Coding Bootcamps in Tokyo: Alumni Reviews and Comprehensive Guide

Best Coding Bootcamps in Japan

Are you looking to attend a coding bootcamp in Tokyo?

You've probably heard of the two best coding bootcamps in Tokyo: Code Chrysalis and Le Wagon Tokyo. They stand out due to their track record and top-tier curriculum.

But people spend their savings to attend a coding bootcamp. And they don’t always make the right choice.

I've asked alumni of both Code Chrysalis and Le Wagon for anonymous reviews so you can hear directly from bootcamp graduates. I hope their feedback helps you choose the right coding bootcamp for you to begin your career in tech.

Code Chrysalis

Yan Fan and Kani Munidasa began Code Chrysalis in 2017. Code Chrysalis' mission is to change the way Asia trains software engineers. Code Chrysalis has two main courses: Immersive and Foundations.

Code Chrysalis Courses

Immersive Course

The Immersive Program is a full-time web development course with 420+ hours of class time over 3 months. The Immersive Program is a full stack program for students who want to become software developers. The course is taught in English.

To be accepted into the Immersive Course, you will need a baseline level of coding knowledge. The course is not for beginners. Beginners usually attend the Foundations Course or pass a technical interview to show the necessary coding knowledge.

Immersive includes Lifetime Career Support. A dedicated career coach will support you in your job search throughout your career (resumes, finding jobs, preparing for interviews).

The cost of Code Chrysalis' Immersive Program is 1,320,000 JPY (2023).

Curriculum:

1. Data Structures & Complexity Analysis
2. Agile Methodologies and Practices
3. SQL, Databases, & Schema Creation
4. HTTP & Express
5. API Architectures
6. Front-end UI Frameworks
7. CI/CD & Deployment
8. Programming Language Learning (”Polyglottal”)
9. Senior Project

Foundations Course

Code Chrysalis' introductory programming course is the Foundations Program. It includes 60+ hours of class time over 5 Weeks. The Foundations Program is for students who want to learn how to code. Th Foundations Course is for beginners.

There are no admissions requirements.

The cost of Code Chrysalis' Foundations Program is 150,000 JPY (2023).

Curriculum:

1. Functional and Object Oriented Programming
2. HTML & CSS (Javascript)
3. Git
4. Node
5. Recursion

Graduate Outcomes

The most up-to-date data for the Immersive Program are the 2020 Outcomes Data and 2019 Outcomes Data.

Based on these sources, the average salary of a Code Chrysalis graduate is ¥5.03 mil (2020) and ¥5.79 mil (2019).

Code Chrysalis Review

Was your coding bootcamp worth it? Why?

2023 Immersive Gradute (Code Chrysalis)

Yes! I had a really great experience there. I met awesome friends and had the opportunity to push myself. Learned a lot from a technical and non-technical perspective. Now, I feel more ready to work on real projects.

2022 Immersive Gradute (Code Chrysalis)

It cost a lot to join, more or less all my savings to take part. I would say that the investment is worth it for me; as I struggled for many years to find a job that fit, or fulfilled me creatively. In the first role I managed to land, the pay was already more than most jobs I had in the past. The opportunity for a scalable, challenging, and interesting career ahead of me has made me appreciate the time and money spent.

2022 Immersive Gradute (Code Chrysalis)

Totally! Some reasons:

• I learned faster.
• Worked with an amazing team.
• Learned skills beyond engineering, such as team collaboration, Agile methodologies, worked on communication skills daily, built projects in team settings, etc.

2020 Immersive Gradute (Code Chrysalis)

I paid about 12K USD for my bootcamp and I think that is quite worth it in a purely economic sense. I increased my salary from about 30K to 90K USD within 2 years after the course. Moreover, I was able to get a job doing what I liked and being constantly challenged, and being surrounded by smart people.

