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Nekko Dojo

The flagship

The Guide

A practical, sequenced path into software development — expanded from the workflow I've used to help many people in Japan switch careers (often from English teaching) into engineering. Work through it in order.

Start here: Introduction — How This Guide Works

Getting Started

  1. 1Introduction — How This Guide WorksWhat this guide is, who it is for, and how to get the most out of it.1 min read
  2. 2Why Software Engineering in Japan?The honest case for switching into coding in Japan — the pay, the environment, and the reality checks you should know going in.2 min read
  3. 3See If Coding Is Right For YouBefore you commit months of your life, spend a few hours actually writing code to find out whether you enjoy it.1 min read

Foundations

  1. 1Learn to Code: Bootcamp or Self-TaughtThe two real paths to the foundations — a Tokyo bootcamp or self-teaching with online courses — and exactly what to learn first.2 min read

Building Real Things

  1. 1Build Your First Project: The TODO AppWhy a humble todo app is the perfect first project — and how to build it twice, first in vanilla JS and then with a modern stack.2 min read
  2. 2Build Your PortfolioYour GitHub is your developer portfolio — and most interviewers will actually look at it. Here's how to make it count.1 min read
  3. 3Get Involved in the CommunityThe single biggest differentiator — joining a real, production open-source project and getting genuine team experience.2 min read

Interview Prep

  1. 1Data Structures & AlgorithmsHow to prepare for the coding whiteboard — the data structures, algorithms, and Big-O fluency you need to pass technical interviews.2 min read
  2. 2System ArchitectureHow to prepare for the architecture/system-design interview — the building blocks, the scaling story, and how to reason out loud on a whiteboard.3 min read
  3. 3Cracking the InterviewPulling it together — study Cracking the Coding Interview, then practice the whiteboard, architecture, and behavioral loops until they're second nature.2 min read

Landing the Job

  1. 1Get Ready to ApplySharpen your résumé, then apply strategically — including a candid tier list of companies in Japan and how to sequence your interviews.2 min read

Practice

  1. 1Practice Interview QuestionsA couple of real interview problems to practice with — and an open invitation to work through them together.2 min read