If you’re super cool and observant, you may have noticed that the menu bar at the top of the site has changed. That’s because we’ve cleaned up the site a bit, updated the ancient About page, cut down on categories for articles and most importantly, added a new page to the site – Japanese Resources!

Ever since last year when Koichi wrote a post about the 100 Best Japanese Learning Resources, it’s been one of our most popular posts. There are tons of people out there who are looking to teach themselves Japanese, and we’ve always tried to help out by coming up with a list of our very favorite textbooks, websites and apps.

However, there were a few problems with that post. 100 is a lot of resources to look through and because of that, we weren’t really able to review each one in-depth. That’s why we’re proud to announce the launch of our Japanese Resources page.

We’ve taken the best of the best of our 100 best resources and added better reviews for each resource. Each review has lists of pros and cons, a summary, some opinions, pictures, and a final word on the resources itself. This page is (as the techy people would put it) a minimum viable product, meaning we want to get it out there, get a response, and figure out how to make it better. We’ll be adding new resources to it (hopefully) on a weekly-ish basis, making edits and things change, and trying to get it to be a super useful place for Japanese beginners to figure out what it is they want to use to start learning Japanese (choice is tough, brosef).

So what are you waiting for? Check it out! We’ve also set it up so you can “Like” the resources you personally like the best – We’re hoping it’s a good way to indicate what resources make people happy (without anyone taking advantage of some kind of polling features, since most people don’t have a hundred Facebook accounts). So, show us what resources are your favorite too by hitting “Like.”

[button link="http://www.tofugu.com/japanese-resources/"]Visit the Japanese Resources Page →[/button]

As mentioned before, we’ll be adding probably one or two new resources to the page each week (we know that as is this page doesn’t cover every good/popular Japanese resource out there). We’re making a huge list of future Japanese Resources, so if you have suggestions on what to add, too, let us know.

Want to know about updates to the page? You should follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook!

Way back in the day, I published a list of my 10 favorite (free) Japanese learning resources, which is great, but not as great as 100 Japanese learning resources. With a list this big, you’ll be able to procrastinate to your heart’s content, which is probably why you’re reading this blog and not learning Japanese instead.

This list has been broken up by category, that way you can find the things you’re most interested in quickly and easily (without having to scroll through the entire list). Within each category, I’ve listed resources starting with my favorites and working my way down. Those marked with a tofugu logo () are “Tofugu approved,” which mostly just means they’ll give you a warm and fuzzy feeling when using them (oh, and I would use the resource myself). Things that I just kinda-sorta like don’t get a sexy fish next to their names. But hey, we have a lot to go through, so let’s get to it.

Categories:

1. Japanese Textbooks
2. Hiragana / Katakana
3. Japanese Grammar
4. Kanji
5. Japanese Vocab
6. Japanese Dictionaries
7. Browser Add-ons
8. Japanese Learning Games
9. Social Learning
10. Multimedia Learning
11. Japanese Learning Software
12. Finding A Japanese Teacher
13. Google Resources
14. Reading Japanese
15. Japanese Resources Lists
16. Japanese Cheat Sheets

I know it’s a long list, but hopefully it will help you find what you’re looking for more effectively. If you decide to read everything on the top-10o list, good luck! Either way, I hope you find something new to add to your utility belt. Let’s get started!

The Best Japanese Textbooks

Traditionally, everyone learned from Textbooks. Although a lot of textbooks are getting a bit old, there’s a couple of good ones in here including (full disclosure) my own.

1. TextFugu

TextFugu is an online Japanese textbook designed specifically for self-learners of Japanese. As of this post, it’s still in its early stages of development, which means it’s pretty perfect for beginners / complete beginners, though intermediate / advanced learners won’t find much here (yet). What makes TextFugu unique is its focus on all the main issues that self-learners run into. With most resources, quitter-rate is between 80-90%. TextFugu’s much lower quitter-rate is thanks to the interesting content, personal feel, and focus on inspiration / motivation rather than the good ol’ fashioned content shotgun approach.

2. Genki’s Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese

When it comes to “traditional” textbooks, Genki is pretty darn good. Before TextFugu, this is what I recommended that people use. It does a good overall job of teaching someone Japanese, though the biggest problems usually only appear when you don’t have a teacher (or at least someone better at Japanese) to guide you. Some parts can be confusing and a big complicated, so if you’re planning on teaching yourself Japanese, expect to run into some (fairly minor) problems. Another issue I have with Genki is that the stories are really boring. Personally, not a fan of Mary and her dumb exchange student adventures.

3. Japanese For Busy People

Japanese For Busy People was a pretty terrible textbook a while back. They have, however, done a good job making things better in the third edition of their book. There’s still a bit lacking (though, hard to beat the $20 price tag…  you get what you pay for), and I think it moves a bit too quickly. Personally, I’d rather it teach me how to make my life less busy and stressful instead of trying to work around my already busy and stressful life. Still, all-in-all, you get quite a bit for the $20 it’ll cost you, which might make it a good deal for some.

4. Japanese For Everyone

Japanese For Everyone would have ranked higher… if it seemed like people could actually find the audio tapes associated with it. Either you’ll just have to go without the tapes (which is pretty boo boo if you ask me), or you’ll have to special order them from Japan. Either way, it’s not an ideal situation. The book itself is pretty good, and I’d rank it up with Genki… if it had the tapes.

5. Yokoso

Yokoso is going to be a lot better if used in a classroom. It lacks a lot of examples and isn’t organized too well. With a teacher, though, this textbook isn’t all that bad as long as your teacher fills in the gaps (which is, I’m guessing, why it’s so gappy). If you’re self-learning, I’d stay away from this book. If you’re not self learning, I might choose Genki instead. If you have no choice? Well, Yokoso is the best choice, then.

Resources For Learning Hiragana (and Katakana, too)

Hiragana, especially, is a big part of your early Japanese learning career. In fact, I’d say it’s the first thing you should learn. It sets a foundation for reading, pronunciation, and Japanese sentence structure. There are plenty of Japanese resources out there for learning Hiragana (and katakana), and here are my favorites.

