If you are on the journey of learning Japanese, congratulations! It is a hugely rewarding language to pick up, whether you are planning that long-dreamed-of trip to Tokyo, tackling NCEA, or simply keen to master a new skill.
These days, we’re lucky to have so many fantastic resources available online, and with so many good language learning apps available – literally at our fingertips. To make your life easier, we have put together a list of our favourite apps and websites—a true ‘dream team’ of digital tools that our tutors think can help seriously boost your study between lessons. Let’s dive in:
First up, it’s the OG and one app that we’re sure most visitors to our site have tried or use on a regular basis, Duolingo.
Duolingo: The Daily Habit Builder
- Best for: Absolute beginners who want an app-based learning guide, and who don’t mind owl-based reminders every day(!?)
- Why we like it: Duolingo is a great way to build a simple, daily study habit. Its game-like approach keeps things engaging, and the bite-sized lessons mean you can complete a quick session while waiting for the bus or taking a break. While it will not teach you conversational fluency on its own, it’s a brilliant kick-start for learning basic vocabulary and grammar structures. It helps you get those initial fundamentals sorted, which is a massive win for building confidence!
Memrise: Handy App Good For Whole Sentence Learning & Conversation
- Best for: An app-based programme for beginners and intermediate learners
- Why we like it: This is another good app for beginners and intermediate learners. We’ve found it can be a little more useful than Duolingo for learning whole sentences, and its video-based native language speaker segments can be really helpful for learning pronunciation a little more effectively than with Duolingo.
Watanoc: Real-World Reading Practice
- Best for: Practising reading Japanese text in context.
- Why we like it: Moving from textbook sentences to real, natural Japanese can be a bit challenging. Watanoc is a fantastic bridge. It offers articles and stories with an amazing feature: if you click a word, it highlights that word everywhere else in the text and gives you the definition. It is a straightforward way to tackle new vocabulary and see how grammar is actually used in proper sentences. If you are looking for an alternative to flashcards, check out Watanoc.
NHK Easy Japanese News: Staying Current
- Best for: Intermediate learners looking to improve listening and reading on current topics.
- Why we like it: The news does not have to be difficult, and NHK Easy Japanese News makes keeping up with current events accessible. It takes actual news articles from NHK (Japan’s public broadcaster) and rewrites them using simpler vocabulary and grammar. Best of all, it includes furigana (those tiny kana letters above kanji) to help with reading, and the articles often have audio, so you can train your listening comprehension at the same time. It is a stellar tool for seeing Japanese in action.
Tadoku: Extensive Reading Made Easy
- Best for: Building reading speed and confidence with graded readers.
- Why we like it: ‘Tadoku’ literally means ‘extensive reading,’ and this site is dedicated to the idea that you should read material that is just below your current level, so you can focus on speed and comprehension without stressing about every single word. The Tadoku Free Books page provides a huge library of excellent, free graded readers (short, simple stories) that you can download as PDFs. If you want to build your reading fluency, this is the place to start.
Tofugu: The Ultimate Knowledge Hub
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Best for: Finding the best learning path, deep grammar dives, and reviews.
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Why we like it: Tofugu is much more than just an app; it is a massive, well-organised knowledge hub for the Japanese learner. If you are wondering what to study next, how to use a tricky grammar point, or which textbook is right for you, this is the place to go. Their articles are highly detailed, informative, and written in a fun, conversational style. They are brilliant for finding your next resource, getting detailed grammar explanations, or simply reading inspiring stories from other learners. It is an indispensable resource for anyone serious about personalising their long-term learning journey.
Quizlet: The Flashcard Boss
- Best for: Vocabulary, kanji, and phrase memorisation.
- Why we like it: Sometimes, you just need to get those vocab lists into your brain, and you cannot beat a well-organised flashcard system. Quizlet allows you to create your own study sets, or use sets created by others, covering everything from NCEA topics to JLPT lists. With its different study modes—like ‘Learn,’ ‘Flashcards,’ and ‘Test’—it turns the repetition of memorisation into a much more interactive and efficient learning programme.
Dr. Moku: Mastering the Scripts
- Best for: Learning Hiragana and Katakana quickly and painlessly.
- Why we like it: Before you can truly start reading, you need to get the two basic Japanese scripts down pat. Dr. Moku uses fun, memorable mnemonics (like little pictures or stories) to help you instantly recall each kana. It makes the initial challenge of learning 46 Hiragana and 46 Katakana feel much more manageable. It is a highly effective, game-based approach that helps solidify your reading and writing foundations quickly, which is crucial for moving on to all the other tools in this list.
So there you have it—our top tools to help you on your Japanese journey. We encourage you to try them out, see what suits your learning style, and remember to maintain that daily practice.
All of these tools are ideal for complementing your Japanese language lessons. Our tutors will recommend different resources, apps and websites according to your level, so you’re not overwhelmed with content outside of your level.
If you are finding you need a bit of personalised guidance on how to best use these tools, or you are ready to take the next step in conversational practice, get in touch to book a lesson with one of our fantastic tutors today! www.japanesetutor.co.nz/contact
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