I'm excited to share some news: I've been selected to participate in Built with Claude: Japan 2026, an online hackathon organized by Anthropic and Cerebral Valley!
The event takes place from November 2 to 10, bringing together 250 selected participants from across Japan to build something new using Claude Code.
I've never participated in a hackathon like this before, so I'm both excited and a little nervous. But it's also a great opportunity to challenge myself, experiment with new ideas, and hopefully create something genuinely useful.
How I Got Here
Over the past year, AI has become an increasingly important part of how I develop software.
I've been using Claude Code since early 2026, and it has changed the way I approach development. Instead of spending most of my time writing repetitive code or figuring out small technical details, I can focus more on designing solutions, improving user experiences, and solving the actual problems behind an application.
One of my biggest projects has been developing a custom school management system for a Japanese language school in Nagoya.
The system brings together student information, attendance records, grades, immigration-related documents, certificates, and other administrative tasks into one application. It's now used in the school's daily operations.
Working on this project taught me something important: the most valuable software doesn't necessarily need to be complicated. It needs to solve real problems for real people.
That's also what attracted me to this hackathon.
What Am I Planning to Build?
The hackathon encourages participants to draw on their own experiences and expertise or find ways to make something more accessible to others.
As someone originally from the Netherlands who has lived in Japan for many years, I've experienced firsthand how confusing everyday administrative procedures can be, especially when you're still learning Japanese.
Working with international students has made me even more aware of these challenges.
For this hackathon, I'm exploring an idea that combines AI, language learning, and practical support for people navigating life in Japan.
Imagine being able to understand a complicated Japanese document, find out what you need to do next, and learn enough Japanese along the way to handle similar situations more independently in the future.
That's the kind of experience I'd love to create.
I'm still refining the exact features and scope, but my goal is to build something that could be genuinely helpful beyond the hackathon itself.
A New Challenge
One of the most interesting parts of this event is the time constraint.
We have just over a week to turn an idea into a working product. That means making decisions quickly, keeping the scope realistic, and finding a balance between useful features and a polished experience.
I also want to use this opportunity to explore what Claude Code can really do when it's involved throughout the development process, from planning and implementation to testing and refinement.
Of course, AI doesn't automatically make good software. Understanding the problem, making thoughtful decisions, checking the results, and designing something people can actually use are still essential.
I'm curious to see how far I can get in such a short time.
What's Next?
For now, I'm preparing my development environment, working through the concept, and deciding which features are most important.
Once the hackathon begins on November 2, I'll be building the project from scratch.
After the event, I plan to share what I created, the challenges I encountered, what worked (and what didn't), and what I learned from the whole experience.
Whether I win anything or not, I'm looking forward to meeting this challenge and becoming a better developer along the way.
Wish me luck! 🚀
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You can learn more about the event on the official Built with Claude: Japan 2026 website.
I'm a freelance developer based in Nagoya, Japan, working on custom web applications, AI-assisted development, and tools that make everyday work easier. Feel free to get in touch if you'd like to discuss a project or exchange ideas.