The Vision
Terako itself was born from a gap: Japanese youth living in Montréal had no centralized space to connect, share resources, or organize cultural events. Discord servers fragmented communities. Facebook groups felt dated. The Terakoya Platform is the solution we built for ourselves — and for every Japanese student or young professional in Canada who's ever felt isolated by distance from home.
The name honors the historical Terakoya — community temple schools of the Edo period where knowledge was freely shared across social classes. We digitize that ethos.
Core Features
- Event Board — Cultural events, tech meetups, language exchanges, and jam sessions organized by city with RSVP and calendar sync
- Resource Hub — Shared documents, guides for newcomers (housing, student life, visa logistics), language learning materials
- Mentorship Matching — Connect newcomers with members who've navigated Canadian academic and professional life
- Project Board — A Kanban-style space for members to propose, join, and collaborate on creative and technical projects
- City Chapters — Separate spaces for Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Ottawa, with cross-city event visibility
Technical Approach
Built on Next.js for server-side rendering and fast page loads, with a React component library designed in Figma first. The backend is a Node.js API using PostgreSQL for structured community data (events, members, RSVPs) and object storage for shared documents.
Authentication uses email + magic links — no password to remember, frictionless access that respects users' time. The platform is fully bilingual (English / Japanese) from day one.
We are currently in private beta with a core group of Montréal-based members and expect a public launch in 2026.