Discover the journey of transitioning from Japanese Language and Culture to web development, embracing the kaizen spirit and perseverance.
I’m Hiền, a web developer based in Vietnam, where I immerse myself in crafting digital experiences, particularly for the Japanese market. My journey didn’t begin with code, but with pages of Japanese Language and Culture, where I fell in love with the elegance of its language, traditions, and the kaizen spirit of continuous improvement. Becoming a developer wasn’t part of the plan—until childhood friends sparked my curiosity for technology.
Instead of diving into video games, I was drawn to the question: How do things work behind the scenes? Those friends, with their passion for tinkering with computers, ignited a flame of exploration in me. That’s when my unconventional journey into programming began, one small step at a time.
After graduating with a degree in Japanese Language and Culture, I didn’t pursue translation or teaching. Instead, I chose to conquer web development, a completely new frontier. The early days were challenging: grappling with JavaScript syntax, understanding APIs, and navigating databases. But the kaizen mindset from Japanese culture kept me persistent. I taught myself through online courses, open-source docs, and small side projects—a playground where I could experiment without fear of failure.
I started with React.js and Express.js (2022), though they weren’t my favorites due to their complexity. Then I discovered Svelte (2024), a light and intuitive framework that felt like a Japanese haiku, becoming my passion. MongoDB (2023) was a game-changer, offering unparalleled flexibility for my ideas. Recently, Astro (2025) has become my go-to for personal projects, delivering SEO-optimized and fast-loading static sites.
Working for the Japanese market, I infuse the elegance and attention to detail of Japanese culture into my projects. From designing minimalist interfaces with TailwindCSS to building robust APIs with Nest.js, I strive for perfection in every line of code. My side projects—like a cost-splitting app with React and Zustand, or a news aggregator with n8n and GenAI—are spaces where I innovate and create.
In company projects, I balance confidentiality with efficiency, while open-source side projects let me share with the community. Each project teaches me something new, from managing state with TanStack Query to optimizing databases with Supabase and PostgreSQL.
My unconventional journey is proof that passion and perseverance can lead to new horizons. From tinkering with JavaScript to building modern web applications for the Japanese market, I’m always learning and exploring. If you’re dreaming of a new path, just start—as the Japanese proverb says: 「千里の道も一歩から」 (Senri no michi mo ippo kara) – A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Reach out if you’d like to chat about code, Japanese culture, or collaborate on something exciting!