After attending an AI hackathon in Tokyo, I found myself wondering about something.

How did all these engineers from overseas end up living and working in Japan?

I've now attended three AI hackathons conducted mainly in English.

Every time, I meet people from all kinds of countries, and there's English being spoken everywhere.

Even though the events are held in Japan, the atmosphere sometimes makes me feel as if I'm attending an event overseas.

At first, I was mostly focused on building things with AI.

But the more hackathons I attend, the more curious I become about the people I meet there.

Same Event, Different Paths to Japan

At the Tokyo Agent Hackathon on October 17, 2026, I had the chance to chat with several participants from overseas.

Some of the people I talked with were already working as engineers in Japan, while others were students.

Their reasons for coming to Japan and their career paths seemed quite different.

One person told me they'd first come to Japan as a student and later started working here.

Another had already found a job in Japan before moving to the country.

I also met someone who had come from overseas for a short stay to study Japanese.

Interesting!

Some people were working in Japan, while others had come for completely different reasons.

And even among engineers from overseas who were now working in Japan, there wasn't just one path that had brought them here.

Maybe that's obvious when you think about it.

But actually hearing these stories from the people themselves made something that had always seemed a little abstract feel much more real.

I Was Surprised by How Much People Talked About Jobs and Careers

Another thing that surprised me at this hackathon was how often employment and career opportunities came up in conversations.

I've always thought of hackathons as places to learn about AI, build apps, and enjoy meeting new people.

And honestly, that's already plenty of fun!

But at this event, I heard participants talking about looking for jobs and saw people having career-related conversations with company representatives.

One of the projects presented at the event was even a service designed to help people find jobs in Japan.

That was something new to me.

"Oh! So hackathons can also be opportunities for finding jobs and building careers!"

That's what I found myself thinking.

When you think about it, events where you can talk directly with people from companies and demonstrate something you've actually built could be valuable opportunities for engineers.

Of course, that doesn't mean everyone at a hackathon is looking for a job.

It just made me realize that people can come to the very same event with very different goals.

Japan Needs More Engineers? But People Are Also Looking for Jobs?

During the presentation of a job-search support app, I saw some figures about a shortage of engineers in Japan.

I was a little surprised.

I'd always thought there were already lots of engineers in Japan.

At the same time, there were people at the event who were interested in finding jobs or exploring career opportunities here.

Japan needs more engineers.

But some engineers are looking for jobs.

At first, those two things seemed a little contradictory.

Then again, maybe it's not as simple as counting how many engineers there are.

Companies may be looking for particular skills, experience, language abilities, or working arrangements.

And people looking for jobs have their own backgrounds and preferences too.

I still don't really know how big Japan's IT talent shortage is or what the hiring situation is like for engineers from overseas.

But this hackathon made me want to learn more about it.

A Conversation About Work Can Turn Into a Conversation About Someone's Life

One of the things I enjoyed most about talking with other participants was that our conversations weren't just about technology.

Why did you come to Japan?

Did you find a job before moving here?

What kind of work have you done in Japan?

As I listened to different stories, I started thinking about how everyone has their own experiences and their own journey.

I especially remember chatting with someone who told me they'd already found a job before coming to Japan.

They were so cheerful and friendly, and I really enjoyed our conversation.

It's encounters like that that make me want to join another hackathon. Haha!

Of course, you can't learn everything about someone's job or life in Japan from a short conversation.

But even just having the chance to hear stories I wouldn't normally come across is interesting.

Come to Think of It, I've Worked Overseas Too

Those conversations also reminded me a little of my own past.

I spent a year studying in the United States.

After that, I returned to Japan and got a job here. Later, I had the opportunity to work overseas through a different job.

So the path I took was quite different from those of the people I met at the hackathon.

But when I started thinking about it, I realized there are so many ways people end up working abroad.

Some people go overseas to study and later find a job there.

Others find a job first and move to another country afterward.

And some, like me, start working in Japan and eventually move overseas through a different opportunity.

I'd never really thought about all these different paths before.

But those conversations at the hackathon got me thinking.

An English-Speaking Event in Japan Brings People from All Over the World

Come to think of it, I noticed something else that was pretty funny.

When I used to live overseas, if I went somewhere people were speaking Japanese, most of the people around me were Japanese.

Well, of course they were! Haha!

But when I go to an English-speaking event in Japan, I find myself surrounded by people from countries all over the world!

Wow!

Here I am in Japan, speaking English with people from so many different places.

When I think about it, it feels kind of amazing.

You don't necessarily have to travel overseas to enjoy this kind of international exchange.

It's another thing I've come to love about attending AI hackathons conducted in English.

AI Hackathons Aren't Just About Technology

When I first started attending hackathons, I went because I wanted to build things with AI.

Of course, that's still one of the biggest reasons I enjoy going.

But every time I attend, I discover something unexpected.

I learn about new AI tools.

I see app ideas I'd never imagined.

I get to build something with people I've only just met.

And I get a little glimpse into the experiences that brought those people to where they are today.

This time, I became especially curious about engineers from overseas who are working in Japan.

Why did they choose Japan?

What kind of work are they doing?

What are they hoping to get out of attending hackathons?

There are still so many things I don't know.

But maybe that's exactly what makes it interesting!

AI hackathons aren't just places to discover new technology. They're also places to meet people you might never otherwise encounter and learn a little about the worlds they come from.

And this time, I discovered one more reason to keep coming back.