The Ultimate Additional Japanese Resources List!

Japanese Language Resources
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This post is a list of Japanese resources and stands as a collaborative wiki gathered by the WaniKani Community. If there’s a resource you feel is missing from the list, please add it by clicking the edit :memo: button above. Include an edit reason by clicking the :information_source: button at the top of the edit window.

Many of the resources here are free, however, the ones that aren’t are marked with a dollar sign $ or otherwise noted. Click on the triangle symbol ► to open a section’s resources.

Table of Contents

Getting Started

  • :white_flower: Kana
    • General Resources
  • :books: Textbooks and Grammar
    • Online
    • Paid Online
    • Physical Textbooks
    • References
  • :ideograph_advantage: Kanji
    • General Resources
    • Physical
    • WaniKani Community Resources

Tools

  • :blue_book: Online Dictionaries
    • Japanese to English
    • Japanese to Japanese
    • Alternate Dictionaries
  • :notebook: General Practice and Tests
    • General Resources
    • Anki Decks
    • Kitsun Decks
    • Memrise Courses
  • :iphone: Software
    • General Resources
    • Browser Extensions
    • Input Method Editor (IME)

Immersion

  • :eyes: Reading
    • WaniKani Community Guides
    • Social Book Cataloguing Websites
    • Readers
    • Manga, Books, and Other Publications
    • News
    • Blogs and Other Articles
  • :black_nib: Writing
    • Digital
    • Physical
  • :speaking_head: Speaking
    • Online Resources
    • Paid Resources
  • :ear: Listening
    • Free Online
    • Podcasts
    • Paid Audio Courses
    • YouTube

Other Resources

  • :jp: Resource Portals and Learning Networks
    • General Resources
  • :bullettrain_front: Additional Resources
    • General Resources
  • :tofugu: A guide to learning Japanese by Tofugu
    • General Resources
  • :shinto_shrine: Culture
    • Blogs
    • YouTube
    • Japanese News (in English)
    • Other

Getting Started

For new WaniKani users, check out the official Onboarding Series from the WaniKani Knowledge Guide. For community knowledge on completing WaniKani effectively, see the Wanikani Strategy Hub.

💮 KANA

Taking your first step in your Japanese learning journey.

Physical workbooks

📚 TEXTBOOKS AND GRAMMAR

Resources in this section teach Japanese grammar. Beginner grammar studies are a lot easier when you know around 200-300 kanji (about level 10 on WaniKani).

Online:

YouTube:

Online, in Japanese only:

Paid online:

Physical textbooks:
Physical textbooks can be purchased from Amazon; the links below are to the textbook publisher’s or author’s official website, unless otherwise unavailable.

Intermediate and Advanced:

㊙️ KANJI

“Learning kanji is hard.”

Physical:

WaniKani Community resources:

  • KaniWani WaniKani reverse vocab EN → JP
  • KameSame WaniKani reverse vocab EN → JP using Japanese Keyboard Layout

Anki decks for Kanji not covered by WaniKani:


Tools

📘 ONLINE DICTIONARIES

English:
Japanese–English (和英)

Japanese:
National (国語)

English–Japanese and Japanese–English (英和・和英)

  • Goo Progressive Dictionary 英和辞典・和英辞典 - also expand vocabularies in a progressive way
  • Weblio 英和・和英辞典 - can also search for sentences

Alternate dictionaries:

Sentence resources:

📓 GENERAL PRACTICE AND TESTS

Tests:
For more detailed descriptions of the tests please refer to this thread.

  • JLPT - The standard Japanese proficiency test
  • J-CAT - A short computerized adaptive tests
  • J-Test - All around proficiency test offered in East Asia
  • Kanji Kentei - A kanji proficiency test

Tools

📱 SOFTWARE

Spaced repetition systems:

Browser extensions:
Browser-based Japanese dictionary extensions.

Input Method Editor (IME):
Type in Japanese!


