo → Experiencing Matsuri Like a Local: Oleg in Yokohama → How to Switch Russian Driving Licenses to a Japanese License → How to Get a Japanese Driver’s License in Just 2 Weeks → The Cost of Living in Izumo → The Cost of Living in Tokyo, Kanagawa, and Chiba Browse the stories, save the posts, and keep the dates in mind! If this was useful, hit 🔥 #about_HY_program

🗓 We’ve set the dates for the next batch! Applications for Batch 8 run Feb 24 – Mar 24.

Until it starts, we’d love to show what our program looks like in real life — through stories from people who’ve already been through it. Since 2023, more than 40 engineers have relocated to Japan with their families, with Izumo becoming home for over 30 of them. ▶️ Here are a few stories to give you a clearer picture: → Alexander: How I Landed My First Job in Japan → Vladislav: Full-Stack Developer Role and Relocation to Fukuoka → Alina: From Hackathon to Node.js Developer in Japan → Aziza: Senior Developer Offer and Move to Izumo → Stan-san: Senior Full-Stack Developer's Noir-Style Relocation Story → Oleg: Embedded Software Engineer Relocates with Wife → Anastasia: Ruby on Rails Developer Relocates with Dog → Armine: From Armenia to Japan: Business Analyst's Journey 🔽🔽🔽

hello, 2026 — hello, yaponiya is already moving! The year has barely started, and here’s what’s already happening behind the scenes 👇 ● WORK VISAS BEING PREPARED Right now, we’re preparing two Japanese work visas for our participants: • a Golang Backend Engineer from Batch 6 • a Node.js Developer from Batch 3 ● TRIAL PERIODS IN PROGRESS Several participants are already inside Japanese companies, going through trial periods: • two developers from Batch 6 (full-stack and frontend roles) • one PHP backend developer from Batch 4 ● INTERVIEWS ARE ONGOING At the same time, interviews are actively happening for: • a Frontend Developer (React, TypeScript) from Batch 6 • a Backend Developer (PHP, Python) from Batch 5 So yes — the year has just begun, but the pipeline is very much alive 💪

If you’re wondering how all of this turns into real moves and real jobs, take a look at #relocation_case — that’s where our participants share their stories. And for a deeper dive into how our program works, #about_HY_program has you covered.

💬 Thinking about Japan this year? Ask our team anything in the comments — we’re happy to talk about our program, interviews, relocation, and more! 🇯🇵 #about_HY_program

Happy New Year, everyone!🎅🎄

May this year bring you interesting projects, supportive teams, and clear steps toward your career goals — wherever they lead, including Japan!

Thanks for being with us 💜 See you in the new year! And maybe already in Japan 🇯🇵 How’s your New Year mood? 🎉 — Fully in celebration mode 🦄 — Chilling at home 🌚 — Still working

At the start of this week, Viktor (Batch 6) kicked off his trial period as a Backend Developer at a Japanese tech company that builds large-scale flash-sale e-commerce platforms, connecting brands and customers through curated online shopping experiences. He codes in Java, works fully in English, and landed this opportunity just one month after our hackathon. And here’s how Viktor sums it up:

Like many people, I grew up loving anime — Shaman King, Naruto, Bleach, and of course One Piece. Over time, that interest turned into reading manga, playing Japanese games, and diving deeper and deeper into Japanese culture. I always wanted to at least visit Japan someday. Then I was lucky enough to find this amazing program, hello, yaponiya!, and the incredible people behind it. Just one month after the hackathon, I got an offer and started working at a Japanese company — it still feels unreal! If all goes well, I’ll be moving to Japan in about three months!

Moments like this are why we do what we do! Drop a 🔥 to support Viktor! #relocation_case

Maria, the wife of one of our relocated engineers, has spent six months living in Izumo — and she’s ready to share what Japan really turned out to be for her.

Hospitals, prices, friends, transport, food, language — all the everyday things people usually worry about before moving. Check out her expectation vs reality in the cards above 👆

Maria moved to Japan together with her husband — he was part of Batch 4. If you’d like to see the full story of how their relocation happened, you can read it here. 💭 Which part of life in Japan worries you the most before moving? #life_in_Japan

🎉 A New Offer Just Landed!

Alina is getting ready to join a consultancy & product development team in Japan as a Node.js Developer, working on projects from concept to full delivery.

The company operates internally in English, so even with N5 Japanese, she successfully received an offer — though she still plans to keep learning the language after relocating. Right now, we’re helping her and her husband with the work-visa process and coordinating all the details of their upcoming move to Izumo, Japan. 👩‍💻Here’s how she describes her mindset:

I joined Batch 3 of hello, yaponiya! and took part in the autumn hackathon in Izumo, where I got my first offer. I had zero experience with Node.js — the company’s main stack — but the hackathon gave me a chance to show how fast I learn and adapt. They noticed that, and that made all the difference. I couldn’t relocate at that time, but a year later hello, yaponiya! helped set up another interview — and this time everything worked out. Now my husband (we met thanks to that hackathon 😁) and I are packing our bags and getting ready for Izumo. I can't wait to start my first job in Japan and find our new home together with the hello, yaponiya team!

Looks like at hello, yaponiya! you can land a job offer… and maybe someone’s heart too 👀🍓 #relocation_case