1. Smart.fm’s “Master Hiragana” Deck

Smart.fm is a great way to learn Japanese vocabulary, but it’s also a great way to learn other things as well (including hiragana). Although this won’t help you learn how to write hiragana, it will help you learn how to read it. For the writing part, you’ll have to do it yourself, or use one of the other hiragana resources listed below.

2. NihongoUp’s Hiragana / Katakana Game

NihongoUp is a fun way to practice vocabulary, particles, and hiragana/katakana. Like Smart.fm, it won’t help you learn how to actually write the buggers, but it does do a good job helping you to remember them. There’s a free trial which should give you a good amount of time with the hiragana or katakana section. Using games to learn Japanese is definitely a great way to stay motivated (or take a break from the regular grind).

3. A piece of Paper and a Pen

You gotta learn how to write somehow, and it won’t happen on your computer. To learn how to read and write, it’s important that you actually do it. You can integrate this with your flashcard learning as well. Every time a card comes up, you write it down on your paper. Make sure you follow good stroke order too (makes your writing look nicer!). Try writing your hiragana big, then small, too. If you can write your kana big, and make it look nice, chances are you can make it small too (plus, this tricks your brain into remembering each kana better).

4. RealKana

RealKana is a flashcard web app that allows you to choose which kana you want to practice. When a kana comes up, you type it in. It’s as simple as that. One feature that makes RealKana unique from the rest is the ability to choose a font (or fonts) to study with. Like in English, there are multiple ways to write certain “letters.” This can be confusing if you see a new font somewhere. This feature allows you to see the kana in various fonts, which gets you used to what’s out there before you hit up the “real world.”

5. Hiragana Chart & Hiragana Stroke Order Chart

Everyone needs a hiragana chart in their bathroom, and this one does just the trick. It’s easy to see read, printer friendly, and does a good job. Try not to cheat too often, though, or else you won’t be able to actually memorize anything.

6. Hiragana Reading & Writing Practice Worksheet

This worksheet is simple. There are things written in hiragana. You have to change them into romaji. There are things written in romaji, you have to change them to hiragana. Just another way to practice reading and writing hiragana. If you finish this worksheet and want more, head on over to a Japanese newspaper (like Asahi) and “translate” every bit of hiragana you see on a page.

7. Comparisons Between Hiragana and Katakana

When you’ve learned hiragana, and it’s time to move on to katakana, you’ll notice that keeping them straight can sometimes be difficult. This resources puts hiragana and katakana side-by-side to help you differentiate between them.

8. TextFugu’s “Japanese Pronunciation With Hiragana” Lesson

This free lesson goes over the pronunciation of Japanese using hiragana as a backbone.

9. TextFugu’s “Reading & Writing Hiragana” Lesson

This free lesson teaches you how to read and write hiragana, using various resources and techniques.

10. Genki’s Hiragana & Katakana Page

Not the prettiest resource, but gets the job done.

Best Resources For Learning Japanese Grammar

Of course, Japanese grammar is the backbone of learning Japanese. If you don’t gots grammar, you ain’t gots nothin.

1. Jgram.org

Jgram.org is kind of a wiki dedicated to Japanese grammar. It’s broken up into JLPT levels and it’s easy to find the particular grammar you’re looking for, including example sentences, explanations, and more. The content you’ll find here has been contributed by users of the site, which means things are always being updated with newer (and theoretically better) information.

2. Tae Kim’s Guide To Japanese Grammar

When it comes to Japanese grammar, Tae Kim is pretty much the man. His guide to Japanese grammar has been up forever, and is full of great information. I’ve recommended Tae Kim’s guide as an alternate way to learn Japanese, though it’s missing a few things that could make it into a “one-stop-shop” Japanese learning… shop.

3. Maggie Sensei

Maggie Sensei, run by Victor of the YouTube channel Gimmeabreakman, is an absolutely great resource for learning Japanese slang, grammar, culture and more. Lots of stuff here that you won’t find anywhere else, all packed into one location. I’d say Maggie Sensei is best for intermediate level students of Japanese, but no matter what level you are you’ll find something useful (and entertaining as well).

4. Timwerx.net

Timwerx, I feel, must be Tae Kim from an alternate universe (or Tae Kim is Timwerx from an alternative universe). More Japanese grammar laid out in a pretty-easy-to-follow fashion. My only complaint is that there isn’t more explanation. I think this would be a great resource for those of you looking for a refresher / another explanation on a particular grammar point, rather than someone learning all this grammar for the first time. Still, good stuff can be found here.

5. Wikipedia

Wikipedia, as I’m sure you know, is a fountain of knowledge that can’t be plugged. I’ve not only found a ridiculous amount of grammar information here, but also the history of grammar points, links to a ton of examples, and more. Although you won’t find every grammar point, Wikipedia has great explanations on a lot of things, especially the harder-to-understand ones that a lot of people have contributed their knowledge to.

6. Evernote

Just like using Evernote for vocabulary, it’s also a great way to compile information and data on the grammar points you’re learning. Just tag your grammar properly, and it’s a great way to keep track of grammar-related information in one searchable space. If you ever forget a grammar point or need to look up some examples, you’ll thank yourself for using Evernote to keep track of it all, even if it’s a hassle to do while you’re studying.

7. The Japanese Learning Page

Sort of lacking in explanation of each grammar point, but an absolute great way to review your grammar (or look up something you forgot). Lots of info with examples makes this a decent Japanese grammar experience.

8. Visualizing Japanese Grammar

Visualizing Japanese Grammar is a site full of flash animations that take you through different lessons in Japanese grammar. It’s a bit old, and the animations can be a bit wonky (with kind of low quality audio), but definitely a good thing to take a look at for any Japanese grammar buff.

Best Resources For Learning Kanji

Everyone’s favorite part of learning Japanese, kanji. These resources will make kanji less painful, hopefully.

