About — Genkan

The entryway to Tokyo's startup world.

Genkan (玄関) is the Japanese word for the entryway, the little space just inside the door where you slip off your shoes before you step in. That's what this is for Tokyo's startup scene: the place you come through first.

Founders landing in Tokyo lose weeks to the same questions. Which visa? Where to work? Who to know? What's on this week? The answers exist, just scattered across a dozen tabs, half of them only in Japanese. Genkan pulls them into one place, in plain English, so you can find your footing fast.

Who's behind it

Sunshine Burri

Founder

I've lived in Tokyo since 2020, long enough to speak the language and to keep watching sharp founders lose weeks to the same maze this site untangles. By day I lead community for a major tech company's startup program, where I've grown our founder network from a couple hundred people to several thousand. I came up through the creative world first, animation, games, and brand storytelling, and these days I also consult for a robotics company.

Genkan is me doing the connector thing I love, out in the open. If you're building something, moving here, or just curious, reach out. I read everything, I'm quick to make introductions, and I genuinely like meeting people.

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