Immersion

👀 READING

WaniKani Community guides:

Social Book Cataloguing Websites:

Readers:

Manga, books, and other publications:
Online:

Parallel texts:

Children’s Books and Young Adult Fiction:

News:

Blogs and other articles:

✒️ WRITING

Digital:

Physical:

  • Kanji.sh
    For downloading printable handwriting practice worksheets
  • Simple Writing Practice Sheets
    Writing practice sheets with katakana (for onyomi readings) or hiragana (for kunyomi) of all WK kanji grouped in 5 level chunks. There are also worksheets for kana writing and calligraphy practice.
🗣️ SPEAKING

Online:

Paid online:

Shadowing:
Online:

Physical:

👂 LISTENING

Online:

  • Speechling – Listening Comprehension Practice
  • Erin’s Challenge! I can speak Japanese. - This site has good content so don’t be deterred by the dated interface. The interface is in English and provides video skits of native speakers with the option to turn on English, romaji, hiragana, or full kanji subtitles. They offer both Basic skits and Advanced skits and the speakers speak clearly but fast. A good source to really tune your ear better.
  • Wasabi Read-Aloud - The read-aloud section has narrated short stories and podcasts with scripts and translations. It has the option to adjust the narration speed.
  • Delvin - Delvin combines listening exercises with adaptive vocabulary review, fueled by clips from real videos.
  • 遠くのごきんじょさん (The Far Away Neighbour) - Chapter 1 of a short children’s story written & narrated by the band BRIDEAR

Podcasts:

  • バイリンガルニュース :green_apple: :satellite:
    News show hosted by an English and a Japanese speaker. They each speak in their own language.
  • ひいきびいき :green_apple: :satellite: ・ [Backup Available]
    Two presenters discuss their current favourite things in a casual style. Topics cover a wide range - from curry to studying to newly released game consoles.
  • そこあに :green_apple: :satellite:
    Anime themed podcast
  • 荻上チキ・Session-22
    Interviews and reports on current events and issues. Called by some the “This American Life” of Japan (not quite).
  • The Lifestyle Museum :green_apple: :satellite:
    Hosted by Peter Barakan, this show has short 30-minute interviews with artists, writers, world whistling champions (?) and everything in between.
  • ラジオ版 学問ノススメ
    Similar to “The Lifestyle Museum”, but with longer interviews and a more in-depth coverage of issues. Guests in this show include more poets, novelists, philosophers, etc.
  • Rebuild.fm :green_apple: :satellite:
    Tech show hosted by programmer Tatsuhiko Miyagawa, of CPAN fame. Shows are long (1~2 hour) unstructured conversations with friends and colleagues about recent issues in tech.
  • Nihongo Con Teppei
    Teppei Sensei talks about everyday subjects using simple (approx N4 level) Japanese. 11 minute episodes are great for a quick bit of listening practice.
  • Hapa英会話 Podcast
    Aimed at Japanese learners of English. Bilingual host translates short English conversations with guest speakers into Japanese.

Paid audio courses:

YouTube:

  • A list of some Youtube channels that might help you
  • Pokemon Grammar - Learn grammar while playing Pokemon!
  • Nihongonomori Japan Learn Japanese grammar with native speakers. Starts at a very beginner level.
  • Lets Learn Japanese Narrated in English but does skits of native Japanese. There are transcripts and vocab provided in PDFs in the video info. Listening is good, however, scripts are in romaji.
  • toco toco TV Interviews with artists (game directors, mangaka, comedians) who talk about their work and offer a guide to their local area. Later videos have English subs.
  • トップランキング and 電撃ランキング Ranking channels. Huge variety of topics but each features the top ten styles familiar to viewers of Watch Mojo etc making them easy to dip in and out of.
  • jstsciencechannel Videos with scientific themes.
  • 三本塾Sambon Juku Videos in easy to understand Japanese explaining various grammar points from various levels, such as the difference between は and が. JLPT 3 to 1 each has a playlist. Also general talk videos on specific topics.
  • おかね的日本語教室
    Videos themed around different scenarios. Also Live video as well. Videos are in easy-to-understand Japanese.
  • Onomappu Japanese native speaks casually in Japanese, about learning Japanese, culture, and using Onomatopoeia. Choice of JP subtitles, JP & EN, and often other languages.
  • Benjiro - Beginner Japanese’s Japanese Conversations
  • Comprehensible Japanese - Japanese learning videos based on the CI (Comprehensible Input) method.
  • NHK Easy Japanese Lessons