However, I was able to couple my experiences in science at university and Japanese language, which helped me stand out amongst my peers. The students that had it the worst were generally just trying to escape English teaching and had no STEM background whatsoever. You really only get out of it what you put into it. The bootcamps should be more selective in my opinion. I thought that a few of my classmates should not have been admitted and just weighed down the other classmates. Many of the people who were successful in the market spoke other languages and had better jobs than a Junior Dev position going into the bootcamp. Japanese students tended to come from companies that paid for their studies so that they could re-skill. I consider them outliers since they did not have to compete in the job market.

2020 Immersive Gradute (Code Chrysalis)

It was. I was able to meet a community of people in a place where I knew no one and can get connections to other people within the software engineering industry in Japan.

2019 Immersive Gradute (Code Chrysalis)

Yes, it gave me the skills I needed to work as part of the tech team at a startup in a short timeframe. Additionally, it helped me become part of the Tokyo tech community, which also brought a lot of opportunities.

2018 Immersive Gradute (Code Chrysalis)

Yes. I was able to get a foot in the door in the software engineering world. I have been able to learn and advance my career continually for many years. Many of my closest friends are people that I met through the coding bootcamp's community.

Le Wagon Tokyo

Le Wagon is a coding bootcamp with over 40 locations worldwide. The Tokyo branch was founded in 2016 by Sylvain Pierre as a coding bootcamp geared towards creative people and entrepreneurs. They offer 2 courses in Tokyo: Web Development and Data Science.

Le Wagon Courses

Web Development Course

The Web Development Course is Le Wagon's full-time web development course for students who want to become software developers or entrepreneurs. The course is in English.

As of 2023, Le Wagon Tokyo's Web Development Course costs ¥790,000. In 2024, tuition will increase to ¥890,000.

There are no admissions requirements for the Web Development course. There is a preliminary technical quiz.

Curriculum:

1. Foundations: code your first programs
2. Software architecture: build your first applications
3. Database and SQL: store and extract data
4. Front-end development: master web technologies
5. Web app development: put everything together
6. Project weeks: build your own web app from scratch
7. Career Week: 1:1 coaching, Review of CV and cover letter, Technical interviews preparation

Data Science Course

The Data Science Course is Le Wagon's course for data scientists. The course is in English. It teaches data science through Python and industry standard libraries.

As of 2023, Le Wagon Tokyo's Data Science Course costs ¥850,000. In 2024, tuition will increase to ¥950,000.

Curriculum:

1. Data Analysis (Python, SQL, Jupyter, Matplotlib)
2. Decision Science (Pandas, Numpy, Statsmodels)
3. Machine Learning (Scikit-learn, XGBoost)
4. Deep Learning (TensorFlow, Keras, Google Colab)
5. Machine Learning Engineering (MLOps)
6. Project weeks

Graduate Outcomes

The most up-to-date data about Le Wagon Tokyo's outcomes are the 2020 Outcomes Data and 2022 Outcomes Data.

Based on these sources, the average salary of a Le Wagon Tokyo graduate is ¥4.744 mil (Web 2022) and ¥5.902 mil (Data Science 2022).

78% of graduates find jobs within 3 months. 93% of graduates find jobs.

Le Wagon Tokyo Review

Was your coding bootcamp worth it? Why?

2023 Web Developer Graduate (Le Wagon)

Yes. I had the chance to interface with seniors and learn a lot. Pair programming and building apps from scratch in a team were the most interesting and challenging parts of the bootcamp that make it different from studying by yourself. These experiences are valuable for yourself and also for your hiring company. Devs work in teams, and collaboration is an important part of the job.

2023 Web Developer Graduate (Le Wagon)

Ruby is not as popular a language as some others. Many teacher assistants are not trained professionals. Many were the ex-students from the bootcamp.

2022 Web Developer Graduate (Le Wagon)

I liked my program at Le Wagon. The teachers were great and the course was compact and interesting. As a beginner developer, I found it challenging and it pushed my limits. For those who may already have a grasp of programming, they may find it to be a tad boring as most of the concepts are meant to introduce the basics however there are still moments where even advanced level students can be challenged. I am glad I did my bootcamp and wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

2022 Web Developer Graduate (Le Wagon)

Definitely! I now have a job that I highly enjoy as a web developer, so I got exactly the outcome I was hoping for. I might have been able to get there by self study too, but it would without a doubt have taken me way longer.