1. Smart.fm

I’m a big fan of Smart.fm and the unlimited amount of Japanese learning potential that they have. They’re basically a “smart” flash card web app that knows when you should study what, and tells you how much of it you should study. It brings back words you have trouble with more often, and is a really good way to learn vocab or kanji. Add sentences, audio, stroke order, and other games (besides the flashcard app) and you have yourself quite the winner. Users of the service also make their own flashcard sets, which you can also study. This means there are flashcard sets for everything (and if a set doesn’t exist, you can create one!).

2. Anki

Anki is a smart flaschard app like Smart.fm. There is definitely a pretty big crowd of people who love Anki and I can see why (though I tend to prefer Smart.fm). Anki has a slightly different approach for learning vocab (and the focus is more on you creating the flashcards, though you can download others), so make sure you try both Anki and Smart.fm to see which one works best for you. One of them should be a good match.

3. This resource has been removed, Sorry!

4. Kanji Koohii

Kanji Koohii is a site that helps you to remember kanji using mnemonics generated by you and the other users of the site. Using mnemonics is a great way to help you remember things, and the cool thing about this site is that there are a plethora of user-generated “stories” that you can use whenever you can’t think of your own.

5. TextFugu Kanji Section

TextFugu has a kanji section as well, though it is quite young. When finished, it will be a complete guide to learning kanji that will really do a good job streamlining a lot of the issues other kanji resources have. It seems like nobody out there is quite 100% “complete” in the sense that they do somethings much better than others (so if you combine several resources, that works quite well). The goal of the TextFugu kanji section will be to create a simple, one-stop learning experience that gets you through kanji quickly, efficiently, and somewhat painlessly.

6. Heisig’s “Remembering The Kanji”

Remembering The Kanji is one of the first kanji resources to use mnemonics to help you learn Japanese. It does a really good job helping you to learn the meaning of a particular kanji, though it doesn’t go into the actual readings / pronunciations of the kanji quite as well. If you’re looking to only learn the meanings of the kanji (not super useful when reading, but certainly helps a lot), then Heisig’s is a great place to start. There are a lot of diehard fans of Heisig, so it can’t be that bad.

7. ReadTheKanji

ReadTheKanji has a pretty cool take on kanji learning and drilling. It’s full of pretty stats, looks good, and works pretty well too. Words / sentences will come up, asking you to write the “spelling” of the kanji. It’s great because you can see kanji / words in context with sentences, and it keeps track of what parts of the kanji you remember as well. Definitely a great daily tool to use for 15 minutes or so to learn / review a little bit every day.

8. NihongoUp

NihongoUp is a great way to practice and review your kanji. In game form, this app makes it fun to review your kanji and make things a little less painful (because, you know, kanji is the devil’s alphabet). Kanji/vocab falls from the sky, and you have to write out the pronunciation before they hit the ground. Now if only someone will make a “Kanji House of The Dead,” I’ll be super happy.

9. Yamasa’s Kanji Dictionary (Kanji Stroke Order)

Sure, there are a ton of kanji dictionaries out there, but when it comes to stroke order I like to use Yamasa’s. Not the prettiest interface in the world, but when you put a kanji in the kanji slot, it comes back with, amongst other things, the stroke order, and that’s pretty invaluable for beginners of Japanese.

10. Renshuu.org

Renshuu is another kanji quizzing web app that includes vocab quizzes, listening quizzes, and more. There’s a ton of similar things on this list, so make sure you try them all out. Maybe this is the perfect fit for you (and maybe not).

11. Slime Forest Adventure

Although I haven’t played Slime Forest Adventure myself, playing a game & learning Japanese while doing it doesn’t sound like a bad deal at all. I know quite a few people who enjoy this program, and it definitely seems like a good way to learn and have fun while doing it. You’ll have to pay for a pro account if you want to get all 2000 kanji going, though you can demo it for free and get around 200.

12. KanjiBox

If you’re one of those “Facebook people,” then kanjibox might be good for you. I suppose if you’re going to spend four hours a day updating your status, reading other peoples’ statuses, and playing Farmville, you might as well add something educational to the mix. KanjiBox is a Facebook app that lets you study kanji / vocab right from, well, Facebook.

12. How You Should Learn Kanji

Don’t take my opinions for granted, check out the opinions of 10 other Japan-bloggers in this article on “How You Should Learn Kanji.”

13. Biggest Mistakes People Make When Studying Kanji

If you’re just starting to learn Japanese, or if you’re a Japanese learning veteran, chances are you’re making a mistake with your kanji learning (somewhere). Almost all resources and teachers go about kanji learning in these weird, nonsensical ways. In this article I try to straighten things out for you and help you on your way.

14. On’Yomi vs. Kun’Yomi

One of the most confusing things about learning kanji is the difference between On’Yomi and Kun’Yomi. By learning the differences early, you can get a nice big jump on the rest of the kanji learning world. This is something that a lot of people don’t explain very well, so hopefully this article helps!

Best Resources To Learn Japanese Vocabulary, Words

Kanji & Vocab are pretty similar, but I think I’ve broken them apart here. Definitely hit the kanji section of this list too if you’re interested in vocab, as they go hand in hand.

1. Smart.fm’s Core 2000

Combine 2000 of the most common Japanese words with an awesome vocab-learning system like Smart.fm and you have yourself a winner. I highly recommend you go through 15-20 of these every single day until you’re done, and then move on to the next Core lesson.

2. Flickr

Flickr (and any other photo / images site) is a great way to find inspiration and learn new words. Just find a new image every day, write out the vocabulary on that image, and then translate those words into Japanese (and maybe stick them into Smart.fm or Anki). By using images, you’re giving your brain something else to latch on to, which means you’ll probably remember words you pull from images a lot better than those you don’t. Read more using Flickr as a Japanese learning resource.

