What if one of the world’s most inspiring app developers did not grow up with the internet, never studied computer science, and only touched a computer after retirement?
That is the story of Masako Wakamiya. At age 80, she taught herself how to code and built her first iPhone app. Today, she is 87 and continues to travel the world, giving lectures, inspiring thousands, and reminding us that it is never too late to learn something new.
Fast Facts
- Name: Masako Wakamiya
- Age When She Coded Her First App: 80
- App Name: Hinadan – a cultural puzzle game for seniors
- Highlight: Praised by Apple CEO Tim Cook at WWDC 2017
- Fun Fact: She started learning computers at age 58 using Excel
Meet Masako Wakamiya: The Accidental Geek Who Broke the Age Barrier
Masako Wakamiya was born in 1935 in Tokyo, Japan. She worked as a bank clerk at Mitsubishi Bank for more than 40 years. After retiring at 58, she realized something was missing. She wanted to stay connected, useful, and creative. So she decided to explore computers.
At first, she used her PC to create art using Microsoft Excel. Yes, Excel. She filled cells with colors to make intricate patterns, a technique she later turned into tutorials and shared with others. This playful creativity would eventually lead her to something even bigger.
Why She Built an App for Seniors
Most smartphone games today are fast, flashy, and made for quick fingers. But Masako noticed something important. These games were not made with older users in mind. The text was too small. The controls were too fast. And the content was not familiar or meaningful to seniors.
So she set out to change that.
She developed an app called Hinadan, based on Japan’s Doll Festival, also known as Hina Matsuri. In the festival, families display dolls in a specific order on a tiered stand. Masako turned this tradition into a simple, drag-and-drop puzzle game.
The app gives you 12 dolls to place in the correct order. When you get it right, a cheerful beep rewards you. If you are wrong, a different sound gently prompts you to try again. It is fun, educational, and accessible. And it was made with seniors in mind.
“I wanted to make games that would allow us seniors to defeat even young people on the basis of our knowledge. Games that are different from the competitive ones that require quick reflexes.”
— Masako Wakamiya
(Source: JapanGov)
Learning to Code in Her Eighties
Building Hinadan was not easy. Masako had never written a line of code before. She decided to learn Swift, Apple’s programming language for iPhone apps. But most tutorials were in English, and she was starting from zero.
Still, she did not let that stop her. She reached out to younger developers for help. One of them, Koizumi Katsushiro from the company Tesseract, helped guide her through the tricky parts. She used online guides, translated documents, and leaned on her strong will to push through.
It took her six months. And she succeeded.
Hinadan was released on February 23, 2017, on the Apple App Store.
From Local Hero to Global Star
The app quickly gained attention in Japan. But things really changed when Masako was invited to Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 2017. There, she met Apple CEO Tim Cook, who called her “the world’s oldest app developer” and praised her as an inspiration.
Her story spread across the world. Media outlets like CNN, Nikkei Asia, and AARP covered her journey. In 2018, she was invited to speak at the United Nations. Even Taiwan’s Minister of Digital Affairs reached out to meet her.
According to the App Store, Hinadan has been downloaded more than 53,000 times and holds an almost perfect user rating.
Why Her Story Still Matters Today
Masako’s story is not just about an app. It is about what happens when someone refuses to be limited by age, fear, or the unknown. As societies around the world deal with aging populations, especially in Japan where nearly 30 percent of citizens are over 65, stories like Masako’s are more important than ever.
She is part of a growing movement in “silver tech,” which focuses on making technology easier and more useful for older adults. Her work proves that older people can not only use tech but also create it.
Can You Do What Masako Did?
The short answer is yes, but it takes patience and help. Learning Swift and building an app is not easy, but Masako’s path shows it is possible, even late in life.
If you are just starting out, try Apple’s Swift Playgrounds, a free app that teaches coding step by step. Or if you want to explore creativity in a simpler way, Masako’s Excel art tutorials are a great place to begin. These tutorials are available on the Mellow Club website, which she helps run.
She also encourages the use of AI tools and smart speakers to make technology more friendly for seniors. Her big message is clear: “You are never too old to be curious.”
What She Is Doing Now
Masako still lives in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. She gives around 100 lectures a year and remains vice-chair of the Mellow Club. She is also working on releasing new versions of Hinadan in English and Chinese. And she is exploring how AI can help older people live better, more connected lives.
As she told CNN:
“As you age, you lose many things. But when you learn something new, whether it be programming or the piano, it is a plus. It is motivating.”
Final Thoughts
Masako Wakamiya did not set out to become famous. She just wanted to make something useful and fun for people like her. But in doing so, she showed the world that learning never has to stop.
Her journey is not just impressive because of her age. It is impressive because of her courage. Because of her curiosity. And because she turned a gap in the world into something beautiful and useful.
So if you think tech is only for the young, think again. Masako Wakamiya is proof that the future is for anyone who wants to build it.