Japan, Tokyo Weekly Tech Event Digest [`25 May 19 - May 25]

Hello, tech enthusiasts! Hope you’re having a great week. Here’s a list of upcoming tech events in Japan for the week of May 19 to May 25.

Events

Monday, May 19

• ABI Team Seminar: Computational Gradient Flows | 🕐 11:30 | Online | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Hybrid seminar on Computational Gradient Flows by Jia-Jie Zhu. Focuses on KL-minimization, optimal transport, and PDE analysis, with applications to sampling and inference. Held online and in person at RIKEN AIP Open Space (for AIP researchers only).

• BIJ Networking | 🕐 12:00 | Online | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Informal audio-only networking event for Japan enthusiasts. Discuss working, running a business, or general inquiries about the Japanese market. Bi-weekly event, no fixed agenda. Connect with professionals and expand your network.

• JJUG Night Seminar: JavaOne Report | 🕐 19:00 | Line Yahoo Kioi-cho Office, Tokyo | 🇬🇧🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Report on JavaOne 2025 by attendees. Topics include Netflix’s Java usage, JCP EC meeting, Project Babylon, HAT, Stable Values API, and first-time attendee experiences. The event includes various sessions and a closing.

• VS Code Introduction | 🕐 20:00 | Online | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Introductory session to VS Code, revisiting basic operations and settings. The session explores if 5-year-old VS Code tutorials are still relevant and how the latest features and Copilot enhance the experience. The event also encourages future speakers to share their VS Code knowledge.

• Sendagaya.rb 493 | 🕐 21:00 | Online | 🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Online Sendagaya.rb #493 meetup discussing RubyKaigi 2025, Kaigi on Rails 2024, and other Ruby/Rails topics. Held on Google Meet. Open to all levels.

Tuesday, May 20

• Tokyo Startup Lunch Club | 🕦 11:30 | Tokyo International Forum | 🇬🇧🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Casual lunch meetup for startup founders, investors, and enthusiasts to connect and network in an informal setting.

• Impact of Conversations on Cognitive Functions | 🕐 13:30 | Online | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: This event explores the impact of conversations on cognitive functions. Prof. Hiroko H. Dodge will discuss the I-CONECT study on remote conversations. Prof. Mihoko Otake-Matsuura will present research on robot-moderated conversations for cognitive intervention. The event includes presentations, a coffee break, and dialogue.

• Modern Security Engineering - Tech Talks | 🕐 18:00 | Linkx, Inc., Tokyo | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Talks on API security, software reliability, and efficient security practices. For engineers, IT professionals, and industry leaders interested in secure software systems. Discussions, networking, and Q&A with speakers.

• HN Tokyo Meetup | 🕐 18:30 | Blink Roppongi, Tokyo | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Social meetup for entrepreneurs, startup founders, and technologists in the business and tech scene. Announcements and pitches are welcome. No financial consultants or recruiters. Fee: ¥1,000 at the door. Drinks available for purchase.

• Kubernetes Meetup Tokyo KubeCon EU Recap | 🕐 19:00 | Online | 🇬🇧🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Recap of KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2025. Discussions on interesting sessions and Kubernetes. Online event with YouTube Live stream. Q&A using slido #k8sjp70.

• Tokyo HackerSpace Weekly | 🕢 19:30 | HackerSpace, Tokyo | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Weekly gathering for tech enthusiasts, makers, and hackers to collaborate, share ideas, and work on projects together.

• Japan FinTech Observer: End of Earnings Season | 🕐 20:00 | Online | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Discussion on the end of earnings season, company announcements, and impressions from Sushi Tech week. Hosted on Google Meets, link available upon registration. Subscribe to the weekly newsletter “Japan FinTech Observer”.

Wednesday, May 21

• Online Seminar: Starting CI/CD with CircleCI | 🕐 14:00 | Online | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Webinar for those considering CI/CD or interested in CircleCI. Covers basic concepts, setup, pipeline execution, and Q&A. Learn how CircleCI streamlines development workflows and improves software reliability.

• Shibuya Public Event Brunch | 🕕 16:00 | Shibuya Startup Support Space | 🇬🇧🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Networking brunch hosted by Shibuya Startup Support, providing tools and connections for startups to grow.

