What is PyCon JP 2025?
This is a personal daily report from @nishimotz, the chair of PyCon JP 2025.
PyCon JP 2025 will be held on September 26th and 27th at the Hiroshima International Conference Center.
This article introduces what kind of event PyCon JP 2025 is, from the perspective of the chair.
Today, I explained this to a graduate student who uses Python for research, and I’ve summarized the content in an interview format.
Q: What kind of conference is PyCon JP? How does it differ from academic conferences?
That’s about the difference between tech conferences and academic conferences. There are similarities. We gather talks through a CFP (Call for Proposals), gather at the venue on the day to listen to presentations, share information in the hallways, and have official parties. The main difference is the purpose.
Academic conferences place great significance on publishing results as papers. However, tech conferences are different. They are fundamentally held for the “development of the tech community.” Talk selection criteria consider not only academic novelty but also “clarity” and “usefulness,” taking the overall balance into account.
For students, academic conferences might often feel like they have a high barrier to entry for first-time attendees.
Tech conferences strive to deliver “understandable and beneficial talks” to a wide range of people. Tutorial-like content is also considered important.
Recently, there’s also growing interest in the transparency and fairness of talk selection. In fields like AI, some people might want to use their conference achievements to appeal for job changes.
Q: Why is PyCon JP important for the Python community?
Python as a technology is unique. It’s not a corporate product; its parent organization is the Python Software Foundation (PSF), a neutral entity. It’s a language primarily developed by volunteers.
PyCon JP acts like its Japanese chapter, forming part of the activities that support Python development. For example, the PSF provides travel support for Japanese PyCon attendees, and conversely, some of our activities support global Python development.
Being in the closest position to the people who make Python, providing a venue for disseminating information close to the primary source—this is how I see PyCon JP’s role.
Q: Why was Hiroshima chosen as the venue for PyCon JP 2025?
Around 2018-2019, PyCon JP had grown into an event attracting nearly a thousand people in Tokyo, which limited venue options. Discussions began about how “there should still be large venues available in regional areas.”
RubyKaigi established a model for regional hosting over a decade ago, and I was involved when it was held in Hiroshima in 2017. There was internal talk within PyCon JP that “it’s time for a new challenge,” and the decision was made when dates became available at the Hiroshima International Conference Center.
Holding it in Hiroshima also has the anticipated benefit of making it easier for participants from Kyushu and Western Japan to attend.
Q: How is PyCon JP funded?
Corporate sponsorships and ticket revenue are the main sources of income. It’s important to receive support from corporate sponsors while ensuring they also benefit.
Recently, more companies are actively seeking conference exposure for engineer recruitment. PyCon JP also functions as a place where such Python engineers and companies can meet.
Of course, an event that merely caters to sponsors wouldn’t be well-received. It’s also undesirable for talks to be more easily accepted just because they come from a sponsor.
Q: What specific activities take place at PyCon JP?
The main focus is on talk sessions, but that’s not all. We set up spaces for free-form hackathon-like activities, and the day after the conference, we hold Development Sprints, which are almost like hackathons. Some people who develop Python itself participate, making it an interesting venue.
The timing in late September is significant as it’s just before the annual Python major release around October. At last year’s PyCon JP, the latest information on Python’s performance improvements, such as free-threading (which wasn’t yet generally released), was announced. It’s also a valuable opportunity to touch the forefront of Python development.
Q: Finally, what are your aspirations for PyCon JP 2025?
Since we’re holding PyCon JP in Hiroshima, I want to try my own way of doing things so that the people of Hiroshima will welcome it.
In a situation where we often can’t rely on past organizing member experience, we need to build a new PyCon JP together with new people. I’m thinking about how to create a team where inexperienced people can find their roles and be active.
While maintaining the minimum structure like keynotes and CFP, we will proceed with the attitude of “this is how we’ll do it this year.” Of course, we are exploring ways for participants from Tokyo and Hiroshima to cooperate effectively.
I also want to increase participation from people in various fields using Python, especially the science field. In previous PyCon JPs, more people from diverse fields like astrophysics participated, but I feel the number has decreased slightly recently. I want to cherish the aspect of being a conference where one can also touch the cutting edge of science.
Call for Organizing Members
We are currently looking for organizing members to help create PyCon JP 2025 together. If you are interested, please apply using the Organizing Member Application Form.
Update History
- 2025-04-01: First version published