3. Evernote

Evernote is a way to keep track of everything. This will take some time on your part, but if you keep track of every word you learn, and put it into Evernote, you’ll have a searchable database of words and vocab you can look up at any time. This is a great way to store information and retrieve it later. Invaluable for the serious Japanese student. Read more about using Evernote to learn Japanese.

4. Smart.fm’s Core 6000

If 2000 wasn’t enough for you, you can move on and the next most common Japanese words. This list is for intermediate students, so the words definitely get a bit tougher, but you can’t go wrong continuing to this list after finishing the first 2000.

Best Japanese Dictionaries

You’ll have to look something up at some point, and there’s definitely a few dictionaries that stand out in terms of quality.

1. Jisho.org

Jisho runs is a prettied up (and featured-up) version of one of my favorite online dictionaries, Jim Breen. It’s better (and prettier) in almost every way, my favorite section being the kanji radicals. If you’re going to use an online Japanese dictionary, this is the one to use. Make sure you hit the “common words” button when you search for something, though, otherwise you’ll get all kinds of wild uncommon results.

2. ALC

ALC is a dictionary that’s all in Japanese, but not that hard to figure out. There’s only one spot to put your word (be it English, or Japanese), and the results are usually pretty good. The best part is the plethora of example sentences that come with a result. Apparently, ALC was made by translators and for translators, making it a good place for… well… translating!

3. Jim Breen

Jim Breen was the first absolutely amazing online Japanese dictionary, which means it definitely can’t be without a space on this list. Jim Breen has a pretty sweet beard, too, and everyone knows that Beards + dictionaries = win.

4. Yamasa’s Kanji Dictionary

Personally, I just like Yamasa’s Kanji dictionary for its kanji stroke order feature. Other than that, it’s a good kanji dictionary, and not too much more.

5. Yahoo Dictionary

If you want another dictionary with good example sentences, Yahoo Dictionary is a pretty good choice. Not my favorite, but there’s nothing wrong with it either. You can always use another perspective when it comes to looking up words and kanji.

Best Browser Add-ons For Japanese Learners

If you’re on Firefox or Chrome, you probably use add-ons. If you don’t, you’re missing out. So why not get some plugins to help you with Japanese too?

1. Rikaichan

Hard to live without Rikaichan. This is a Firefox (and Chrome) plugin that allows you to hover over Japanese words and get a little translation right in your browser window. If you’re reading newspapers (or anything else online) this is a great tool to have. Be careful not to overuse it, though. If you rely on it too much, you’ll find that you’re not actually learning anything!

2. Kanjilish

Kanjilish is a neat concept. When you turn it on, it turns the first letter of an English word into a kanji. The kanji corresponds to the meaning of that word, which helps you associate the kanji with its (English) meaning. For example, the word “eat” might look like 食at. It’s a

3. PeraPeraKun

PeraPeraKun is pretty similar to Rikaichan. Personally, I like Rikaichan, but others like PeraPeraKun. Your choice.

4. Kitsune

Kitsune lets you type in Japanese (in Firefox) without having an IME or anything like that installed. Personally, I’d recommend you just install it and be able to type in Japanese (everywhere), but for some reason if you only want Japanese in your Firefox, Kitsune will do the trick.

Best Japanese Learning Games

Woohoo! Games are fun and make learning easier. Games do have a couple missing pieces, but all-in-all they’re a good way to supplement your studies.

1. NihongoUp

NihongoUp won’t give you an all-in-one Japanese learning package, but out of the things it does do, it does them well. NihongoUp is a great way to study hiragana, katakana, kanji, and (this is the best part), Japanese particles. Probably the best Japanese particles quiz out there (and if you’ve studying Japanese for any amount of time, you’ll know that particles are tough). Definitely worth the small fee to grab yourself a copy of this app.

2. My Japanese Coach

In general, I’ve mostly heard good things about this Nintendo DS Japanese learning game. There’s a few errors here and there (to be honest, though, almost all Japanese textbooks have a few errors, at least), but it’s definitely a good way for younger people to learn Japanese. This game is just for beginners, though, so intermediate / advanced learners of Japanese probably won’t benefit from this.

3. Slime Forest Adventure

I haven’t played this game myself, but there’s a good number of people out there who love it. Slime Forest Adventure is an RPG style game that helps you learn Japanese while you play it.

Best Social Learning Japanese Resources

Everything’s a lot more fun when it’s social. Social learning helps with motivation and gives you a new perspective on everything. I definitely recommend you try some of these out if you aren’t already!

1. Lang-8

Lang-8 was my top pick for the Top 10 Free Japanese Learning Resources article from a while back. It’s still really high up there, and a definite must for anyone who’s been learning Japanese for at least a month or two. The idea is simple: You write articles in Japanese, and Japanese native speakers correct your journals. Japanese people are also writing articles in English, and you help them with their English. It’s language exchange at its finest. You won’t find a better way to practice writing your Japanese.

2. Twitter

Twitter, surprisingly, is a pretty fun way to practice Japanese. You can do a couple of things. First, you could tweet in Japanese – this is an easy (and not too overwhelming) way to practice writing a bit. Secondly, you can follow Japanese tweeters, and translate what they have to say. Once again, it’s short (140 characters!) so it doesn’t feel like you’re doing too much. Do this a few times a day, and you’ll get more done than you think!

3. Mixi.jp

If you already have some Japanese friends, Mixi is a great way to keep in contact (and keep practicing your Japanese). Mixi is Japan’s biggest social network, and with journals, status updates, and more, it’ll surely keep you busy (and learning Japanese) without even realizing it.

4. Skype

No better way than Skype to talk to people in Japan on the phone. There are Japanese language exchange groups within Skype, and you can Skype with people on Lang-8 as well. Somehow they manage to get their audio quality right in every way possible.

5. Making Some Real Friends

All we’ve been talking about here is making online friends. Why not go make some real friends? Those tend to be the best (and most rewarding) type of friends anyways.

