SEKAIA placed me at KimPax, an agricultural Edge AI company working on Knowledge Intelligence Capsules and Smart Farm Node systems, with an active Qualcomm AI partnership. From day one, I was given a clear Week 1 execution plan with five concrete deliverables — a KimPax summary, a sensor comparison table, an Edge AI technical summary, a multimodal data architecture diagram, and a Smart Farm Node concept design — all feeding into a final presentation. That structure made a big difference; I knew exactly what I was working toward instead of just shadowing people.
I also got an orientation to Raspberry Pi, which complemented hardware experience I already had with Arduino from university projects, including being Electronics and Programming Lead on a Mars Rover build.
Bina, my placement coordinator at SEKAIA, managed the correspondence throughout the preparation period smoothly, which made settling into Tokyo (I'm based in Toshima, near Minaminagasaki) much less stressful.
Outside of work, Tokyo itself has added a lot to the experience — exploring the city, trying local food, and planning day trips like the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route.

This was a really fun and great experience! This is actually my first time that I ever got to do anything like this as in work. I’ve never had a part time job or anything because the high school I went to in 11th and 12th didn’t allow that and I was still getting settled into college life. Here I was able to work with a nice team and an understanding boss and he let us have a lot of freedom in what we decide to do to help promote the company globally. I was able to pick social media promotions cause that was more on the creative side and so I was able to do things I really liked. I feel overall Sekaia did a great job with helping me with my placement and easing into everything especially with this being my first job experience.

I got my internship as a part of my university's 2026 Japan study abroad program. At first it seemed like I wouldn't be able to get an internship at all, as Sekaia took until just a few days before I arrived in Tokyo to place me. However I eventually got placed at Single Mother's Forum, but my tasks were soon split between my role as a SMF intern and a side project given to me by my boss. Eventually the side project consumed all of our work. This ended up being a blessing in disguise in a way, as through this I've been able to meet a lot of different people via my boss, who is grest.

As my first time abroad, I was very excited to be able to go to Japan! It was my first time abroad, and Japan was on the top of my list of locations to visit due to my interests in technology, cars, and anime.

Aside from my personal interests, I was also interested in working on the innovative technologies brewing in Tokyo. As Japan is known for its technological innovation, I was able to grow my professional skills working at startups with new and exciting ideas. I was able to channel all of the skills I learned in the classroom and apply them to solve new and challenging problems that really made me think. What made this experience memorable was the amazing group of supportive staff and determined students that always looked forward to apply themselves. I would say that the connections I made throughout this program will help accelerate my career goals.

Alongside the professional skills I learned in this program, SEKAIA also focused on showing us the beauty of Japan. From visiting an amusement park just at the base of Mount Fuji to visiting the beautiful town of Hakone, they showcased the amazing wonders Japan has to offer. Furthermore, the staff at SEKAIA were very attentive to all of the students in the program. Whether some students were having difficulties with their startup or simply needing a ride from the airport, they were ready to help us out however they can.

Overall, I had an amazing time with this program! From the memorable experiences I made with other students going around Japan to putting my head to work by facing new challenges head-on, this was an experience I will never forget.

This Internship was an amazing opportunity it allowed me to collaborate with different individuals and teams from all over the world whilst learning exceptional skills that will help me in my future career. This internship also allowed me to explore the different parts of Japan and understand the culture, environment, cuisine and society through multiple immersive opportunities . This programme was an exceptional experience that will stay with me for the future years to come and has allowed personal growth.

I really enjoyed my time here. I was able to meet wonderful people both at and outside of work. Sekaia and my internship company were very welcoming.

Sekaia even went out of their way to place me in the same house as another dutch intern who started at the same time. This made getting used to Japan a lot easier.

The only issues were that I did not receive my houses key code or the correct room number before I arrived. So I had to contact Sekaia when I arrived, and move my room after a couple weeks.

For the rest there were a lot of fun events every couple weeks were you often left with a cool souvenir.

Overall a great experience.

My experience as an intern at Black Flow Reality was such a valuable experience. This internship allowed me to hone the skills of professionalism, collaboration but also at the same time allowed me to understand the different sectors of marketing. The company found communicated effectively whilst providing significant support throughout the entirety of the internship. Interning in Japan will be an experience that I will hold very dearly from the culture, to the people I’ve met along the way and the environment of Tokyo.

Before being accepted and traveling to Japan, the application/interview process seemed uncertain and rushed, and communication varied. Especially with interviewing, I only received interviews very close to my chosen start date, with communication sometimes being so lacking that I even considered my internship not happening this summer or pushing it to much later.

But upon arrival, I received excellent support from the team with a very informative orientation, frequent check-ins, and communication on my behalf between the program staff and my host company. For instance, the first day of work was a bit disorienting as expected, and SEKAIA staff even went out of their way to call my company and connect me to other interns when I had trouble being let into the building.

In just 2.5 weeks, I have grown to be more confident and self-sufficient in an international environment, in the office and out. I learned some technical skills to accelerate my career too, but I wish my internship was slightly more structured. My work is currently self-guided for the most part, and I miss the involvement and structured learning that comes with studying rather than interning abroad.