Have you ever heard of 青空文庫あおぞらぶんこ? Established in 1997, this online library hosts several thousand Japanese literary works, completely for free. If you’re not too confident in your kanji readings however, trying to read a Japanese text can be quite tricky. Rather than focusing on overall reading comprehension, you end up zeroing in on just the kanji. Sound like you? Then … [ Read more ]
Source: “青空朗読” | Subjects: Reading Material, Video / Audio
Need a break from Japanese textbooks and vocabulary flashcards? Then it’s time to chill with some Japanese dramas!
J-dramas are easy to get sucked into, especially because they’re so different in format from most Western shows. And they’re a fantastic way to gain some insight into Japanese culture, language, and locales in Japan.
One nice thing about Japanese dramas? They’re usually only one season long and about … [ Read more ]
Author: Caitlin Sacasas | Source: “Fluent in 3 Months” | Subjects: Multimedia, Video / Audio
This is the more advanced podcast to complement Teppei’s beginner episodes.
Author: Teppei | Subject: Video / Audio
Nihongo Con Teppei For Beginners is a Japanese language podcast. Each episode is about four minutes long, and the content is in Japanese only. This is because the host, Teppei, believes in improving language comprehension skills through listening to podcasts spoken in the original language.
Teppei focuses on one topic in each episode, and tries to use the key word or related vocabulary repeatedly so that … [ Read more ]
Author: Teppei | Subject: Video / Audio
This is a tool that’s meant to help you study Japanese counters. You’ll be given a random item and a random number, and then you tell us how you’d count that in Japanese. Current study packs include common counters, essential counters, and counters for JLPT N4 and N5.
Subject: Vocabulary / Phrases
Bunpo is a Japanese grammar study app covering JLPT N5 to N1, it’s seriously packed with content—and the polished illustrations and UI are a nice touch too!
When you launch the app, choose a JLPT level or basic kana lesson (the app also teaches hiragana/katakana if you’re a beginner). You’ll see a collection of cards containing grammar lessons you can study and review in any order.
First, … [ Read more ]
Subjects: Apps, Grammar
This new online onomatopoeia encyclopedia aims to teach Japanese onomatopoeia using illustrations, videos, and English equivalents.
Each onomatopoeic word is categorized into one of more than twenty-five different categories. Clicking on a word brings up a detailed page that includes pronunciation with audio, a short explanation, tags, example sentences, and images. These images either directly use the term or represent what it’s used for (or … [ Read more ]
Source: “Imaginary Sound Creations” | Subject: Vocabulary / Phrases
JLPT Stories is a new podcast and companion site based in Shinjuku that provides stories in Japanese, labeled with their intended JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) level. Each three to four minute story is written and read by a native Japanese speaker at normal speed.
On the website, JLPT Stories provides Japanese transcripts for the stories, with grammar points relating to each story’s JLPT level highlighted … [ Read more ]
Subjects: Grammar, JLPT Exam, Video / Audio
Jishonari is an online Japanese dictionary divided into three panels:
Subjects: Language Study, Translate
Japan has released some legendary, heartfelt, strange, fantastical, and horrifying films over the decades. They’re also a great learning tool! So, here are the very best Japanese films to watch and learn Japanese from movies.
Author: Caitlin Sacasas | Source: “Fluent in 3 Months” | Subjects: Arts & Entertainment, Japan, Video / Audio
Manga Sensei offers multiple free options for learning Japanese, including a daily grammar podcast, a daily Kanji video on YouTube, a 30 day basic grammar challenge, and an original manga strip that teaches different grammar and cultural lessons. The latter follows the Yamaguchi Family as they travel Japan and meet interesting characters and grow up. Each weekly theme is written by Japanese natives for all … [ Read more ]
Subjects: General, Grammar, Kanji, Language Study
Manga Club is a site that posts officially licensed manga free with ads. But we’re not telling you about it because free manga is great; they recently added the ability to easily switch between Japanese and English with the press of a button!
Now you can read free manga without needing to choose whether to buy Japanese, English, or both, if you want to use them … [ Read more ]
Subject: Reading Material
This forty minute video by YouTuber Misa from Japanese Ammo might be one of the only resources titled “ultimate” and “the only lesson you need” that I actually believe. Misa breaks down the particles は and が and explains the differences in depth with multiple examples and on-screen text and translations.
は and が can be a major struggle for English … [ Read more ]
Sources: “Japanese Ammo”, “YouTube” | Subjects: Grammar, Video / Audio
There are tons of Japanese reference and learning apps out there, so if this one looks familiar to you, don’t worry. That’s because it isn’t new at all. It’s been around on iOS since 2008.
But Japanese has undergone some major changes recently and is now the shiny, new version 4!
This app has a ton of new content:
Sources: “Renzo Inc.”, “Tofugu” | Subjects: Apps, Language Study, Miscellaneous | Other, Translate
Pulling material from both NHK News and Hukumusume, TangoRisto allows users to make the most of their reading experience with unique features, customizable vocabulary lists, and easy Japanese dictionary lookup.
When you open the app, you’re given a few options to choose from:
NHK News Easy is Japanese news written for kids – think … [ Read more ]
Author: Javier Artiles | Source: “Tofugu” | Subjects: Apps, Language Study, Reading Material, Vocabulary / Phrases
Kanshudo is the fastest and most enjoyable way to learn and remember the Japanese kanji and written Japanese generally. Whatever your current level of Japanese ability, Kanshudo will help you improve, with assessment tools such as our unique visualization of your kanji ability, the Kanji Wheel, games such as Kanji Match and Word Match, the Kanji Quiz, fun and engaging Beginner lessons and Intermediate lessons, … [ Read more ]
Author: Jonathan Kirk | Subjects: General, Language Study, Software / Tools, Translate
In this series, Tofugu asks learners what Japanese learning resources and methods they use to study and why. Today, we talk to Jonathan Kirk, the guy who made the popular kanji learning app, *Kanshudo*. Jonathan focused on building up his reading skill first (which led him to create his kanji learning system). So if you want to boost your Japanese reading ability, pay attention.
Editor’s Note: … [ Read more ]
Author: Jonathan Kirk | Source: “Tofugu” | Subjects: Language Learning Tips, Language Study, Software / Tools
Ross at Japanistry has created a Japanese language school database that contains the latest school information and lets you search by a range of criteria (location, course type, accommodation criteria) so that you can find the best school quickly and easily. According to Ross, there are a few other databases out there at the moment but they unfortunately contain dated information or are not easily … [ Read more ]
Source: “Japanistry” | Subject: Schools
Editor’s Note: I post this despite the protests I know it will inspire in many. It is a strange, but interesting piece. As the author states at the end, the essay is a joke and should be taken like one. Anyway, I don’t specifically endorse anything said but neither do I apologize for posting it.
So You Want To Learn Japanese.
You’ve eaten at a few Japanese … [ Read more ]
Subject: Articles
Typing in BOTH Japanese and English WITHOUT switching between the two in IME.
Switching IME modes is a real pain. Have you ever wondered if there is a better way? Well, there is. Actually there are two ways:
Subject: Language Learning Tips