• AI Salon Tokyo - Japanese Edition | 🕐 18:00 | Minato City, Tokyo | 🇬🇧🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: AI Salon Tokyo, a global community for AI founders, builders, investors, and partners. This event features startup pitches, ecosystem introductions, and networking opportunities. Hosted in partnership with Tokyo AI (TAI) and JETRO.

• OT/ICS Hands-On Hacking Event | 🕐 18:30 | Kr Ginza Ii, Chuo | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Hands-on hacking event focusing on ICS/SCADA devices, presented by AKATSUKI and JICSS. Includes expert talk on building systems security. Free pizza and beer provided.

• TokyoDev Talks: Scaling Engineering Orgs & LLM Factual Consistency | 🕐 18:30 | Zeals, アルコタワー6f | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: TokyoDev Talks Vol. 4 at Zeals features talks on scaling engineering organizations and VERified, a framework for LLM factual consistency. The event includes presentations, networking, and Q&A with engineers from various tech companies. Drinks and snacks provided.

• Honest Talks with Programmers Living Abroad | 🕐 19:00 | Online | 🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Japanese online event featuring programmers living abroad. Discussion points include experiences, preparations, job hunting, work environments, and advice. Le Wagon Tokyo, a coding bootcamp, hosts the event.

• UX Days: Optimists and Success | 🕐 19:00 | Online | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: A book reading session on “Learned Optimism.” Explores the science of optimism and its impact on success, using examples and a test to determine optimism levels. Discusses applying optimism to teams and organizations, featuring a Q&A and discussion.

• Tokyo HackerSpace Weekly JP | 🕢 19:30 | HackerSpace, Tokyo | 🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Weekly gathering for tech enthusiasts, makers, and hackers to collaborate, share ideas, and work on projects together. In Japanese.

Thursday, May 22

• Zero to One User: Brunch for Founders | 🕐 08:45 | Hotel Metropolitan Edmont Tokyo, Tokyo | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: TechBrunch meetup on early user acquisition for tech founders, side hustlers, and open-source creators. Relaxed brunch, informal talks, open discussions, and networking. First-timers RSVPing on meetup.com get free meals.

• Thursday Gathering | 🕐 16:00 | Cic Tokyo | 🇬🇧🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Thursday Gathering #337 features various sessions like “HOW TO ENJOY THURSDAY GATHERING”, “Space Innovation Showcase”, “Exploring Entrepreneurship”, “Nature Positive Trip”, and discussions on tech skills for entrepreneurs. The event welcomes innovators, entrepreneurs, and community members.

• TAI AMA 08: Deploying LLMs | 🕐 18:00 | Minato City, Tokyo | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Tokyo AI’s AMA #08 focuses on deploying LLMs in the real world. The event features talks on maximizing AI coding assistants, transforming IP workflows with LLMs, implementing RAG Ops systems, and agentic patterns in LLMs. Speakers include experts from Indeed, XLSCOUT, Sionic AI, and American Express.

• Tokyo Python Reboot | 🕐 18:30 | Blink Roppongi, Minato City, Jp | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Tokyo Python in-person Meetup at Blink Community co-working space in Roppongi. 6 lightning talks, 5 minutes each. Contact [email protected] to present. Free event, but purchase a drink to support Blink. For all Python enthusiasts.

• AI-empowered Product Engineering & Networking | 🕐 19:00 | Sam’s Bar Tokyo, Shibuya City | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Ikigai Digital presents on AI-empowered product engineering, discussing how developers can adapt to AI’s influence and transition to product engineers. Q&A, networking, and food provided. Event starts with reception at 6:55 PM, followed by presentations, discussions and networking.

• AI & Programming Experience | 🕐 19:00 | Cultural Center Owada, Tokyo | 🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: An introductory event to AI and programming. Participants will create a simple web app to predict their future using AI. The event is suitable for beginners and those curious about AI and programming as a career option.

• Brown Bag Seminar: Reducing Estimation Error | 🕐 19:00 | Tokyo Midtown, Tokyo | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Economists in Tech 2025 event with Masahiro Kato from Mizuho Daiichi Financial Technology. A brown bag seminar focusing on reducing estimation error. Open to economists, especially those in tech, with interests in deep learning, auction theory, matching theory, game theory, and microeconomics. BYO dinner, limited capacity.

