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Your Starting Point
Being realistic with where you're at and how long it's going to take you to reach your goal is really important in maintaining motivation. You won't be fluent in 3 months, it's just not possible. But that doesn't mean you won't be fluent one day!
For me, I've been studying, at varying degree's of intensity, for about 3 years and just tried the JLPT N2 for the first time in December 2024. The JLPT isn't the best test for judging your Japanese level since it has no written or speaking component, but it can be a good motivator to at least study and approximately judge your level. Either way, I don't think I passed this time 😅
But to get this far, I feel like I’ve tried every app, website, class and textbook out there. So to save you the trouble, I've narrowed down the best apps, textbooks, classes, and other methods so that you don't have to. Whether you’re starting at nothing, or also aiming for N2, here are some of my favourite resources and strategies to help us all reach our goals for Japanese this year!
The Best Apps And Websites For Studying Japanese
Renshu
This app (or website, but the app is better) is the ultimate resource that tailors the experience to you. You can choose your study path based on what textbook your using or what test you are studying for. And if you already know a word, you can flag either how well you know it or choose not to study it. Like many language learning apps (for example, WaniKani or competitor Memrise who I used before switching to Renshu) it also uses spaced repetition. You can study vocab, grammar, setnence structure and kanji, and while studying kanji it has the added bonus of showing stroke order and you can practice drawing it on your screen. Plus it has pictures and mnemonics, which both help me a lot!
Pros:
- One stop shop for learning Japanese.
- Has a cute character you can level up by learning.
- Let’s you learn what’s relevant to you only.
- Has games to make learning more fun.
- It's free.
Cons:
- Very few! All I can think of is that If you don’t pay, you get less examples.
WaniKani
I can only learn kanji with WaniKani. Nothing else works. It's the number one kanji learning resource touted by everyone I know but with one major caveat—make sure you start it early.
If you are around N4 level reading or below, this is my top kanji and vocab memorization recommendation. Why N4 and below only? You can't skip any levels, because how they teach the kanji builds on stories that won't make sense if you start half way through. So if you aren't a complete beginner, the first couple of levels may be review. But, the kanji also doesn’t follow the order kanji is usually taught in, so I’m pretty confident you will still come across new kanji and vocabulary and it’s worth your time. However, if you're already an N3 reading level or above, it may not be for you unless you are in for some serious revision.
Pro’s:
- It works. I don’t know what else to tell you, it just does.
- Some of the stories are pretty funny.
- First 4 levels are free.
Con’s:
- If you’re already N3 level or higher, its probably not worth your time to start it.
- You will eventually have to pay for it.
- Doesn't have an app, only a website.
Migii JLPT
This app is for JLPT prep, and it does a really good job at specifically that. You can practice all the sections, (listening, reading, kanji, grammar) and it creates a study roadmap depending on what level and when you want to write it. It also has full practice tests on top of many practice questions.
Pros:
- Great for practice questions in the style of JLPT.
- The free version has a lot of content.
- Has a great dictionary.
- Has trial exams and exam information.
Cons:
- It’s boring.
Easy Japanese
Todai Easy Japanese is my favourite app (or website) for practicing reading comprehension. Basically, it’s a news app. But in Japanese and tailored for language learners. You can pick your level, and read recent news articles based on that level. It also underlines JLPT vocabulary, and if you don't know a word just tap it and it’ll tell you the definition.
Pro’s:
- Is actual recent news articles, so unlimited new material every day.
- Articles have questions at the end to test your comprehension.
- Super easy to do whenever you have time, on the train, etc.
Cons:
- You can only read 3 articles per day for free.
Falou
Falou is the only app I feel like does a good job with speaking. You learn by going through set conversations the app has created for different situations. I like that the situations are generally common scenarios you'll encounter with friends, travelling or at work, so you don't waste any time learning sentences you'll never use.
Pro's:
- The conversations you practice are generally full of useful phrases you will actually get a chance to use
- The app makes you answer in a variety of ways to help you really memorise the phrases (reading, repeating, writing, and just answering with no prompt)
Con's:
- Sometimes it won't let you pass a word no matter how you say it. But you can skip if needed.
- You have to pay to use it
The Best Textbooks For Learning Japanese
For Beginners: Genki I and Genki II
The Genki textbooks are the classic first textbooks. I’ve tried some other ones, but Genki is my favourite. They are really easy to follow, and have English explanations throughout. Some people swear by only learning in Japanese from the start, but for me? I need the English explanations. These two textbooks can take you through JLPT N5 and almost N4, so they are all you should need for your first year or two of studying!
Pros:
- Structured and comprehensive. They cover all the basic grammar points and vocabulary.
- Widely used, so it’s easy to find other learning apps or resources that supplement Genki. Many online tutors also teach from these texts.
Cons:
- Focuses a lot on student life, so a lot of the vocabulary and examples feel tailored to this. Not the best if your not a student.
- Focuses more on written Japanese, and doesn’t prioritize spoken communication practice as much. So definitely pair with a tutor or some other outlet for speaking practice!
- Doesn’t really teach kanji.
Intermediate: Dekiru Nihongo 1 - Intermediate Level
This one I used in my classes, and think it’s a great textbook for this purpose. It has a big variety of examples, and the dialogues are really good.
