What CoderDojo Japan does

CoderDojo Japan (一般社団法人 CoderDojo Japan) is the official Japanese regional body of the global CoderDojo movement, operating a nationwide network of 207+ volunteer-led, nonprofit programming clubs (dojos) for children aged 7–17. Incorporated in August 2016 by Yohei Yasukawa and Takashi Hosoya under a Regional License Agreement with CoderDojo Foundation (Ireland), the organization is a general incorporated association headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo, with 1–10 paid staff supported by a far larger volunteer base of regional champions and mentors. Services are provided entirely free of charge; each dojo is independently operated by a local champion and offers self-directed learning in Scratch, micro:bit, Raspberry Pi, Python, Unity, Minecraft, web development, and electronics, with no fixed curriculum. Supporting products include the DojoCon Japan annual national conference, Coolest Projects Japan (a children's project showcase), DecaDojo regional events, the Kata wiki, DojoMap, DojoCast podcast, and DojoLetter monthly newsletter.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally open-source and non-proprietary: dojos run on community tools rather than a CoderDojo-built platform, and the national association maintains coderdojo.jp and related web properties on GitHub with infrastructure support from partners such as Sakura Internet (cloud), Algolia (DocSearch), Geolonia (map data), and GitHub for Nonprofit. Distribution is fully decentralized — families find local dojos via the DojoMap web and app application, while partner schools and boards of education (notably the Kashiwa City Board of Education collaboration covering all 42 public elementary schools in Kashiwa) extend reach into formal education channels. Hardware and software are contributed by a broad partner network including Progate, GitHub, Google (via Benevity), Box Japan, Broadcom Foundation/Raspberry Pi Foundation, TFabWorks (micro:bit rentals), Sony (toio), and Pokemon (Pokemon Programming Workshop).

The business model is a donation- and sponsorship-funded nonprofit. There are zero fees charged to children, parents, or dojo participants. Cash revenue consists of member contributions, corporate sponsorships and in-kind donations, foundation grants (now enabled for US funders by the March 2026 NGOsource ED certification), and occasional government/institutional grants. Operations are scaled by volunteer labor, and the national association's role is network coordination, partner management, event production, and brand stewardship under license — not direct service delivery.

Name

CoderDojo Japan

Legal name

之又般社团法人 CoderDojo Japan

Website

https://coderdojo.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CoderDojo Japan is the official Japanese regional body of the global CoderDojo movement, coordinating a nationwide network of 207+ volunteer-run, free programming clubs for children aged 7–17. It is a nonprofit general incorporated association funded by donations and corporate sponsorships rather than participant fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Programming Education

NAICS

Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Coding & Programming Learning Platforms (EDAFANAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Open Courseware & Course Modules (OCW) (EDAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Children's programming education
• Volunteer coding clubs
• Youth STEM learning
• Nonprofit dojo network
• Free coding workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Shinjuku, Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Member contributions and donations: CoderDojo Japan is a general incorporated association (ippan shadan hojin). Per its articles, members pay contributions to cover operating expenses. The association also receives donations from individuals and organizations. All services are provided free of charge to children and parents, so there is no revenue from participants.
2. Corporate and foundation sponsorships: The association receives ongoing sponsorship and in-kind support from partner corporations (e.g., Progate, GitHub, Google, Box Japan, Broadcom Foundation). NGOsource ED certification facilitates direct funding from US foundations.
3. Government and institutional grants: CoderDojo Japan collaborates with government bodies and educational institutions (e.g., Kashiwa City Board of Education), which may provide grants or institutional support for programming education initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CoderDojo Japan operates a nationwide network of 207+ free, volunteer-run programming dojos for children aged 7–17, offering hands-on coding sessions in Scratch, micro:bit, Python, Minecraft, web development, and electronics. Each local dojo is independently organized by a volunteer champion and mentors; the national association coordinates the network, hosts annual conferences (DojoCon Japan), project showcase events (Coolest Projects Japan), and regional gatherings (DecaDojo), and serves as the official Japanese regional body of the global CoderDojo movement.

Product overview

CoderDojo Japan operates a nationwide network of 207+ nonprofit, volunteer-run programming dojos for children aged 7–17, offering free coding sessions in Scratch, micro:bit, Python, Minecraft, web development, and electronics. The core CoderDojo dojo network is supported by a portfolio of community platforms: DojoCon Japan (annual national conference), Coolest Projects Japan (children's project exhibition event), and DecaDojo (regional-scale collaborative dojo gatherings). Additional enabling products include Kata (a wiki knowledge base), DojoMap (a map-based dojo finder), DojoCast (a podcast series), DojoLetter (monthly newsletter), and an official book published by Sotechsha.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DojoCon Japan: Annual national conference for CoderDojo community members, champions, and mentors. Held yearly since 2016.
• DecaDojo
• Coolest Projects Japan
• DojoLetter
• Kata
• DojoCast

