First Steps — Design Concept (Sakura Path)
Starter Path · free

HAJIME NO IPPO Your first step toward Japan.

Four stages, no sign-up, no pressure. Learn Hiragana in a week, read real Japan news with embedded vocabulary, and find your language partner later — all at your own pace.

Start the path
Mobile-optimized No ads in your way Since 2023

MANABI NO MICHI How to learn with JP Nerd

Four stages that build on each other. You can start anywhere — but in this order you get the fastest mini-wins.

Hiragana memory game on a retro CRT TV
一Step 1

Play Games — Hiragana in 7 Days

Our memory and quiz games run directly in your browser. No app, no sign-up. After each match we show you which characters you already know and which still need practice.

Hiragana Memory View JP Cards
What to expect: In 10 minutes you'll master the first 5 Hiragana (あ い う え お). In 7 days all 46.
Open Japanese newspaper with vocabulary highlights
二Step 2

Read News — Vocabulary in Real Context

Every article has highlighted vocabulary. Tap a word and see Kanji, reading, meaning. You learn from real sentences about topics that interest you — games, travel, tech.

Go to news overview
Fresh daily: New articles tagged with N5/N4 vocabulary.
Video call between a learner and a Japanese tutor
三Step 3

Practice Speaking — With Real People

Once Hiragana sticks and you understand first sentences, the best next step is: a tutor. We recommend two platforms we use ourselves — one for 1-on-1 lessons, one for audio courses.

Partner platforms
Your first tutor call: Starts at around $9 on italki. No commitment, no subscription — you book per session.
Trophy with XP bar and streak heatmap
四Step 4 Soon

Make Progress Visible

Soon: Earn XP while playing and reading, see your streak on a heatmap, and compare yourself on a leaderboard. Your progress becomes tangible — and that motivates.

Launch planned: Summer 2026. Until then you can track progress inside the memory game.

HITSUYOU NA MONO What You Really Need

The honest answer: nothing. JP Nerd works fully in the browser. If you're a tactile learner or want grammar depth, three optional items help.

  • ✓
    A browser on phone or laptop That's it. All tools are offline-capable after the first visit.
  • +
    Notebook + simple pen Writing Hiragana helps immensely with retention. No special paper needed — a school notebook works.
  • +
    A grammar textbook (later) From week 3–4, once Kana stick. Recommendations in the learning gear section below.
  • +
    15 minutes per day Consistency beats intensity. 7× 15 min beats 1× 2h.

SAN KAGETSU NO MICHI Your First Quarter — Realistic

No hype promises. This is the learning path we'd wish for ourselves as a beginner.

  1. 一週目 Week 1–2

    Hiragana — all 46 characters

    10–15 min memory every day. Secure the 5 vowels first (あいうえお), then the K/S/T/N rows.

    Memory GameJP Cards
  2. 二週目 Week 3–4

    Katakana — for loanwords

    Many beginners underestimate Katakana. But: コーヒー, テレビ, コンピューター — you can't avoid it.

    Memory GameTextbook (optional)
  3. 二ヶ月目 Month 2

    First N5 articles — tagged vocab

    Read one short JP Nerd article per day. Tap every vocab word — in 4 weeks you'll know ~200 words in context.

    Japan NewsTag: N5
  4. 三ヶ月目 Month 3

    First tutor call — trial lesson

    One hour is enough to decide: do I want this? italki or JapanesePod101 — both work. No forced subscription.

    italkiJapanesePod101
  5. 継続 Afterwards

    Keep the rhythm — your own path

    Whether JLPT N5, anime without subtitles, or prepping a Japan trip: now you know how you learn. We'll keep you company.

    CommunityTravel Guide

SENSEI WO MITSUKERU Two Platforms We Recommend

Tested, not blindly promoted. Both have affiliate programs — we earn a small commission when you book through us. Costs you nothing extra.

JapanesePod101

Audio courses · structured path

Hundreds of podcast episodes sorted by JLPT level. Ideal for commutes, runs, or downtime. Grammar is introduced naturally through dialogues, not dry explanations.

