Learn and Connect as a Community at Microsoft Developer Day in Tokyo

In November 2024, Microsoft Japan held its unique developer-focused tech conference, Microsoft Developer Day, in Tokyo. The event provided an opportunity to deeply explore the latest updates on products and services such as Azure AI, GitHub Copilot, Visual Studio, and .NET.

 

The keynote session captured the hearts of attendees, featuring a message tailored for developers in the AI era and presenting the latest technologies through demos. The breakout sessions, organized under two tracks—AI Development and Developer Productivity—hosted experts from Microsoft and leading companies who shared insights and case studies. From the morning keynote to the evening Networking Party, the excitement among participants made the day truly special.

 

More than 30 Japanese Microsoft MVPs, Regional Director (RD), and Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador actively contributed to enriching the attendees’ learning and technology experiences. This blog highlights their significant activities during the conference.

 

1. Breakout sessions from the perspective of community leaders

Two MVPs delivered breakout sessions on trending topics—Prompt Engineering and .NET 9. These highly anticipated sessions electrified attendees, filling the session rooms with enthusiasm.

 

In addition, three MVPs and RD participated in panel discussions about tech communities, sharing their journeys and the benefits of being part of such communities.

Panel discussion to explore the world of tech communities

 

2. MVP Community Booth: A gateway to diverse tech communities

The MVP Community Booths showcased 19 distinct communities, hosted by MVPs. These ranged from product/service-specific groups to English-speaking communities in predominantly Japanese contexts, and initiatives like Women in Tech. These booths served as a welcoming guide for attendees interested in joining tech communities.

MVP Community Booth, featuring 19 communities

 

3. AI workshops enhancing developer experience

Two AI workshops helped attendees take their first steps into new technologies by getting hands-on experience. One workshop focused on Prompt Engineering using Prompty, while the other explored GitHub Copilot Enterprise. Led by MVPs and RD, these sessions created meaningful interactions with participants.

AOAI Prompt Engineering with Prompty – led by Microsoft MVPs/RD

 

4. Lightning Talk sessions featuring varied ideas and experiences

During the Networking Party following the main event, more than 20 Lightning Talk sessions were held in an unconference format. A total of 13 MVPs and the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador shared intriguing topics on stage, engaging the audience with their ideas and experiences.

MVP/Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador Lightning Talk speakers

(From the upper left) Taiji Hagino, Tomomitsu Kusaba, Ryuta Kojo, Takashi Shinohara, Kento Yamada, and Noriyuki Takei

(From the lower left) Yurie Mori, Takahiro Miyaura, Takayoshi Tanaka, Jun Kudo, Tatsuro Shibamura, Kazuyuki Sakemi, and Takashi Ohkawa

 

Event Insights from Community Leaders

Here, we share the experiences of five remarkable individuals from the MVP, RD, and Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador who played various roles in supporting this event.

 

Microsoft Azure MVPs, Aya Hasegawa and Maki Nagase, participated in a panel discussion on engaging with technical communities. It was their first opportunity to speak at a Microsoft-hosted event since becoming MVPs in August 2024.

 

Reflecting on the experience, Aya said, "It was a scale of event I couldn’t have imagined participating in when I started attending and speaking at events. Thanks to the technical community, I was able to enjoy and successfully complete my session. I’m deeply grateful."

 

Maki also took on multiple responsibilities, including representing Japan Azure User Group (JAZUG,) Japan’s largest Azure community celebrating its 14th anniversary, at the MVP Community Booth. She also opened the Networking Party, marking the start of a joyful gathering. Recalling the bustling event, she described it as "It was incredibly moving to have the opportunity to speak as an MVP at the same venue where I previously joined the memorable AOAI Dev Day event, which I co-organized before receiving the MVP award."

 

Maki continues, “After my presentation, I was thrilled to hear comments like, 'I feel inspired to join the community,' and 'I want to enjoy technology as you do.' This experience has deepened my passion for promoting technical communities. Since then, my engagement has greatly increased.”

 

Both of them highlighted how participating in technical communities propelled their growth. Aya shared the joy of connecting with like-minded individuals, "Engaging with people who share your love for technology can pave the way for a better career as an engineer. I hope others find this an inspiring example."

