[Japanese Interviews: Life in LA] Dan Sawada : “I Take Pride in What I Build — Loving the Product Is What Kept Me Going”

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“This is my 11th year. The work is tough, but I’ve come this far because I truly love the products we build.”

Dan Sawada is an engineer at one of the world’s most well-known Silicon Valley companies, a place where exceptional talent from across the globe converges. What kind of journey led him here?

■ Growing Up Between Japan and Silicon Valley

Born in 1988 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Sawada grew up as an only child. His father was an engineer at Yamaha, and his mother a high school English teacher. Computers were always a part of his life.

From age five to eleven, he lived in Silicon Valley due to his father’s overseas assignment.
“The first year was tough because I barely understood English. But before I knew it, I had adapted, and after that, all I remember are fun times—birthday parties, sports, just being free. I also loved going back to Japan every summer for trial school programs.”

Because of those positive memories, returning to Japan at age eleven wasn’t particularly difficult. What did surprise him, however, was joining a local youth softball team in Hamamatsu.
“In the U.S., sports were all about having fun. In Japan, practices were structured and serious—running drills, repetition. No joking around. It was completely different.”

After junior high, he entered Shizuoka Prefectural Hamamatsu Kita High School. Encouraged by his parents, who rewarded him for passing each level, he worked hard on his English—passing the Eiken Pre-1st Grade in his first year of junior high and the 1st Grade shortly after entering high school.

■ In Kamikochi. His hobbies include traveling, outdoor activities, and road biking.

■ Discovering MIT Media Lab

In 2007, Sawada enrolled in the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies at Keio University (SFC). During his third year, his father introduced him to an intriguing research institution—the MIT Media Lab in Boston. Yamaha had been a sponsor at the time, which made the visit possible.

He returned again in his fourth year, and something clicked.
“I couldn’t ignore how drawn I felt to the Media Lab.”

■ MIT Media Lab, where his career in the United States began.

■ From Research to Industry

While still enrolled in Keio’s graduate school, he studied abroad at MIT as a visiting student. After a year, a professor invited him to join as a full-time student, and he entered the Master’s program in Media Arts and Sciences (MIT Media Lab).

Although a path to a Ph.D. was open, he began to feel a disconnect.
“In research, directions are often shaped by sponsor companies. I realized I was heading somewhere different from what I truly wanted.”

Choosing to pivot, he left academia and pursued a career in industry. He successfully landed a role as a software engineer at a tech company he had admired since childhood. By coincidence, he found himself once again living in Silicon Valley—this time with his family.

■ Pride in Building What You Love

“I currently work as a software engineer on wireless systems. I changed departments through an internal application, so it felt almost like switching jobs. I really love the products I build. There’s nothing better than solving a problem you couldn’t crack before and seeing everything work perfectly.”

Driven by passion and pride in his craft, Sawada continues to push forward—building the technologies that shape the world around us.