FlutterNinjas Tokyo 2024 is over!!
FlutterNinjas Tokyo 2024 is over!!
It was the most enjoyable job ever, but also the most exhausting! 😄
For session details, please check out the following articles which provide a great summary. (All Japanese though)
In this article, I want to share the thoughts and gratitude that went into creating FlutterNinjas, and our aspirations for 2025.
How FlutterNinjas Started
Firstly, I started FlutterDaigaku in April 2020. Since then, it has grown in terms of both the number of participants and the level of engineers involved, actively hosting study sessions and hackathons, and boosting the Flutter community in Japan.
Eventually, I felt it was a waste to keep it confined to Japan and became interested in creating a community and hosting events that included people from overseas.
This mindset began around 2022, and after a trip to Thailand in November 2022, when the COVID situation started to stabilize, I really kicked things into gear and began studying English seriously. From then on, I continued studying daily and was immersed in English for about three hours every weekday in 2023. I even switched all my entertainment to English, including YouTube, dramas, and anime, sometimes spending even more time on it.
Thus, I persevered with my English studies (mainly speaking), and started an English YouTube channel at the beginning of 2024.
It was around this time that I came across a tweet from Remi, the creator of Rivepord, asking if there were any Flutter conferences in Japan as he wanted to visit.
This sparked the idea that if we could host an event for Remi, why not create a new English Flutter event? It was also a great opportunity for me to utilize my English skills.
Japan already has a major Flutter event called FlutterKaigi.
We’ve held many events originating from FlutterDaigaku last year, and some might think there’s a rivalry with FlutterKaigi, but that’s not the case. We consciously try to create something different. I believe having multiple events doing the same thing isn’t good.
We also make sure to coordinate with the FlutterKaigi team members we know to avoid overlapping dates and avoid creating any factions.
Being originally an iOS engineer, I know there are two major conferences: iOSDC and try! Swift. I see FlutterNinjas as the English equivalent of try! Swift, while FlutterKaigi is the Japanese iOSDC.
Overwhelmed by the Global Turnout
True to my hopes, I’m thrilled that we could create an English Flutter conference. Many people from countries like Spain, Germany, the UK, Taiwan, South Korea, and Malaysia took the trouble to come to Japan, which was really moving.
Of course, it wasn’t just the allure of FlutterNinjas but also the draw of Japan and Tokyo. Many fans of Japan always say they want to visit or return someday, and we managed to create a perfect opportunity for Flutter engineers.
It was heartwarming to see participants making friends during and after FlutterNinjas, going sightseeing around Mount Fuji and Tokyo, and enjoying sushi.
Gratitude to Participants and Sponsors
This time, we covered the travel and four-day hotel expenses for speakers from abroad. We also spent money on two days of lunches, a networking party catering, and various goodies.
The event wasn’t cheap for attendees, costing at least 10,000 yen, so sponsors like Codemagic and Money Forward, and of course the participants, were literally sponsors.
Also, many companies became community sponsors. Some couldn’t make it in person but supported us simply because they wanted to! I’m truly grateful.
The Google Flutter team also supported us with swag, making the final raffle exciting!
Thanks to everyone, we were able to hold a fun event without running into the red! I believed in the value of this event and pushed forward, although it was unpredictable how many would attend or whether sponsors would support us. I was prepared for the worst, but fortunately, it worked out well.
Special Thanks to Majid
Unfortunately, Majid couldn’t make it to FlutterNinjas, but he connected us with Codemagic and helped spread the word. Many from the European Flutter community attended thanks to his well-respected influence.
He also shared his experience of organizing the Flutter Viking, a 500-person event in Norway, without hesitation.
Actually, Majid and I had met three or four times just to discuss how FlutterNinjas was doing. He cared even though there was no profit in it for him. I’m truly grateful.
Gratitude to the Organizing Team
↑ I’m not in the picture because I went to the after-party. 😂
I’m really thankful to everyone who found this project interesting and helped out. Being part of the initial FlutterNinjas organizing team has been beneficial, and I want to continue to enhance FlutterNinjas!
Looking Ahead to 2025
One lesson from this year is that the venue and date were decided in February for a June event, making the schedule very tight. This rushed the process of recruiting speakers and sponsors, leaving little room for a more relaxed preparation.
To address this, we’re already moving forward with plans for 2025, starting with venue hunting.
This time 135 people participated, but next, we aim to host a conference for 500 people.
I believe FlutterNinjas has the potential to become the most exciting Flutter conference in the world. I’ve heard European Flutter conferences attract 500 to 1000 attendees. Although FlutterNinjas isn’t quite at that scale yet, leading members of the Asian Flutter community from Taiwan, South Korea, India, and Malaysia came to Japan and contributed to the excitement. With participants from various countries, the event was truly international. Japan’s proximity to these Asian countries, yet its appeal as a distant and attractive tourist destination, offers a significant advantage.
To boost Japan’s Flutter community and Japan itself, and simply because I enjoy these activities, I want to continue doing this.
↓ Follow FlutterNinjas on Twitter for updates on 2025!