 

Maki offered advice to those considering joining technical communities, "How you engage with a community can truly change your life. If you're looking for some positive excitement in your daily life, want to enjoy technology, or are seeking new connections, consider attending a community event in person. Events that include networking opportunities are especially great for making it easier to connect with others when you're just starting out!"

 

Aya and Maki published blog posts after this event, sharing their community experiences. These posts provide detailed insights into their relationships with the communities, so be sure to check them out!

- Aya Hasegawa: [ポエム] 技術コミュニティ参加のすすめ #Azure - Qiita (“[Poem] Join Tech Community”)

- Maki Nagase: 技術コミュニティ参加のすすめ【Microsoft Developer Day 登壇内容まとめ】 (“Join Tech Community – Microsoft Developer Day Session Recap”)

(From left) Maaya Ishida (ex-MVP Microsoft employee) and Azure MVP speakers (Maki Nagase and Aya Hasegawa)

‘JAZUG’ community leader MVPs at MVP Community Booth

(From the upper left) Kuniteru Asami and Sunao Tomita

(From the lower left) Yui Ashikaga, Maki Nagase, and Hirono Baba

 

Noriyuki Takei, who first received the MVP Award in Azure in 2020 and transitioned to the AI Platform category in July this year, had a packed day with a breakout session on Prompt Engineering, a booth presenter at the MVP Community Booth, and a Lightning Talk.

 

According to Noriyuki, this large-scale in-person event was the first event experience for him since he has been focusing on online activities since the pandemic. "Unlike online events, I could directly sense the audience’s reactions and the energy in the room. It was an invaluable experience that I hope will fuel my future endeavors."

 

The opportunity to connect directly with participants stood out. "I focused on clarity in my session materials and presentation, and I was glad to receive feedback that reflected this effort. I was also surprised and deeply moved to hear from so many attendees who watch my YouTube channel."

Hundreds of attendees learned from MVP Noriyuki Takei

 

As a community leader focused on developer technologies, Developer Technologies MVP Yuta Matsumura contributed to two initiatives: a breakout session introducing .NET 9, nearing its official release, and a workshop demonstrating GitHub Copilot Enterprise. Reflecting on the event, he shared his insight as "Despite the event being held on a weekday, a large number of people participated, which I believe reflects the high level of interest among attendees.”

 

Yuta continues, “I feel it was particularly significant that the focus wasn’t just on AI but also on development tools and the community. This opportunity may have contributed to the enthusiasm that carried over into subsequent events, such as .NET Conf and Microsoft Ignite."

(From left) MVP Yuta Matsumura, co-presenter from Microsoft, Akira Inoue

 

Ryuta Kojo is a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador who made a round trip of over 10 hours in a single day to attend the event. Beyond gaining insights into the latest technologies, he actively interacted with technical community leaders.

 

"Official events hosted by Microsoft provide opportunities to learn about innovative solutions using Microsoft technologies. I hadn’t heard of Microsoft UFO before but am now intrigued by its concept. Communicating offline with Microsoft MVPs and RDs was immensely valuable. They are not only skilled in their respective areas but also have remarkable philosophies about the IT community. We could discuss many things about IT technologies, communities, and career issues with them."

 

Ryuta also gave a Lightning Talk on using Azure Custom Vision and introduced the Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador program as a student community leader. Speaking about the opportunity to share their ideas, "I was honored to speak on stage, and that experience enhanced my connection with MVPs, RDs, and IT developers. Thank you very much for pushing me on the waiting list."

Ryuta Kojo with Jun Kudo (AI Platform/Microsoft Azure MVP)

 

Learning new development technologies and joining communities

True to its name, the Microsoft Developer Day provided developers with a wealth of new insights about cutting-edge technologies and the value of participating in technical communities. The contributions of MVPs, RDs, and Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador undoubtedly enriched the participants’ experiences, helping them grow and connect while sharing enjoyable moments.

 

To our readers, we encourage you to pursue new technologies and consider joining a community. Even when living far apart with different specialties and workplaces, coming together into a technical community can instantly create smiles. This is evident in the following group photo taken right after the event, sharing the joy of the moments of getting together.

 

We are Japan MVP Community!