2022 Data Science Graduate (Le Wagon)

Yeah, it definitely was worth it because 1. I have a job because of that 2. I gained a valuable skill that makes me more competent 3. I made great friends who are interested in the same thing

Code Chrysalis vs Le Wagon

Code Chrysalis: Why Did You Choose it?

Why did you choose your coding bootcamp? Any general advice for people choosing between coding bootcamps?

2018 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

The application itself required a coding challenge. There was a technical interview that was kind of hard. I met the co-founders and they seemed to know what they were doing.

2019 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

I picked CC mainly because of two things. First, it's longer and the more broad curriculum was more appealing - I liked the inclusion of the "polyglottal week" and the fact that there were a lot of topics covered across the 4 months (including pre-course). Second, I wanted to come out of the course with some portfolio projects on Github - and the CC course plan included quite a few, both personal and group. Also, I picked it due to a more "tech/language agnostic" vibe.

2020 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

I chose Code Chrysalis because a friend had worked with an engineer that came from Code Chrysalis. That person had a lot of skills and he was impressed by the fact they were able to work at the same level despite only going to the Bootcamp for 3 months.

2020 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

I had a personal connection to the founders of CC. I know that JS and Ruby are both used across the industry as BE languages so in terms of finding a job that should not be an issue. If you want to specialize more in front end then CC is probably a better option. Most of my peers and mentors were using JS so it seemed like the logical choice. You should try to schedule a trial lesson or ask to drop into a class to see how a day is run. The teacher that you get can have a huge effect on the amount that you get out of the course. Both courses are expensive.

2023 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

I chose Code Chrysalis because after analyzing their curriculum and searching for reviews, I thought that CC would be a better choice for me. My advice is: talk to people who attended the bootcamps and hear their opinions about their experiences, reflect about what you want and choose which one fits better your preferences.

2022 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

I liked the idea of lifetime career support and the part-time program so that I could work remotely. One of my major concerns when moving to Japan was that I had no professional connections, but Code Chrysalis' service was what won me over. They also had a more strict entrance procedure and high employment rate, which gave me more confidence than Le Wagon.

2022 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

I chose CC for a few reasons: 1. I loved the Foundations Lite course! Best JS course I've taken. I thought, "If Foundations Lite is this good, then the Immersive must be really good." 2. The tech stack: they taught JavaScript. 3. It was an advanced bootcamp, started at a higher level than Le Wagon.

Le Wagon: Why Did You Choose it?

Why did you choose your coding bootcamp? Any general advice for people choosing between coding bootcamps?

2022 Data Science Graduate (Le Wagon)

I chose it because it had the data science course. At the time no other bootcamps offered it.

2022 Web Developer Graduate (Le Wagon)

I chose Le Wagon because my friend completed the course and found a job in the field shortly after. I thought it was a good option for a career change. There was also a promotion through Hello Work for half the tuition reimbursed so that appealed to me. Honestly, I didn't know about Code Chrysalis before Le Wagon. I would suggest that people take into consideration the length of time the bootcamps take and whether their current schedule can accommodate it. I learned later on that Le Wagon was shorter so I was happy that I did it as I wanted to find a job as fast as possible. I would also tell people to look at the languages learned for each bootcamp and if they are in demand right now and if they can help you with your future goals such as finding a job or starting a business etc.

2022 Web Developer Graduate (Le Wagon)

Ultimately the price was the deciding factor. The bootcamps have similar offerings, but Le Wagon is significantly cheaper. I also attended a free course with them and liked their teaching style, so it felt like a good choice for the money. Finally, I appreciate that Le Wagon is a global program, so you get a massive global alumni network that you can leverage if you move somewhere else.

