A quick guide to Tokyo’s tech startup scene

Photo credit: Moyan Brenn

The countdown timer is ticking: it’s only 5 more days to Tech in Asia Tokyo 2016.

For those of you who will be heading there for the first time, we’ve prepared this handy guide to help you navigate the local tech scene. It’s not attendee-exclusive though, so this could also potentially come in useful if you have an interest in Tokyo’s tech scene.

Note that this list is non-exhaustive – if we missed out anything, feel free to add on in the comments section below!

Where: Co-working spaces

Co-working spaces are a must for startup geeks like us. This website hosts a comprehensive list of options available in the city – ranging from cosy, cafe-like spaces to fully equipped offices with meeting rooms and chill spots.

Note: While this list is the most comprehensive we could find, we ran a quick check and found that these co-working spaces are currently closed: Bees, 01Booster, CSS Space, and Shinjuku Travelers Coworking. We advise you to contact the respective co-working spaces beforehand to ensure that you don’t make a wasted trip!

Who: People to know/meet

It’s no secret that Japan’s looking to revive its stagnant economy. The government recently made a call to put startups in the center of the country’s growth strategy, and that spells better times ahead for the startup scene.

Here are some of the people who have lent a hand in building the local entrepreneurial community into its improved state today:

• James Riney (Head of 500 Startups Japan)
• Hiro Maeda (Partner, Beenext)
• Tomoko Namba (Founder and Chairwoman of the Board, DeNA)
• Akiko Naka (CEO, Wantedly)
• Matthew Romaine (CEO, Gengo)
• Katsuaki Sato (CEO, Metaps)
• Shintaro Yamada (CEO, Mercari)
• Masaru Ikeda (Co-founder, The Bridge)
• Max Kinoshita (Managing Partner & Founder, Skyland Ventures)

PRO-TIP: They will be attending Tech in Asia Tokyo 2016 on September 6 & 7. View our agenda page to find out what they will be speaking about!

What: Accelerator/incubator programs

Want to know what accelerator and incubator programs are available in Japan? Here are some of them:

• Code Republic
• Docomo Innovation Village
• KDDI Mugen Labo
• MUFG Fintech Accelerator
• Open Network Lab
• Samurai Incubate

What: Essentials to bring

Unfortunately, Japan isn’t an English-speaking country. If you’re unfamiliar with the Japanese language, you’d better be well-prepared – otherwise, get ready to gesticulate frequently!

• Pocket wifi. Free wifi is usually available at MacDonald’s and Starbucks, but they usually require you to sign-up for an account… in Japanese. It’s always better to rely on yourself, and you’ll thank your foresightedness for it. Pocket wifi can be purchased at the Haneda/Narita airport.
• Travel adaptor. Japanese use two-pin plugs (the flat ones)
• Suica card. This will be the only card you need to get around via public transport. Heck taxis/Uber, they’re expensive. Moreover, it’s not that hard to navigate around Japan. That brings us to our next point.
• Subway maps. It’s not difficult to read, but it can get pretty confusing to look at intersecting lines in different colours for those who don’t have an acute sense of direction. Try Tokyo Metro or Hyperdia to help you get around.
• Umbrella/ponchos. It gets rainy in September!

For those of you heading to Tech in Asia Tokyo next week, we can’t wait to see you there! If you have any questions about the conference, feel free to drop us a comment below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

For the rest of you, we hope this little guide gave you an idea of how to navigate the tech scene (and streets) of Tokyo. If you’d like to join us on September 6 & 7, you’re still in time to get your passes! 🙂