6. RhinoSpike

RhinoSpike is pretty new (just launched, in fact), but the premise has a lot of potential, I think. The idea is that you submit text that you want read out loud by Japanese native speakers. It can be anything (newspaper article, blog post, sentence, word, etc). They record it, and you get the audio for the text you want. Conversely, you can help a Japanese native speaker by recording some English. At the time of posting, they’ve only been around about a week, but if you give them a chance I think they could be a pretty legit resource for Japanese listening practice.

7. LiveMocha

LiveMocha is super popular, and has a lot of (free) RosettaStone-ish features (not a fan). It’s a combination of doing online lessons and connecting with native speakers of the language you’re learning. Personally, I think the above resources (combined) do a better job, but some people will probably connect to LiveMocha really well.

8. LingQ

LingQ is another social learning program that has lessons, audio, social learning, and more. Personally not sold on LingQ, but maybe it’s something you would like. Take a look, though it can get a little pricey depending on what freemium upgrades you go for.

9. MyHappyPlanet

MyHappyPlanet is just another way to hook up with language partners. I haven’t used this site myself, but it looks to be pretty good. Hard part will be finding people who will actually go through with the language exchanging, though, no matter what site you use.

Best Japanese Multimedia Learning Resources

Although probably not the best primary way to learn Japanese, multimedia is a great way to supplement your studies (and give you studious breaks when you need them). Here are the best spots to get Japanese media on your computer, iPod, and TV.

1. iTunes Japanese Podcasts

Even though you can’t purchase things on iTunes Japan, you can still download free things, like podcasts. Japanese podcasts are an absolutely fabulous way to listen to Japanese (even if you don’t understand it) and get your ear tuned to the language. Here’s how you do it. First, change your location to “Japan” (down at the bottom of your iTunes store). Second, go to the podcasts section. Third, download Japanese podcasts to your heart’s content. Lots of good stuff there, including things for kids if you want to listen to something a bit more simple.

2. JapanesePod101

JapanesePod101 is all about audio learning. They have podcasts specifically for learning Japanese, as well as worksheets and extra content to go along with them. If you are a purely auditory learner, then give JapanesePod101 a look. There’s a ton of free content as well, and you can get in on a free trial to see the rest (and see if it’s right for you).

3. YouTube

Definitely not going to be the best way to learn Japanese (if this is all you use), but it doesn’t hurt to listen to the Japanese language (and have fun while you do it). YouTube is full of great Japanese clips to watch and listen to. At the very least, it could be a good distraction between brutal bouts of kanji study.

4. NHK’s Japanese Podcast Lessons

This is a lot like JapanesePod101 (in that there are audio lessons that you follow), though it’s not quite as fully-featured. I also think they jump right into overly-complicated things in their first lesson (though that’s just my opinion). Once again, if you’re a purely auditory learner, it’s worth a peak, though I’d choose JapanesePod101 over this.

5. KeyHoleTV

KeyHoleTV allows you to watch TV from all over the world (including Japan), which means you could be watching Japanese programming (and infomercials) from the comfort of your non-Japanese home. Quality and reliability might be an issue, but what do you expect from TV you’re not supposed to be watching?

6. Veoh

Veoh, like YouTube, is full of Japanese content (and often at higher resolutions). This is mostly just another distraction, in my opinion, but you can definitely get some benefit out of it if you try hard enough.

7. D-addicts

Not that I’m promoting Bittorenting or anything like that, but if, for some reason, you needed some Japanese drama, well, this might be the place to find it. Maybe…if you catch my drift, Daddy-o.

8. TBS Japan

TBS Japan is pretty much just a news site with video clips. You’d be surprised at how hard it is to find a Japanese news site with video that’s not bloody Windows Media Player / Real Player only. Who uses either of those anymore? But, if you’re looking to get some Japanese news in Japanese (you know, to practice your formal Japanese), this is a place to do it.

“All-in-One” Japanese Learning Software, Apps, & Websites

These will give you a “one-stop-shop” in terms of Japanese learning.

1. TextFugu

This is my baby, which is why I believe in it so much. If I were to learn Japanese all over again, this is exactly what I would want to use (that’s why it’s my number one, because it was created for a dummy like me). TextFugu is an online textbook, so it lacks a lot of the fancy “features” that others in this section will have, but fancy features are just fancy features sometimes, unless they’re useful features, then they’re pretty awesome.

2. About.Japanese

There’s a surprising amount of information here. I’d say it’s not presented in a simple way, but if you can find the info, it’s pretty great. There’s a reason About shows up so often when you’re searching for Japanese language related queries.

3. All Japanese All The Time

Not quite a Japanese learning software, app, or website, but had to find someplace to put it. This is a site that shows you how to make everything in your life Japanese and create an “immersive environment” for yourself wherever you are to learn Japanese. Personally, if you’re going to get this intense about it, I think you should put all that energy into just moving to Japan. Easier than you think, if you want to do it. If you want to immerse and you’re stuck in some ho-dunk backcountry, though, you won’t find a better guide to immerse yourself in Japanese while not in Japan. Also includes a lot of tips, tricks, and info on staying motivated, which is cool too.

4. Rosetta Stone Japanese

Everyone knows about Rosetta Stone because they spend millions and millions on ads and airport kiosks. But, for the most part they aren’t as great as they make themselves out to be. Click the link above to read my opinion on them.

Best Resources For Finding A Japanese Teacher or Class

Whether you like meeting your teacher virtually in person, you’ll be able to find something here. If you can’t find anything at all, well, then it’s time to think about self-teaching. Main thing is you get started (and don’t let the excuse of no teacher get in the way). Go go go!

1. eduFire

Online learning is the future, and if you want a live teacher you can use eduFire to get one from Japan (or anywhere). Teachers come up on webcam (along with you) and you do your lesson in a virtual classroom. It’s pretty spiffy, and a great way to save money and find teachers you normally wouldn’t have access to.

