Notes

The past couple of weeks have been unusually full of things I wanted to write down. A frustrating JLPT registration sent me down a rabbit hole about high-traffic systems. Starting on a new project made me rethink how I use AI when I’m trying to understand an unfamiliar codebase. And after DotDev, Shopify's annual developer event in Toronto held in July, I finally had time to write about some of the Liquid changes Shopify announced.

I also started an intensive JLPT N3 prep course on Saturdays, which feels very much like part of the same story: working, learning, and trying to make sense of life as an engineer in Japan.

In December 2022, Shopify Italia featured the story of Nama Studio, the independent Shopify development studio I co-founded after meeting my future business partners while working in Tokyo.

We helped brands and merchants build online stores that were not only visually appealing, but solid, scalable, and designed for growth. Our work included Shopify store development, platform migrations, training, e-commerce consulting, and upgrades to Online Store 2.0.

Our approach was technical, hands-on, and consulting-driven. We enjoyed getting into the code, solving practical problems, and building solutions that made everyday work easier for shoppers and store managers.

At Nama, we believed in sustainable and democratic commerce. That is why we committed at least one third of our work capacity to projects that were inclusive, eco-friendly, and supportive of diversity.

I also coded Nama Studio’s own Shopify website with sustainable web-development principles in mind. I optimized images and minimized server requests to reduce its environmental footprint while keeping the site useful, accessible, and easy for the team to maintain.

I’m a software engineer specialized in Shopify development, currently based in Tokyo and working as a Frontend Tech Lead at Flagship LLC.

My route into engineering was not a straight line. I began my career in marketing and customer retention. While working on the redesign of Everyman Cinema’s loyalty program, I became fascinated by the way business requirements turn into technical systems. That curiosity led me to learn frontend development through FreeCodeCamp, Codebar, and communities such as Women Who Code.

I later co-founded Nama Studio, a women-led Shopify agency focused on sustainable e-commerce. Building and leading projects there taught me how engineering, UX, performance, accessibility, and business decisions shape one another. After several years at the agency, I returned to Flagship in a technical leadership role.

Community has stayed central to my work. I previously co-organized events with Women Who Code and now contribute to Women in Software Engineering Japan. I continue to deepen my Shopify and frontend expertise while learning more about React, application architecture, leadership, and Japanese.

I write because it helps me connect those parts of my life: technology, work, travel, and the experience of living between Europe and Japan.