• Second-Screen Accessibility Support | 🕐 19:30 | Yahoo! Japan, Tokyo | 🇯🇵🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: A11yTokyo Meetup discusses second-screen accessibility support in movie theaters, including captions on glasses and audio description on smartphones. The event also covers multilingual subtitles and commentaries. Speaker: Kouji Kawano from Media Access Support Center. Networking session included.

• VENTURE CAFE: Tech Skills for Entrepreneurs | 🕐 20:00 | Cic Tokyo, Tokyo | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Panel discussion on essential tech skills for entrepreneurs in 2025, covering no-code tools, data analytics, AI, and blockchain. Hosted by Le Wagon, a coding school for startups and entrepreneurs.

Friday, May 23

• Knowledge Graphs for Enterprise AI | 🕐 01:00 | Online | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: This online event focuses on Proscenium, a library for enterprise AI applications. The talk covers document enrichment, entity resolution, knowledge graph construction, query handling, and chat integration. Adam Pingel, IBM’s Head of Open Tools and Applications for the AI Alliance, will discuss the application and future roadmap.

• AI Legal Strategy & Hands-on AI PC Seminar | 🕐 18:00 | Golden Egg, Shibuya | 🇬🇧🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Workshop on AI legal strategies and hands-on experience with AMD AI PCs for startups. Includes lectures on IP strategy and community networking.

• Nerd Nite Tokyo | 🕐 20:00 | Ryozan Park Lounge, Toshima City | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Monthly event featuring talks on science, tech, arts, and math. This month’s topics include concealed criminal knowledge and Bluesky social network. Drinks and food available. Doors open at 7 PM, event starts at 8 PM. Livestream option available.

Saturday, May 24

• Saturday Morning UX Meetup | 🕐 10:00 | Geihinkan Rest Area (cafe Comodo), Tokyo | 🇬🇧🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Casual meetup for UX professionals and enthusiasts in Tokyo. Discussion and networking over coffee/tea. Hosted by Max, a UX consultant. Event is free, but purchase from the cafe is requested.

• Marunouchi Morning Code | 🕐 10:00 | Dean & Deluca Marunouchi | 🇬🇧🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: Free meetup for those interested in code, web development, design, cloud, blockchain, or AI. All levels welcome. Bring your laptop, discuss projects, and share ideas. A 3000 yen fee applies to those not on the ‘Going’ list. Purchase at the venue may be required.

• Handmade Meetups | 🕐 15:00 | Takadanobaba, Tokyo | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Third meetup to discuss system programming, software quality, and coding. Bring a demo of your current project if possible. After the meetup, continue discussions at a nearby Izakaya.

Sunday, May 25

• AI × Creativity Hackathon | 🕐 13:00 | Ariake Central Tower, Tokyo | 🇬🇧🇯🇵 | 🔗Link: An AI and creativity hackathon focusing on generative AI and creative expression. Participants will form teams, build projects, and receive feedback from experts. The event includes networking opportunities and will feature winning projects on TechTabi’s platforms.

• Digital Nomads Chill Out | 🕐 18:00 | Commissary Nihonbashi, Tokyo | 🇬🇧 | 🔗Link: Meetup for digital nomads and expats in Tokyo at COMMISSARY, Nihonbashi. Enjoy food, drinks, and networking. Limited to 20 people. Contact yusuke for questions.

Future Events Pre-Registration

The Ventures Award Japan 2025 — Apply by May 21!

Early-stage, investment-ready startups are invited to pitch at the Japanese edition of The Ventures Award — a global competition connecting founders with investors. Finalists gain access to 200+ top-tier investors and venture experts worldwide. Join a global network shaping innovation in Tokyo, New York, London, Tel Aviv, and beyond. Tokyo Final: June 4, 2025 Apply now: https://www.the-ventures.com/japan-2025

Disclaimer

Events above are collected from a variety of online open sources. There might be changes or cancellations. Please check the event page for the most up-to-date information.

If you have an event to share, please let us know - we’d love to include it in our next digest! Mail us at [email protected].