2. Craigslist

If you’re looking for a local teacher, Craig is your dude. I’ve had a ton of luck finding all sorts of other things (like couches), and finding a Japanese teacher shouldn’t be that bad either (as long as you’re in a location with Japanese teachers). If you’re someplace rural, or lacking in Japanese teachers, you may have to go online and find yourself a virtual one (or teach yourself Japanese).

3. TeachStreet

Although not as expansive as Craiglist, Teachstreet is positioning themselves to be the search engine for teachers / lessons / classes, etc. They’re still only in a limited number of cities (U.S. will have the most luck), but if you are lucky enough to be in one of their operating cities, finding a Japanese teacher should be a cinch.

Top Google Resources For Japanese Learning

If you want to know more about using Google as a Japanese learning tool, check out this article.

1. Image Search

Did you know that Google’s image search is a great way to look new words up? Say you find a word and look it up. The dictionary sucks (because you didn’t use one of the top dictionaries in this list), so you come up with an ambiguous answer. At this point, you would put the word into Google image search to figure out what that word is visually. Chances are, you’ll get some good images to correlate with that word and you’ll now know what it means.

2. Google Search Results

Say you have two similar words (or spellings of words… maybe in katakana), and you aren’t sure which one you should use. Search for both of them in Google and see which one gets you the most results. Most likely, the one with more results will be the correct one to use.

3. Google Translated Search

Google translated search is a not-well-known resource that lets you see side-by-side comparisons of search results, one in Japanese, one in English. Although this is a good way to look at Japanese, there can be errors in automatic translations, so you have to be careful! This is best used by more advanced learners of Japanese.

4. Google Calendar

If you don’t make your Japanese learning important enough to schedule it, then maybe it isn’t important enough. Google Calendar is one of the best calendaring systems out there. It’s a great way to keep track of your studies, what you will study, and when you’ll study. I recommend everyone give scheduling a shot, it can be a great help as long as you stick with it.

5. Google Voice

Although Skype is probably the better alternative, if you’re calling land-lines in Japan, give Google Voice a shot. I use both Voice and Skype to make calls to Japan, and have been happy with both. It just depends on where you’re calling from (Skype = computer, Voice = phone).

6. Google Translate

As a last resort, if you have to do an auto translation, you could try Google Translate. Computer generated translations never turn out accurate, so if you’re using this, you better know a decent amount of Japanese to fix all the errors it’ll show up. Still, translators are supposedly getting better, but learning the language on your own is still the best route to take.

Reading Resources

Reading in Japanese is just another step. Along with these resources, I’d recommend using the Rikaichan plugin to help you look up kanji / words you don’t know or understand.

1. U of V Japanese Text Initiative

University of Virginia is putting together a database of Japanese text that you can search and read (and use to practice). Lots of really great printable text, sortable by author or title. There’s even the option to view text with or without furigana, which is pretty epic if you ask me (I’d try to go without, though, if you really want to learn).

2. Kankomie

Kankomie is full of old Japanese stories. The cool thing about this is that when you click on a story, it will open up a (flash) storybook and read it out loud to you, which means you can read along with the voice. It’s like learning Japanese with karaoke, except a lot older.

3. Goo.ne.jp

Looking for lots and lots and lots of Japanese news to read about? Goo for you.

4. Asahi Shinbun

My personal favorite when it comes to “Japanese newspaper studying.” Be careful, though. Articles disappear behind a paywall after a while, so use something like Evernote to grab the content to study later.

5. Yomiuri Shinbun

Just another Japanese newspaper to study with if Asahi doesn’t do the trick.

Top “Japanese Resources Lists” List

Of course, this is the internet, and there are plenty of other Japanese resource lists out there. I feel like a lot of them are pretty old, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find a couple of new gems in each. Believe it or not, this Japanese learning resources list could have been a 500 top learning resources list (thank goodness it wasn’t, though). There are a ton out there, so if you’re looking for more, these will get you started (and hopefully finished as well).

1. Top 10 Online Resources For Learning Japanese Free

Not all the resources on this list are free, so if you want a more concise, free-er list, take a look at this one. Everything on this top-10 list is also here, but this is a great way to see the best of the best (at least in the free category… sometimes, though not always, you get what you pay for).

2. Gakuranman’s Top 5 Free Online Japanese English Dictionaries

If the dictionary explanations above didn’t do it for you, or you want to find a couple new ones, check out Gakuranman’s list. He’s definitely the Japanese dictionary guru.

3. Top Books For Learning Japanese

Detailed information on pretty much every Japanese learning book out there. If you’re set on getting a book, take a look at this list and find one that’s right for you!

4. NihongoUp’s Japanese Learning Resources

NihongoUp lists their favorite Japanese learning resources for you. There’s a bit more emphasis on non-free learning resources, so you’ll definitely see some new stuff in this list.

5. Tumbleweed’s Resources for Learning Japanese

Just another list of Japanese learning resources.

6. Sabotenweb’s Japanese Language Learning List

A huge and somewhat poorly organized list. You’ll definitely find something new here, it’s like looking through a messy attic. There’s treasures hidden everywhere.

7. Japanese Language Learning Resources

Another big list of Japanese learning resources with fairly good organization

Japanese Cheat Sheets

There’s something to be said about cheat sheets. They’re so sexy and useful (if done right). Here are my favorite cheat sheets, available to download with the click of a button.

1. Nihonshock’s Ultimate Japanese Cheat Sheet

If any cheat sheet can call itself the “ultimate” cheat sheet, this is the one. It looks good and contains a ridiculous amount of information. In some cases, I’d say too much info, but if you need info on almost everything, go get this free cheat sheet.

2. Japanese Language Cheat Sheet For Travelers

If you’re traveling to Japan and don’t know a lick of Japanese, take this cheat sheet with you. It’s designed for someone who’s going to Japan but doesn’t want to study anything. Perfect for travelers.

3. Japanese Particles Cheat Sheet

If you’re like every other Japanese student, you probably hate particles. This cheat sheet will make your life a little bit easier.

