It’s been over a week since users all over the world celebrated the 10th anniversary of open source software WordPress. I asked Japanese event organizers to send in images and/or messages from their celebration to compile this blog post. 

(FYI: “WordBench” is a WordPress local community directory in Japan (like a mini-meetup.com), powered by BuddyPress. @takayukister started the site in 2008 after our first WordCamp in Japan)

WordBench Osaka

WordBench Osaka meetup group had an early celebration (May 18th) with this gorgeous cake, decorated with a wp10 chocolate plate designed by Wako (@wakool_2t0p) and crafted by Akari (@kokona_san)! 

Photo credit: Miho Ishida (and special thanks to Junko Nukaga!)

SaCSS Sapporo

SaCSS, web designers’ community in Sapporo, organized a WordPress-focused event on May 25th. About 40 local WordPress users including WordPress book authors @hiromasa & @komomoaichi and WP Multibyte Patch plugin author Kuraishi-san attended.

WordBench Tokyo

I helped organize an anniversary event in Tokyo with 20+ other volunteers. About 200 users got together in GMO Internet Shibuya on May 26th. We had a couple of presentations to look back on the past years & look forward to version 3.6, WordPress quiz, flash talks, and drink & food. More photos on my Japanese blog here.

WordPress 10th anniversary Event in Aoyama (Tokyo)

Eriko Toda of Happy Digital held a “tea party” event in Aoyama in the afternoon of May 27th. Attendees exchanged tips on useful plugins, maintenance best practice, and mobile display optimization. She said she’s happy to see a growing number of very active WordPress users who can bring real experience on their own to share at events like this.

WordBench Chiba

WordBench Chiba, which has been actively organizing regular meetups at Coworking Space Chiba, had their pizza & beer party at their home ground. Attendees commented they really enjoyed the cozy atmosphere of the event. Thanks for the photo, Naomi-san!

WordBench Sendai

Another WordBench group in Sendai (Miyagi) had a party too! @gatespace_k, who is a Japanese forum volunteer, has been growing a WordPress community in Sendai. Awesome job!

WordPress 10th Anniversary Party in Sakai, Osaka

Another one from Osaka (they sure love parties in Kansai!) on the anniversary day. Traditional stage performance, dancing, opening a barrel of local sake… I’m sure Matt and Mike never imagined this was going to happen in Japan, when they started WordPress project 10 years ago 🙂 The dance team’s web site is powered by WordPress, too.

WordBench Kagawa

In Kagawa, @show_web organized their #wp10 event. Here’s @styledesign‘s banner image!

Drink, WordCamp Kobe flyer and WordPress stickers (Makito Tohi in Tokyo designed the 10th anniversary special “Wapuu” version and distributed across other communities in Japan).

WordPress Communities in Japan

Of course, these are just glimpse of WordPress communities in Japan. There are 40 local WordBench groups (about 2/3 of them are pretty active) and WordPress event calendar gets updated regularly with meetups and seminars across Japan. Several coworking spaces are holding low-key WordPress meetups without presentations, where users bring their own projects to work on and ask questions to each other.

Offline, face-to-face communication is really important in Japanese business practice, and the same can be said for open source communities here as well. I’m always inspired by enthusiasm of event organizers, volunteers and attendees. It was really nice that we could celebrate this anniversary together share appreciation and love for WordPress.