Products and services

• CoderDojo Dojo Network

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 207 dojos across Japan, with 1,200+ events per year reaching 7,000+ children annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 神山まるごと高専 (Kamiyama Marugoto Technical College)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Collaboration announced in March 2026 to create an environment where children can realize their potential through making things, and to expand learning options. Activities include co-hosting events and collaborative programs aimed at broadening educational choices for youth.
• Raspberry Pi Foundation (UK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026CoderDojo Japan is an official partner of the Raspberry Pi Foundation. The foundation operates the global CoderDojo network alongside CoderDojo Foundation. Joint activities include Coolest Projects events, micro:bit donations, and knowledge sharing. The partnership connects CoderDojo Japan to the global CoderDojo ecosystem.
• CoderDojo Foundation (Ireland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026CoderDojo Japan holds a regional license agreement with CoderDojo Foundation (Ireland), signed August 2016. The foundation authorizes CoderDojo Japan as the official representative body for the CoderDojo movement in Japan, granting rights to the CoderDojo brand, logo, and network.
• CASE ShinjukuminorOthersProvides office space for 一般社団法人がんぽん CoderDojo Japan's headquarters. The partnership enables the association to maintain a physical presence in Tokyo without significant real estate costs.
• YassLab株式会社coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides website development and operational support for coderdojo.jp and related web properties. YassLab manages and maintains the open-source codebase on GitHub, supporting the technical infrastructure of the national association.
• 下北沢オープンソースCafeminorOthersProvides domain registration, startup support, and administrative assistance for CoderDojo Japan, particularly during the early founding period.
• 未踏ジュニアcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides continuous funding support for CoderDojo activities. 未踏 Junior is a program that supports young creators in Japan, aligning with CoderDojo's mission to nurture technology creators.
• さくらインターネットcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides cloud server infrastructure for coderdojo.jp and related web services. Critical infrastructure partner enabling the association's web presence and services.
• ProgatecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides learning platform access and a corporate plan for all CoderDojo dojos across Japan, enabling free programming education resources for dojo participants.
• GitHubcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides GitHub for Nonprofit, giving CoderDojo Japan and its community access to private repositories and premium features at no cost for open-source development of dojo management tools.
• TFabWorkscoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides a micro:bit rental program for CoderDojo dojos nationwide, enabling dojos to lend micro:bit hardware to participants who may not have their own devices.
• Pokemon / ポケモン・ウィズ・ユー財団coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides the 'Pokemon Programming Workshop' (プログラミングでポケモンをうごかしてみよう) curriculum for CoderDojo dojos nationwide, plus PC training materials. This partnership has enabled nationwide Pokemon-themed programming events.
• toio (Sony Interactive Entertainment)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides toio robot toys to CoderDojo dojos, enabling hands-on robotics and programming education using Sony's physical computing platform.
• BBC micro:bit (via Broadcom Foundation / UK government)coreTechnology or Integration1500 BBC micro:bit educational microcontroller boards were donated to CoderDojo Japan by the Broadcom Foundation / Raspberry Pi Foundation network, significantly expanding hardware access at dojos.
• Minecraftカップ全国大会 (Minecraft Cup)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvides Minecraft for Education licenses for CoderDojo dojos, enabling Minecraft-based programming and creative education. CoderDojo participants have achieved notable success in the national Minecraft Cup competition.
• Code Club / Clubs NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoderDojo Japan is listed among the global partners alongside Code Club on the Raspberry Pi Foundation's partner page. The dojo management platform (Zen) is shared with Code Club, facilitating cross-network dojo registration and management.
• Kashiwa City Board of Education (柏市教委)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoderDojo Kashiwa collaborated with the Kashiwa City Board of Education from 2017 to introduce Scratch programming to all 42 public elementary schools. Activities included curriculum development support, teacher training, and co-hosted events such as ScratchDay 2017 in Kashiwa and the かしわプログラミングフェスタ.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scratch Foundation: US nonprofit stewarding the Scratch visual programming platform used by the majority of CoderDojo Japan dojos. It is a platform peer — both serve young learners with free creative coding experiences and share the open-source creative-coding ethos.
• Code Club (Raspberry Pi Foundation): Sibling coding club network under the Raspberry Pi Foundation umbrella. Shares the Zen dojo management platform with CoderDojo Japan, serves the same 7-17 age cohort with free, volunteer-led coding clubs, and is jointly positioned on the Raspberry Pi Foundation partner page.
• Black Girls CODE: US nonprofit running free coding programs and workshops for girls of color aged 7-17. Comparable in target age, free-of-charge model, volunteer mentors, and workshop/club format — a like-for-like demographic peer in a different geography.
• Kids Code Jeunesse: Canadian nonprofit running free coding workshops and educator training for children. Closest international peer in mission: volunteer-driven, free children's coding clubs with a national-coordinator + local-champion structure analogous to CoderDojo Japan.
• Code.org: US-based nonprofit delivering free K-12 computer science education. Operates Hour of Code, a broad school-district adoption program, and online curricula — directly analogous mission and free-to-children model in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Raspberry Pi Foundation: UK-based nonprofit that operates Code Club and the CoderDojo network jointly. CoderDojo Japan is an official partner; both share resources (Coolest Projects, micro:bit donations, dojo platform). It is the strategic parent ecosystem for CoderDojo Japan.
• CoderDojo Foundation: The Ireland-based global coordinator of the CoderDojo network (60+ countries). It is the licensor of CoderDojo Japan under the Regional License Agreement and operates alongside Raspberry Pi Foundation; CoderDojo Japan is the Japanese chapter of this global nonprofit.

Regional players

• Code for Japan: Japan-based civic-tech nonprofit that operates local "Code for [city]" chapters and supports civic coding communities. Indirect regional peer: same Japan-based volunteer-driven model, overlapping local-chapter structure, but focused on civic/government tech rather than children's coding education.

Others

• Progate: Japan-based commercial coding learning platform that is a Core partner of CoderDojo Japan (corporate plan for all dojos). Adjacent commercial competitor in the same end market and target learner (Japanese coders), but operates a paid, structured-curriculum model rather than volunteer-led clubs.
• micro:bit Foundation: UK nonprofit stewarding the BBC micro:bit educational microcontroller heavily used across CoderDojo Japan dojos. A key enabling ecosystem partner — comparable as a children's STEM nonprofit, and has donated 1,500 boards to CoderDojo Japan via Broadcom Foundation.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CoderDojoJapan
• GitHubgithub.com/coderdojo-japan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/CoderDojoJapan
• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/coderdojo.jp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CoderDojo Japan