Other Resources

🇯🇵 RESOURCE PORTALS AND LEARNING NETWORKS
🚅 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Other Software:

  • Kakitai Windows 10/8.1 app for learning kanji by writing. (Tablet and pen recommended.)
  • KanjiTomo identifies Japanese characters from images.
  • JMdict and JMnedict for Kindle a dictionary for Kindle including pronunciations and example sentences

Apps and games:
Android and iOS:

Android:

iOS:

Japanese learning games:

Other resource sites:

Spaced-Repetition Decks:
Anki decks:

Kitsun decks: ($ - 14-day free trial)

Memrise courses:

⛩️ CULTURE

Blogs:

Tofugu
  • Visit Site
    General culture and language blog. The people behind Tofugu are also the creators of Wanikani and Textfugu. Their culture blog has a lot of interesting articles about quirky things in Japan as well as a number of helpful language articles.
What Japan Thinks
  • Visit Site
    A general culture blog. This site has articles related to Japanese culture and more uniquely random statistics and surveys about Japanese people.
Metropolis
  • Visit Site
    Metropolis is an online magazine that focuses on “upcoming events and exhibitions.” There are many features about art, music, bars, and festivals.
Nihon Shock
  • Visit Site
    An English blog that has articles on travel destinations as well as some language learning articles.
Japanese Rule of 7
  • Visit Site
    A blog about life in Japan, working in Japan and learning Japanese.

YouTube:

Cultural Comparisons & Japanese Reaction Channels
  • Bobbyjudo - He is an American living in Japan and does a lot of videos in Japanese targeted at Japanese People. He does some teaching English and answers Japanese questions about culture in other countries. He also likes to discuss different words and phrases and between English and Japanese.
  • PDR - A half British/ Japanese narrator. Among other things some interesting playlists are, “Being Biracial in Japan” and “Convenience Store Stories.” The videos are in Japanese, but you can turn on English subtitles. The videos are funny and the narration is good.
  • Rachel and Jun - Narrated by a Japanese/American couple. They have a lot of videos about cultural differences and there is a lot to learn. The narration is good and the videos are amusing.
  • That Japanese Man Yuta - Yuta, a native Japanese man, goes around Japan interviewing Japanese people on certain topics. Narrated in English, but interviewees in Japanese.
Life in Japan Channels
  • Micaela - Life in Southern Japan. Narrated in English. The experience of a Canadian girl who moved to Fukuoka Prefecture. Good narration and nice video shots of Japan.
  • QuickRhino - Has a “Life in Japan” playlist. This guy is a study abroad student living in Tokyo. His videos are him talking into the camera and discussing his personal experiences which is a lot of his blunders while living in Japan.
  • Sharla in Japan / Sharmander - Follows a girl who lived in Japan for 10 years. She does videos in both Japanese and English, with either subtitles. The narration is good the videos have a lot of good shots of the shops, food, and places. She does “Day in My Life in Japan” and “Getting to Japan,” in which she explains how you can study and live in Japan. Sharmander is her more general station which still has videos on Japan but all in English.
  • Strawberry Mochi - The videos are in English and follow an English teacher living in Japan. Her “Travel and Hotspots” playlist has a lot of interesting tourist places and festivals with good shots of the area. These have good information for traveling and she narrates on information and history. She also has more personal playlists such as “Tips and Stories” and “Culture.”
  • Taylor R - Canadian native living in Tokyo. The videos are in English. She does a lot on her personal lifestyle, like workout, clothes and products, and cooking. The videos and narration are good.
  • Eurodias - A British high school student’s life in Japan.
  • Gimmeaflakeman - Vlogs about life in Japan from the perspective of an American family man who has lived in the country for 25 years.
  • Tokidoki Traveller - An Australian girl vlogging about her Tokyo city life.
  • Tomoko Tomoko - Improvised Japanese lessons, cultural comparisons, and yoga videos.
  • Texan in Tokyo - Vlogs following a Texan living in Tokyo with her Japanese husband. Hilarious, cute, and amazing videos on Japanese culture and the couple’s life in Tokyo. No longer active due to plans of starting a family.
  • Ericsurf6 - An older man living in Japan with his Japanese family. Vlogs about food, Eric Meal Time, his travels, and other activities.
  • Life Where I’m From - “gives interesting and educational insight into the everyday, special events and uniquely Japanese aspects of life in Japan.” often from the perspective of YouTuber Greg Lam’s children as they go about their everyday. Both cute and educational.