  • Absolute beginner to N1 level
  • Solid free core even without subscription
  • Vocab lists & dialog transcripts
  • Audio downloadable for offline
Free plan available · Premium from ~$4.50/month (annual plan)
Start with JapanesePod101

italki

1-on-1 tutors · pay-as-you-go

Marketplace with over 2,000 Japanese tutors. Filter by price, accent region, teaching style and book individual sessions. No subscription, no lock-in.

  • From around $9 per hour (community tutors)
  • Trial lesson often around 50% off
  • Video chat directly in browser
  • Writing, speaking, culture — all possible
Trial lesson: from $5–6 · then pay per session
Find a tutor on italki

Affiliate links: we earn a commission on bookings, at no extra cost to you. More in our Imprint.

GAKUSHUU DOUGU Your Learning Gear

Six items we started with ourselves. All optional — but if you're a tactile learner, the first two are genuinely useful.

Essential
Genki I Japanese textbook

Genki I — Textbook + Workbook

Arguably the best beginner series worldwide. Clean progression, dialogues, grammar explanations in English. Prefer the 3rd edition.

Level: N5 EN
~$65Set Amazon →
Essential
Assimil Japanese with Ease method book and headphones

Assimil — Japanese with Ease

Daily 30-minute lessons with audio. Strong alternative to Genki for learners who like the Assimil method.

Level: N5–N4 DE
~$85with audio Amazon →
Rare
Kanji practice notebook with genkoyoshi grid and brush

Kanji Practice Book (Genkoyoshi Grid)

Printed grid to practice stroke order. Alternative: a regular A5 school notebook works too.

A5 / B5 200 pages
~$10 Amazon →
Common
Pilot G2 0.5 gel pen

Pilot G2 0.5 — Gel Pen

Smooth stroke, holds consistent thickness — important for clean Kanji stops. A 4-pack lasts months.

0.5 mm Japan
~$124-pack Amazon →
Common
Hiragana and katakana learning poster

Hiragana/Katakana Poster (A2)

On the wall next to your desk. Passive repetition in your field of view — works surprisingly well.

A2 both syllabaries
~$14 Amazon →
Legendary
Stack of Japanese graded readers with audio CD

Japanese Graded Readers (Level 0/1)

From week 4. Short stories with limited vocabulary — your first real reading success.

N5-ready with CD
~$55Set Amazon →

Amazon affiliate links: we earn a small commission when you buy through these links. The price stays the same for you. We only recommend products we actually use.

YOKU ARU SHITSUMON Frequently Asked at the Start

問Do I really not need a textbook?
For the first 2–4 weeks JP Nerd is enough on its own: memory for reading, news for contextual vocabulary. By week 3 most learners want grammar depth — then Genki or Assimil is the best investment.
問How long until I'm fluent?
Honestly? 2–3 years at a steady 30 min/day for everyday conversations. But: the first wins come much faster — after 2 weeks you know Hiragana, after 2 months you read simple sentences. See the roadmap.
問Why don't you recommend Romaji?
Romaji (Japanese in Latin letters) is a crutch that becomes a trap. Your brain learns the Latin spelling — and later has to painfully unlearn it. Starting directly with Hiragana saves you months.
問Does this also work on mobile?
Yes, all tools are built mobile-first. Hiragana Memory even runs offline once loaded. Tip: Open JP Nerd during breaks instead of Instagram — 5 minutes daily beat 2 hours on weekends.
問Can I learn without a language partner?
Reading and understanding: yes, fully solo. Speaking: at some point you need a human across from you — otherwise you stay in passive mode forever. From month 3 an italki trial is worth it. Even once a week is enough to feel the difference.
100%
free & ad-free in the learning path
0
accounts needed, no forced login
46 + 46
Hiragana & Katakana — all covered by games
Since '23
Made with ♥ & ☕ in Bremen

HAJIMEYOU Your path starts now.

No account, no download. Open a game — your first Hiragana sticks in 3 minutes.

Start Hiragana Memory

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