The first-timer’s guide to Tech in Asia Tokyo

Come tomorrow 9am, one of Japan’s most anticipated tech events of the year will take place smack in the middle of Shibuya, one of Tokyo’s busiest districts.

Are you ready for it?

Here’s a handy survival guide to get you through a hectic two days at Tech in Asia Tokyo 2015 – even if this isn’t your virgin conference experience, you might just find some of these points useful.

1. Navigating the tech scene in Tokyo

If you’re new to the city, a little preparation could go a long way. Here’s a sweet summary of a guide to the tech scene in Tokyo, including people to meet, places to check out, and the essentials you’ll need.

2. Getting there

Situated in the heart of Shibuya, the conference venue is easily accessible.
You can reach Shibuya Hikarie from:
exit 15 of Shibuya Station
(Toyoko Line, Den-en-toshi Line, Hanzomon Line, Fukutoshin Line)

2nd-floor passageway from Shibuya Station
(JR Line, Ginza Line, Keio Inokashira Line)

Take the lift to level 9 and voila – welcome to the biggest tech conference to hit Japan this year.

3. Plan your conference schedule

The conference will be abuzz with sessions concurrently happening throughout both days, and will leave you spoilt for choice. Instead of barging through the conference doors and making a beeline for the nearest session, you might want to plan in advance which sessions are of interest and the most useful for you.

For a quick overview of what’s shaking our conference up this year, refer to our past weekly roundups.

Weekly roundup #1
Weekly roundup #2
Weekly roundup #3
Weekly roundup #4

4. Setting up meetings

By now, you should have received an invitation to the Match app, which allows you to set up meetings with other conference attendees in advance.

You can access your personal meetup scheduler via the link sent to your inbox, or by inputting your unique code here.

Make sure you buffer enough time for each meeting. You don’t want to be rushing a meeting just to get to another one, or risk being late for your next appointment. First impressions are key, and punctuality is of paramount importance – especially in Japan!

TIA TIP: Whereever possible, aim to keep your conversation focused. It might be helpful to plan a short agenda for your meeting, be it understanding more about a startup, brainstorming potential partnership avenues, or sharing best practices – and then keep your agenda out of sight. The best conversations are the ones that take a life of their own.

5. Packing list

After having set aside resources for this conference, the last thing you want to do is catch yourself unprepared.

Portable charger – Charging points are limited at the conference venue. To avoid competing for them with a thousand other people, bring extra juice for your devices and gadgets. This is key for startups who are planning to meet investors and engage in back-to-back pitches!

Pocket wifi: Likewise, sharing wifi with numerous other people might slow your connection down. Make sure you come equipped with your own source of wifi to avoid that.

TIA TIP: You can easily buy or rent one. It’ll come in extra handy outside of the conference as well – especially for navigating the maze-like streets of Tokyo.

Sufficient business cards – With all the networking time in between sessions, you’ll burn through your name cards much faster than usual. Come loaded with ammunition to make sure you don’t fall short.

Pen & paper – If all else fails, it never hurts to have the good ol’ pen and paper at hand to quickly jot down notes, names, or numbers.

6. Getting bites

Bought yourself a foodie pass? Head one floor down to level 8 to get them. If you didn’t, don’t go hungry – help yourself to refreshments near the Kickstart Stage, kindly sponsored by Will Group.
In addition, there are plenty of eateries around the area where you can pop in and out for a quick meal.

TIA TIP: Don’t peg convenience stores as your last resort. There, you can find tasty and fresh food on the go and best thing of all – it’s easy on your wallet. The closest one is on level 11 of Shibuya Hikarie.

7. Night life

It’d be a crime to visit Japan and not check out the night scene. This year, we’ve taken our networking one step further with Night Crawl in two of Tokyo’s most well-loved clubs. Now, you can network with both local and international folks, while being inducted to the vibrant local nightlife that takes over with the setting sun – effectively killing two birds with one stone!

Day 1: Club Camelot

Day 2: WOMB

TIA TIP: First 100 users on each night to post photos on SNSNAP using #tiatokyo2015 gets a drink on the house!

TIA TIP: Spend more on drinks by saving money on entry tickets to WOMB. Get them in advance at half the price today.

Doors are open to all (including non- attendees!), so gather your friends for an unforgettable night of fun.

8. Queueing isn’t fun

To help us facilitate the registration process, make sure you have your Eventbrite tickets printed (either in mobile or on paper) so it’ll be a touch-and-go process. Win-win for everyone!

Have questions or other tips to contribute? Do add on in the comments below!

Doors to the second edition of Tech in Asia Tokyo open tomorrow. Here’s your last chance to get passes and connect with startups, investors, corporations and tech-lovers from all around the world.

Get your passes now before it’s too late.