2023 Web Developer Graduate (Le Wagon)

I saw the good reviews in landing a job, and I had a chance to talk directly to people who graduated before me.

2023 Web Developer Graduate (Le Wagon)

I chose this bootcamp because it seemed to have a good reputation and it was more affordable. If I would give any advice is to speak to graduates first!

Self-Taught vs Coding Bootcamps

Should aspiring software developers self-study or attend a coding bootcamp? Why?

2018 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

You can learn from both self-study and coding bootcamps. In my view, a well designed coding bootcamp is superior to self-study for a few reasons:

• It helps to narrow the universe of materials into a specific curriculum that spans a short period of time.
• You will be held accountable for your work by a group of peers and teachers.
• You experience direct collaboration, which is essential for day-to-day software development work.
• It's fast-paced. If the teachers are good, they will push you at the optimal level to maximize your learning.

2019 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

Self-study is essential, even if you're doing a bootcamp or even a university/college course, self-studying and building projects outside of the curriculum sets you apart as a candidate. As for doing a bootcamp itself, there is something unique about the time pressure and the "get hands-on and actually build something" way of learning - as opposed to a more theoretical academic course. A fresh university graduate can sometimes be less knowledgeable about how "coding at a company actually works" than a bootcamp graduate. It's also just a lot quicker - if you're looking to make a career change, you might be able to do so in a matter of months via a bootcamp.

2020 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

Software Engineering is a long path of learning. Attending a coding bootcamp or self-study will help you towards achieving your first job and help prepare you for the long haul of being a software engineer.

2020 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

This is highly debatable. If you can discipline yourself then of course self study is the cheaper alternative. However, that path is quite lonely. You would need to somehow build a community that would help you stay accountable or else it is very unlikely that you will stick it through until you find a job. The nice part about having a community is that you surround yourselves with like-minded individuals and compare yourself with other people that you will be competing against in the local job market. In the end, you need to learn how to collaborate with engineers and stakeholders in your job so it is in your best interest to surround yourself with as many people as possible. Not many people mention this but you can do a temperature check and see if you are cut out for the field at all. I noticed that some of my peers did not have the same level of passion and skill and I chose to distance myself from them and stay closer to the classmates that went above and beyond in the projects and participated enthusiastically. If you have a big class you will be surprised at the gap in ability, motivation, and experience. Many people do not choose to get a job in SWE after the bootcamp because it is not right for them. The bootcamp is a relatively cheap and fast way to see if it is worth going deeper. Even if you decide not to be an engineer the experience may help you down the line. Another option is to go back to school. School has a bootcamp-like environment because you can collaborate with fellow students and interact with TAs and professors. I also took CS and maths in college and found the learning community to be quite enriching.

2023 Immersive Graduate (Code Chrysalis)

It depends. I think self-study is completely possible because nowadays you can find everything on the Internet. But the first difference is the time. On coding bootcamps, you can take less time because there's already a path, you don't have to search for everything by yourself. The second difference is the networking. You're together with other people who have similar goals and the environment is great for pushing yourself. Even when you graduate, it's awesome to have the opportunity to talk to other alumni.

2023 Web Development Graduate (Le Wagon)

I think that attending a bootcamp is good for accountability. However, if you are a dedicated learner skip the bootcamp, learn for free and get an internship.

2023 Web Development Graduate (Le Wagon)

They should be aware that bootcamps too require a dose of self study. Any Dev has to keep studying and researching constantly. I chose the bootcamp because I wanted to get the necessary basic skills and practice to land a job in web development in the shortest time possible.

2022 Web Development Graduate (Le Wagon)

I think it's always important to self study even if you choose to do a coding bootcamp or not. I had a hard time getting things off the ground without any real base knowledge of coding so I decided to do the bootcamp to motivate myself and kickstart my willingness to program. And it worked! I became more interested in coding and learned things I would have had a hard time conceptualizing on my own. A coding bootcamp is also a cheaper and more time-efficient way to gain knowledge in the field as most people don't have the money or time luxury to invest in a 4 year CS degree program.