4. Japanese Counters Cheat Sheet

If particles haven’t knocked you out of the ring, counters will. Okay, so this cheat sheet is many pages long, but there are a lot of counters out there to bash your head against. Enjoy.

5. Japanese Colors Cheat Sheet

Colors are weird and mysterious in Japanese, and this cheat sheet either makes it easier or more complicated. I can’t tell. Either way, all the information is there for all you color-lovers.

What Resources Would You Add?

Surely I’ve missed 300-500 resources up there, and there’s no way I’m going to add them all (because most of them are crap). But, is there something incredible I’m missing on this list? Something you think the world can’t do without? Let me know what you think in the comments, share this list with your Japanese learning friends, and go rest your eyes. You deserve it (and I deserve to rest my fingers).

P.S. If you thought this list was too long, you should follow Tofugu on Twitter.

P.P.S. If you thought this list was too short, you should subscribe to our newsletter.

The moment Lang-8 created the option to upgrade to a Premium Account I did it. At first, it was because I wanted to support Lang-8 (hey, they’re cool Froods!) and make sure their servers kept on running. But, the more I looked at the features the more I realized that there’s a lot of awesome potential here, especially when it comes to power users of the site (and if you’re not one, you should become one). Definitely a few new features that could really accelerate your Japanese studies, which makes it worth a deeper look.

Premium Features:

There are 6 new perks by upgrading to Premium Lang-8, and here’s what I think:

1. Journal and Correction Data Download as PDF: This is the best new feature. You can download side-by-side corrections in PDF form so you can print them out and really practice your corrections and get better. Definitely something that will increase the rate at which you learn your Japanese. I’ve already enjoyed this feature, plus it lets you take some paper around with you if you have a printer.
2. Number of Foot Print Pages: Pshh, heck yeah. I want to know who’s stalking me and check out the trends from months and months ago. Don’t lie to yourself, you know you like the foot prints feature.
3. Max Number of Corrected Sentences Allowed to Add to Notebook: Sure, you could add these on your own to a notepad or something, but the notebook makes things a lot more convenient. Getting unlimited pages here is awesome for people who really use this feature a lot.
4. Personal URL: Some will enjoy this feature more than others. I know this kind of thing makes me happy.
5. Personal Journal Search: For the hardcore Lang-8 user, this is definitely a must. Being able to search is real nice and saves time!
6. Photo Album: Not sure what this is for exactly, but I have some feeling there will be something interesting happening here at some point down the road!

All in all, the upgrade is only $5 a month, and for that mere $5 the power user will see a lot of benefit. Like any freemium model, people who don’t use the service as much probably won’t find any reason to upgrade, but I do hope you consider supporting the nice folks at Lang-8 by subscribing anyways. Native Japanese speakers + extra learning tools = “WIN” in my book.

Lang-8 Premium Giveaway (Let me pay for your first month)

In fact, I want to support Lang-8 so much that the first ten people to go premium on Lang-8 and send me the receipts for their purchase (koichi@tofugu.com) will get themselves a nice little reimbursement via Paypal. I’ll only reimburse the first month, though, so if you get yourself a year long membership (a better deal) I’ll still only send you $5.00.

[box type="tick"]Check out Tofugu’s new Japanese Resources Guide! It has the best Japanese resources and reviews for each! It’s also more updated and has more resources than this article![/box]

I’m really proud and excited to announce Tofugu’s first annual “Top 10 Online Resources for Learning Japanese for Free” list, which includes an e-book that’s available for download at the end of the article. There’s also video down there for all you people who don’t like reading things!

Have you ever wondered what was out there in the tubes of the interwebs in terms of improving your Japanese? Honestly, a whole lot of junk. Some of that junk is mediocre, but most of it is pretty junky. I’ve sifted through all that and came up with a list of the best Japanese resources on the web. Granted, everything is just my opinion, but I think this is a really well rounded list that should have something (hopefully a few things) for everyone! If you’ve been a reader on Tofugu for a while now, you’ve probably seen some of these. Still there’s a lot of new stuff here, so please, dive in, and tell me what you think!

#10: Twitter

Twitter is a micro-blogging service that lets you input up to 140 characters to tell the world (and your friends) “what you are doing right now.” Although Twitter does what it does really well, you can totally use it in a way that gives you daily / regular Japanese practice as well. Twitter is becoming increasingly popular in Japan, which means there’s a lot of Japanese users. I usually suggest to people to follow Japanese tweeters that seem interesting (so that way it’s interesting to read their tweets), and to tweet themselves in Japanese. The great thing about Twitter is that you are only allowed up to 140 characters, which means you can’t type that much. Not only does this teach you to get to the point, but it also makes it so practice can be easy, regular and not overwhelming. Twitter is a lot of fun, and a great way to practice your Japanese! Go sign up now if you haven’t already, and follow me! Username: Tofugu

http://www.twitter.com

#9: Livestation

Livestation is a program you can download off the web that allows you to watch live television from anywhere in the world (which of course includes Japanese television). It’s a slick, lightweight program that works on Windows, Mac, and even Linux, so everyone can jump in. I’ve found around 10-15 Japanese channels, including the Japanese home shopping network, and no matter how bad your time zone is in comparison to Japan, you’ll always at least be able to enjoy the commercials! If you decide to use Livestation, make sure you don’t have any more work to do, because it’s super addictive! Right now, I’m watching late night old j-dorama repeats.

http://www.livestation.com

#8: Yamasa’s Japanese Dictionary (Kanji Stroke Order)

Yamasa’s Online Japanese Dictionary is a pretty good dictionary, however, there is one thing that I really like about it, and that is (of course) it’s kanji stroke order feature. Other dictionaries do this as well, but for some reason I like Yamasa’s better. It’s just prettier than the others, and they do a really good job organizing their information as well. This website is wonderful for people who have trouble figuring out the stroke order of things, though it won’t help much with people who are already kanji pros. Check out the link below for the kanji stroke order search box.