Japanese News (in English):

Other:

  • Niconico - Video site for anime-style music and video games. Seems to be most popular for anime music. The community is in Japanese and has some Japanese tags and titles

Immigrating to Japan:

:tofugu: A guide to learning Japanese by Tofugu:


Notes:

Some links may be outdated, broken, or a service is no longer available. If you find a broken link feel free to update or fix it, if a resource is no longer available or has drastically changed its function, please make a post in the thread about it.

This list is an updated version of an archived original post by @Aikibujin.

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@Shiawase Are you still editing or can I go ahead and work on the formatting?

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Please go ahead! I was just getting it going. :slight_smile:

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Alright, I’ve done all I’m going to do for today. If anyone wants to change anything the light is green.

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@polv You might want to check that no new edit has been made before you commit. Just refresh and see if the number of edits has gone up. You overwrote one of my edits before and @hinekidori’s right now

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I am really sorry about that. BTW, I have found the way to browse through earlier version anyway.

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Fixed the link again. :smile:

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Ooh I think I need to fix that link, I was just adding a section while someone was updating, let me see

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Don’t worry. I can add that back “View earlier versions” → raw.

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Okay I see, thanks ^-^

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It would be nice if you wrote reasons (click the add reason thingy over the edit text box) to your edits. I mean, seeing something like “Added a manga section” would be cool.

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I love this. Thanks so much for compiling this into one place!

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Yeah, I agree. I just did a small update and it helps to quickly track what it was.

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Thank you very much for this compilation
It is of great help :smiley:

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Added a few myself (and made sure to include edit reason, thanks for mentioning that!)

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I don’t know where it is, but @BreadstickNinja has at least one Memrise course, I think… Might’ve been a grammar one.
(I haven’t delved into Memrise at all, myself… but I’ve seen it mentioned/linked before…)

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For the Youtube section, there was a big list of channels someone made in the past, archived now: https://community.wanikani.com/t/In-Case-Anyone-Needs-Some-Listening-Practice-on-Youtube-a-Megalist-of-Japanese-Youtubers/15216

Maybe a bit extensive to add to this list, but I don’t want to pick which ones to add since I haven’t really watched any of them. :slight_smile: Thought I’d link it though if anyone’s interested

This one: Online Japanese (Kanji) Courses - Memrise: The Easiest way to Speak Japanese (Kanji)
There’s also this one: Online Japanese (Kanji) Courses - Memrise: The Easiest way to Speak Japanese (Kanji)

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Also @namste gave some good recommendations in the recent JLPT Listening thread for some Japanese Let’s Play people. Not sure if we want to link those, or point to that thread/post…???

I’m thinking of adding an Android App (game) now.

EDIT: Editing done. Not 100% sure if that description is accurate enough for Kanji Connect.

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rfindley recommends 80/20Japanese.

It is a paid service.

I also listed some other ones a while ago. I don’t think they are all mentioned here.

I’ll add those that are not listed, if no one objects.