Japanese learning resources worth your time

There are hundreds of resources for learning Japanese. You don't need most of them. This is a short list of ones many learners use, with what each is good for. We don't earn anything from these links.

All-round apps

Japanology is the one on this list that does almost everything in one place: kanji, vocabulary, grammar, listening, reading and writing, from JLPT N5 to N1. It is made by a language school in Leiden, in the Netherlands, and it has its own course rather than a collection of links.

What sets it apart is how it teaches kanji. Every character is traced back to its real origin, through oracle bones, bronze inscriptions and seal script, instead of a made-up memory story. That history is what makes kanji easier to remember: once you know why a character looks the way it does, it stops being a random shape and has something real to hold on to.

What else is in it:

• Vocabulary that follows the kanji: the six most common words for each one, chosen from frequency data, plus a dictionary of almost thirty thousand entries with readings, meanings and example sentences.
• Grammar: a course written from scratch, with more than twenty chapters that build on each other. The chapters are free to read, and members get drills.
• Conjugation drills for verbs and adjectives.
• Listening: audio pronunciation for every word and sentence.
• Writing: write kana and kanji with your mouse or finger and get graded on stroke order, direction and position.
• Spaced repetition and progress tracking throughout, with dashboards, activity heatmaps and streaks.

Full access is paid. You can also request access to the Dutch version through their school website, japanology.nl.

Textbooks and grammar

• Genki: a structured textbook series that takes you from beginner to around N4. Each chapter has vocabulary, grammar and exercises, so it is a good spine for a study plan.
• Tae Kim's Guide to Learning Japanese: a free online grammar guide. Good as a second explanation when a textbook doesn't click.

Kanji and vocabulary

• WaniKani: teaches kanji and vocabulary with mnemonics and spaced repetition. It is a long commitment, because there are more than two thousand kanji, but it gives you a daily routine.
• Anki: free flashcards with spaced repetition. It takes some setup, and then it fits anything you want to remember.

Grammar practice

• Bunpro: spaced repetition for grammar. You practise writing sentences, so patterns become automatic. It pairs well with a textbook.

Dictionaries and tools

• Jisho: a free online dictionary with example sentences and kanji breakdowns.
• Yomitan: a browser extension that shows definitions when you hover over Japanese text, so you can read real pages without leaving them.

Reading and listening

• NHK News Web Easy: short news stories written in simpler Japanese, with readings for the kanji.
• Satori Reader: graded stories with audio and notes on grammar as you go.
• Learner YouTube channels and podcasts: slow, clear Japanese for beginners. Find one you enjoy and keep going back.

How these fit together

You don't need to use all of them. If you want one place for nearly everything, an all-round app like Japanology is the easiest start. Otherwise, a simple, popular combination: a textbook for structure, a spaced repetition tool for words and kanji, a grammar tool for practice, and some reading or listening every week. If you use Bunpro or WaniKani every day, those minutes count too, and you can log them in Futoji, under grammar or kanji, next to everything else you do.

And someone to study with

Studying alone is hard to keep up. Futoji has a Discord community where you can find study partners, share resources, and join challenges.