This page is a collection of the ultimate and best resources for learning Japanese!
I’m aiming to collect all the tools you need to learn Japanese right here on this one page.
I try to share as many free Japanese learning resources as possible, although there are also some paid products that I highly recommend.
The list is updated every time I find a great new resource that will help you kick start your Japanese studies! Know a great tool or resource that I don’t already have here? Please let me know and I’ll include it in the next update 🙂
Best online Japanese courses
There are literally thousands of audio lessons to choose from, which will take you from complete beginner to highly advanced. You'll never get bored or run out of study material with this highly recommended course!
Sign up for your free lifetime account and see for yourself!
Learn spoken Japanese with an effective, structured course of audio lessons.
- Very effective at teaching speaking and listening
- Great for studying on-the-go, for example while driving
- Reading and writing lessons are an afterthought
Best resources for Japanese reading and writing
Learn kanji the easy way by mastering radicals - the building blocks of kanji. By the end, you’ll master over 75% of the must-know joyo kanji!
I created my own blank Japanese grid paper for writing practice. There are two different designs - grid paper for practising your characters, and genkouyoushi paper for compositions. Download and print as much as you need for free!
My bumper list of resources to practice your Japanese writing, at beginner, intermediate and advanced level.
My most popular blog post of all time! I've collected dozens of free websites to get your Japanese reading practice, from beginner to advanced level.
Manabi reader app
This app is awesome for Japanese reading practice on the go. It lets you read any text with furigana on the kanji. You can also click on selected words to get a dictionary definition, and then add them to your personal word bank for review. You can choose from their selected texts (news, blogs or folktales), or enter your own url to read any website through the app. Sadly it’s iPhone only at the moment.
Best resources for Japanese speaking and listening
Find native Japanese tutors for 1-on-1 private online lessons or conversation practice.
- 100s of teachers to choose from, with various specialisms and price ranges
- Easy online scheduling to suit you
- $10 free credit with our link
- No free trial
Learn Japanese watching authentic native video content, with interactive subtitles.
- Good variety of content in different genres
- Click on subtitles for instant definition and add to flashcards
- Subtitles have kanji, furigana and romaji options
- Not the cheapest
Learn Japanese watching real TV shows with clickable subtitles for instant translations.
- Fun way to study
- Includes selected Netflix shows
- 65% off Lingopie annual plan for Team Japanese readers!
- Content more limited than FluentU
- No kana/furigana option in subtitles
Check out this blog post for dozens of resources (free and paid) to practise your Japanese listening skills, from free websites to audio courses, podcasts and YouTube channels to radio stations and Japanese TV shows. I guarantee you'll find some new ideas!
Check out my smart list of ways to get Japanese speaking practice - yes, even if you study on your own! From clever self-study techniques to improve your fluency and pronunciation, to apps and websites to find real-life conversational partners - there are plenty of ways to get speaking.
My recommended Japanese Youtube channels to follow for Japanese listening practice. I include channels for complete beginners up to advanced level students, whether you want to learn grammar, conversation, Japanese songs, learn about Japanese culture or more.
Check out my ultimate list of free Japanese podcast recommendations, whether you are a complete beginner or an advanced learner looking for native Japanese content.
Best Japanese grammar resources
Comprehensive and completely free guide to Japanese grammar. Available online, or as a free pdf or app.
If you're old school and prefer a proper physical reference book to look things up in, this series of grammar guides is one of the best.
Other great Japanese learning resources
HiNative
Practise your Japanese writing skills by posting in Japanese. Your writing will be corrected by a native speaker.
rikaikun, rikaichan
Awesome browser extensions to help you read Japanese online. Simply hover over a Japanese word and a mini dictionary entry will pop up. rikaikun is for Chrome, rikaichan is for Firefox.
Jisho
This is a great free online dictionary which has search functions for kanji, sample sentences, and Japanese names, in addition to normal words.
imiwa?
My favourite Japanese dictionary app for iPhone and iPad.
Where to buy Japanese language materials online
Fantastic selection of Japanese books, study materials, stationery, gifts and more. Ships directly from Japan to almost any country in the world. Can't find what you need in their shop? They'll buy and ship any item from Japan for you through their proxy service.
Amazon.com
Amazon will probably be your best choice for any Japanese textbooks and study guides. They also have an ever-growing assortment of books in Japanese and bilingual books.
Amazon.co.jp
If you’re looking for a book published in Japan, you might have more luck on Amazon.co.jp. They will ship anywhere in the world – although of course, shipping will be more expensive. Some of the site is translated into English.
What are your top resources for learning Japanese? Let me know and I’ll update our list.
Rebecca is the founder of Team Japanese. She spent two years teaching English in Ehime, Japan. Now back in the UK, she spends her time blogging, self-studying Japanese and wrangling a very genki toddler.