Pros:
- Focuses on practical communication, emphasizing spoken Japanese for daily life situations.
- Audio materials are included, but it’s a CD (Reevaluating if this should be a con…)
Cons:
- Grammar explanations are really limited. You’re basically expected to be able to understand from showing you situations. I find this difficult, so I’m often researching for better explanations or more examples.
- Less vocabulary focus. Vocabulary is still introduced within contexts, but not as systematically as Genki. However, this is an intermediate textbook so to me, this makes sense.
JLPT Prep: Nihongo So-Matome
Nihongo So-Matome is a series of JLPT prep books. Each JLPT level has books to cover each part of the test (Kanji, Vocabulary, Grammar and Reading Comprehension). They also have some support books for things like learning comprehension and kanji reading charts. I only buy the vocabulary and grammar ones as I use WaniKani for Kanji and prefer reading Manga or news if I'm going to practice reading, but if you want to prepare seriously for the JLPT, I'd recommend buying at least the 4 books to cover each test section.
Pros:
- It’s specifically designed for JLPT preparation with JLPT format and question types.
- Explanations are short and concise for efficient review (keyword being review).
- Variety of practice exercises to tests different skills needed for the JLPT exam.
Cons:
- Focuses primarily on written test-taking skills, not conversation.
- You can’t really use it by itself. You would need a class, or another textbook to really dive deeper in the explanations and give you more context to understand harder grammar points.
- It’s boring and repetitive.
Best Option For Online Classes
Speaking practice is really the most important part of learning a language, so just using an app or a textbook isn’t going to get you very far if your goal is to speak Japanese. But finding classes while also working full time can be really tough, even if you live in Japan, so here are my top recommendations depending on your goals and situation.
iTalki
iTalki is my top recommendation for online learning. Specifically for conversation practice iTalki is really good, but I've also found tutors who teach lessons just as good or if not better than actual school.
Pro’s:
- Full flexibility to book at any time of the day
- Affordable options
- A significant pool of teachers to choose from until you can find the right fit
- Massive range in styles of classes offered
- Both professional teachers and just every day people to practice with, depending on your goals
- No requirement to sign up for an entire course, or pay an entry fee
Cons:
- Lack of commitment can make it hard to stick with it
Best Options For Evening Classes In Tokyo
If you’re already in Tokyo, then I also have some schools you can attend in person! Surprisingly, there are actually very few schools that offer evening courses for working professionals. But I’ve tried quite a few now and these are my top two:
Casual learning: Coto Academy
Coto is great for someone looking to just go once a week to get some basic practice in. Will you gain fluency only going to class one a week? No. But if you also study a lot out of class, or are just looking to get down the basics, this is a great option. You can sign up on a subscription basis month by month, or pre-buy credits you can use for classes at any time.
Pros:
- Flexible course plans depending
- Casual learning environment
- Great online resources
- Small class size
Cons:
- Per hour, it’s a bit expensive
- No group option for intensive classes
Intensive learning: ISI Japanese Language School
Full disclosure, I started at Coto but then moved to ISI. Not because I didn't like the classes at Coto, but I felt like I was never going to progress fast enough with only Coto. Coto was a good starting point, but if you want a serious class tailored towards business professionals, ISI is the place.
Pros:
- Really cheap when looked at the per hour cost
- Great location (the evening courses are in Harajuku)
- 4 nights a week, so you basically are a full time language school student
Cons:
- Large gaps between class levels
- 4 nights a week, if you’re also working full time, can be very tiring
- You have to pay for your entire chosen term (min 4 weeks, max 10 weeks) up front.
Best Options For Full Time Japanese Language Study
If you’re living in or wanting to move to Japan purely to study Japanese, then you have a lot more options. I’ve never done this personally, but everything you need is on GoGoNihon! So check them out, they do a great rundown of all the schools and help you enroll as well all for free. I've heard good things about the Shinjuku Japanese Language Institute, and can also say that my evening school (ISI) also has a day program which I imagine is just as good!
Other resources: Japanese in real life!
Learning a language needs to be fun or you’re never going to do it. And for me at least, it’s not fun to only use textbooks. Finding ways to bring the Japanese language into your daily life is key, and you don’t have to be living in Japan to do it!
My favourite strategies are:
Manga:
This is more of an advanced strategy, but once you are at an intermediate level (N3 ish), starting to read manga is a great way to practice reading and naturally come across new vocabulary and kanji. I’m reading Tokyo Aliens in Japanese right now and it’s 10/10 more fun than practicing reading through aps or the textbook.
Games:
I am also playing an old Zelda game (The Ocarina of Time) on 3ds in Japanese. Games are great, particularly games aimed at all ages/elementary school students. The text has spaces between words for easy readability, furigana for all kanji, and lots of words are just Katakana so that’s great for lower level readers.
Music:
There is so much great music in Japanese in every genre. Learning to sing a couple songs is a great way to get comfortable with saying Japanese words out loud, and if you learn them karaoke style, it can really improve your reading speed. I recommend picking one song per month and committing to learning it!
So there you have it! I will be using all of the methods above to try to reach my goal of N2 in 2025, and hope at least a couple of them are helpful for you too! 2025 is our year, 皆さん、頑張りましょう！