2022 Web Development Graduate (Le Wagon)

It very much depends on the person. I benefited a lot from the structure and intensity of the program. I don't think I would have been able to maintain the discipline and speed of learning if I was self-studying.

2022 Data Science Graduate (Le Wagon)

It comes down to how quickly you want to learn the subject. I think the bootcamp offers a great way to learn practical skills quickly because of 1. Their structured curriculum 2. Support system (peers and teachers). If you’re starting out, without the knowledge of what’s needed in the real work environment, it’s difficult to even decide on what to learn and how deep you learn about the single topic. Before joining the bootcamp I tried putting together a curriculum and self-studying, but maybe partly because I’m more of a perfectionist, it took forever to move to the next topic (now I know that’s something we should avoid at all costs lol) and I also found that the curriculum I made was missing so many practical topics. To my second point, when you’re learning something new, it’s always best to have a mentor/peers because with them being around you, you find a solution to a problem just by asking them while it may take longer than a day to figure it out yourself. Also, they provide great emotional support when the journey gets tough.

Bootcamp Advice

I became a software engineer because it's an in-demand skill that suited my interests. I like solving problems and learning new things. And software is an endless source of problems and learning opportunities. It's a fulfilling career that I would recommend to everybody.

I started this career by attending Code Chrysalis. I would do it again if given the choice. But many people that I knew at Code Chrysalis no longer work there and the tech hiring market is a burning trash can for entry level right now. So speak to recent graduates for the most accurate feedback.

But here is some advice for the next person.

On Previous Experience

Your past experience still matters. A STEM/CS Major from an Ivy League University has a leg up over the English Major from an unknown university. That's how signaling works. After your first tech job, most hiring managers will focus on your work experience and ability. Others will continue to look for pedigree.

On Alumni Networks

You'll need all the advantages you can get when you are job hunting as an entry-level engineer. Alumni can get you referrals to good tech companies in Japan. The alumni network will help you throughout your career as well. I know many people who get their second and third jobs through alumni friends of Code Chrysalis. I'm sure it's the same with Le Wagon Tokyo. The alumni networks at these coding bootcamps are a big reason to pay the tuition. The biggest coding bootcamps in Tokyo have the strongest alumni networks.

On Learning

Web development/software development is a large space. You could spend a lifetime learning about software without scratching the surface. It's unrealistic to expect a 2-month or 3-month bootcamp to teach you everything.

But coding bootcamps teach you as much material as you can expect in a few months. You'll learn how to code. You'll learn programming language syntax, a frontend framework, and a backend framework.

You will have to study a lot more to prepare for the job interviews. Once you get a software developer job, you will have to learn a lot more on the job. As you go further in your tech career, you have to learn new things. It never ends.

On Salary Expectations in Japan

Compared to the US, Japan's software engineer salaries are low. But Japan's cost of living is also low.

¥6 mil - ¥7 mil is a good salary for early career software developer positions. Right now (July 2023), the tech hiring market is a burning trash can for entry level developers. You may have to settle for something lower and then aim for a high salary after you get some experience.

The bulk of your career earnings come when you approach senior level. You can increase your salary to ¥8 mil - ¥10 mil after two-three years of experience. ¥10 mil - ¥14 mil is less common for mid-level positions. You'll have a better chance if you are a backend developer at a bigger company.

Developers with above average salaries work hard to get them. They improve their skills. They change jobs. They ask for raises. If you're looking to get a raise at your workplace, I wrote an article on salary negotiation as a software developer.

To get up-to-date salary information, check out Open Salary. It's the best resource for software engineer salaries in Japan.

Caveats

I'm Ryohei, a software engineer in Tokyo. I attended a Code Chrysalis in July-September 2019 when I was beginning my tech career. After Code Chrysalis, I worked as a software engineer at a startup in Tokyo. I'm also the founder of Eight Values. You can find me at Ryohei Watanabe on LinkedIn and Eight Values on Youtube.