http://www.yamasa.cc/members/ocjs/kanji…

#7: Podcasts on iTunes

Surprisingly, iTunes is a great way to find things to practice your Japanese listening (and maybe speaking too, depending on how you use it). Apple does an awesome job collecting podcasts and making it easy to download / subscribe them. Although you cannot download Japanese music without a Japanese credit card / Japanese iTunes gift certificate, you can download Japanese podcasts for free. All you need to do is switch your location to 日本, click on “podcasts,” and start navigating the menus. Menus will be in English (if you have an English version of iTunes), so it’s easy to jump around and find things. If you want more information, scroll down and download the e-book!

http://www.apple.com/itunes

#6: Rikaichan

Rikaichan is an amazing add-on for Firefox (if you don’t have Firefox right now, go get it, because this website probably looks poop-face without it). After you install it, you’ll be able to activate it, and then everything Japanese you hover your mouse over will come up with a bigger version of the kanji (if there is one), the hiragana, and then the English translation for it. This is wonderful for people who want to go read some Japanese internets quickly, and it’s much better than relying on a translator of any kind. If you’re really smart, you’ll write down the words you don’t know, and practice them later!

http://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/

Watch a video of #6-10
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww9k3jQZn3Q]

#5: Jisho.org

Jisho.org (or, Denshi Jisho, as they call themselves), is a great online Japanese dictionary. What makes them so great, though? Now, there’s Jim Breen’s WWWJDIC, which is my favorite online Japanese dictionary. Jisho.org uses Jim Breen’s dictionary data and just makes it look lots nicer. It makes things easier to read, and is (in general) a big improvement on Jim Breen’s layout. It also has a really cool feature (that Jim Breen also has, but Jisho’s is better), that allows you to search for a kanji by radical. Not only that, but you can click on multiple radicals, and it will narrow down your kanji search based on the ones you choose. It’s so much better than using a physical kanji dictionary (it’s inconvenient when searching for a lot of kanji), and if you have a lot of kanji to look up that’s not copy and pastable, you need to check out this website.

http://www.jisho.org

#4: jGram

jGram is a database of Japanese grammar (that’s why jGram stands for “Japanese Grammar”) put together by the jGram community. So basically, normally people like you and me! Think of it like a wiki for Japanese grammar. This website is great for people studying for the JLPT, as they separate grammar by JLPT level for you, so you can study according to your level. I used this website a lot when studying for the JLPT, and it was really useful. Another thing they do is have a check system, that allows users to make sure things are reliable or not. Things that don’t have a high reliability rating are things you might want to look out for (or check yourself!). They also have a “useful phrases” section that is, surprisingly, really useful.

http://www.jgram.org

#3: iKnow!

iKnow revolutionizes how you learn vocabulary. Right now, you can use it to learn Japanese or English vocabulary, but I’m guessing the first one will be more useful to you. They have different ways for learning vocabulary, with the first being flashcards. What I like about their flashcards is that after they ask if you know a word or not, they don’t trust you (who would trust you?) and then ask you to pick it out of 5-10 multiple choice answers, further solidifying your knowledge (or discovering the lack thereof). My other favorite section is the “dictation section.” In this section, a voice actor reads out a sentence, and you have to fill in the blanks. Eventually, it gets to the point where you have to fill in the entire sentence after someone reads it to you. There are other features as well, you’ll just have to visit it to find out about it yourself!

http://www.iknow.co.jp

#2: Tae Kim’s Guide to Japanese

This is as close as you’ll get to finding a free online Japanese textbook, and a good one at that. Tae Kim has done an amazing job putting together a great list of Japanese guidance. It is very thorough, reliable, and you’ll always learn something new. There are plenty of examples, plenty of “extras,” and because of these things, I always come to Tae Kim’s Guide to Japanese first, even before searching for something on Google. I know that I’m always going to find what I’m looking for (and more). Plus, fans of Tae Kim helped to translate this guide into approximately 10 different languages, which makes it even more useful for more people around the world! This is Japanese Language philanthropy at its best. Go check it out!

http://www.guidetojapanese.org

Tae Kim also has a great blog, which is right here.

#1: Lang-8

Lang-8 comes in at #1 on my list because it has a great community, responsive staff, and an incredible (revolutionary) service. This is web2.0 of language learning right here. Here’s the concept behinds this website: First, you write a journal entry in the language that you’re learning (it can be any language, not just Japanese), then someone who is a native speaker of the language you are writing in will correct that entry for you. Third, you (theoretically) will help someone else learning the language you are native in. It’s an incredibly social experience, and doesn’t feel like a Facebook / Myspace clone. Lang-8 is its own beast, and feels fresh and new. The reason I really like it for language learning (there are a couple other services that do similar things) is because the Japanese population on Lang-8 is huge, which means it’s easy to find people to work with you. Lang-8 also makes it easy to find pen-pals, as well as people to Skype with (to practice your speaking, if you want). I love this website, and have only had great experiences with it. If you are learning Japanese, or any language at all, you should definitely take a look at my #1 pick!

http://www.lang-8.com

Watch a video of #1-5
[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xuc8oZ06smI]

Download the e-Book!

Want more information? I did a live lecture of my “Top Ten Resources for Learning Japanese” on eduFire a week ago, and put together a little e-book for those people to enjoy. I’d like to extend the ability to download it to all of you as well! It’s nothing much (after reading all of this), but it definitely has more information on each of the online Japanese resources, should you want to read more.

Top 10 Resources e-Book Download!

If you enjoyed this article / video / e-book, please send it to a friend who’s learning Japanese! I really think that this list will help people out, so the more people see it, the more these resources will help people :) Also, if more people see it, more people will suggest new things in the comments, which will help us all out! Please Digg, Stumble, and email this around! I’d really appreciate it!

Also, if you have anything you think should be on this list but isn’t, help us all out by sharing it with us in the comments. I’m sure I missed something, since there are so many resources out there, so please tell me what I missed, and I look forward to seeing how the list changes next year!