Shota — Frontend engineer at a Vancouver startup (ex-Yoshimoto comedian)
9 years comedy → facility management → self-taught WordPress + ~1 year web-production part-time; CICCC; ~40 apps then React pivot; startup FE hire and immigration track.
フロントエンドエンジニア · Vancouver
Profile
Shota is a frontend engineer at a Vancouver startup (employer name not stated). Attributes: 30s, college, 未経験, monthsToOffer=13. Unusual Japan path: Yoshimoto comedian then operations manager.
Current role
Frontend engineer at a Vancouver startup (immigration/PR support path). Early team ~4 in Vancouver + Brazil backend; later ~20 people. Shares FE with one other Japanese engineer. On-site café coding interview (React/Node/Express style tasks; little algorithm grilling). Interview process around **Sep 2019** (pre-COVID).
Japan experience
Career changer into engineering. After high school/university friction, NSC Yoshimoto training; freelanced as comedian about **9 years** (almost all of his 20s). Quit ~27–28; ~**1 year** US visit via sister. Then dispatch work → hotel & super-sento operating company **5–6 years**, rising into HR/finance/store management. Left to build WordPress e-commerce for bike uniforms (self-taught HTML/CSS); enjoyed building more than selling. At **33–34**, **~1 year** dual work: daytime WordPress corporate sites (part-time/junior updates) + nights at a friend’s restaurant. JS limited to animation libraries before Canada—attributes treat as 未経験 engineer.
Path to Canada / North America
Wife wanted overseas living; Frog via Senna’s blog. Weak English pre-departure (TOEIC/DMM lightly 2–3 months prior). Moved with wife and cat. **CICCC**: planned web track but took **mobile** for a strong instructor—Java/Android/Swift/etc. over **1 year** study + **1 year** Co-op; classmates mostly 3–5 years experienced. No WH (age); Co-op visa pressure. First hunted **iOS** (~**40** résumés exhausted) then audited juniors’ **React** class. Spouse support emphasized.
Outcome
Frontend hire at startup that could support immigration filing. Attributes monthsToOffer=13. Age rarely asked in Canada searches per his account.
Based on Frog’s Japanese-language interview. English summary for scanning (partners / employers). Original interview (Japanese)
company=null. Strong non-linear Japan narrative for employer soft-skill signal.