# Best Kanji Learning Apps and Methods for Japanese, Compared > Compare kanji apps and methods: a guided sequence, handwriting, mnemonics, book study and reading first. See which one fits how you study. Canonical: https://studyjapanese101.com/best/japanese-kanji-learning-apps Last updated: 2026-09-03 Use one path. Choose WaniKani for managed order, Kanji Study or Skritter for writing, KLC or RTK for a book method, or Yomitan plus easy reading for a reading-first route. Our team owns Inku. [Disclosures](https://studyjapanese101.com/disclosures) Published: 2026-08-30 12 min read The best kanji tool depends on whether you need a **sequence, handwriting practice, mnemonic recall, or reading support**. WaniKani fits learners who want managed order, Kanji Study or Skritter fits learners who must write, and a reading-first route fits learners who already read several times a week. The main limit is overlap: two complete kanji sequences repeat order, stories, and reviews. Name the job, choose one path, and spend the saved time on words in sentences. ## Choose one kanji job | Your actual job | Start with | Commitment | Main limit | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Follow a supplied sequence | [WaniKani](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/wanikani) | A managed lesson and review queue | Fixed order and not a full Japanese course | | Practice writing on Android | [Kanji Study](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-study) | Quizzes and handwriting drills | Android only and not a mnemonic course | | Build a handwriting SRS | [Skritter](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/skritter) | Paid recurring writing practice | Unnecessary when recognition is enough | | Use a mnemonic book with readings | [Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kodansha-kanji-learners-course) | A long 2,300-character print sequence | You supply the routine and review system | | Learn 512 elementary kanji with pictures | [Kanji Look and Learn](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-look-and-learn) | A bounded Japan Times book and workbook | Not a 2,000-kanji path; do not stack on WaniKani | | Use a meaning-first book method | [Remembering the Kanji](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/remembering-the-kanji) with [Kanji Koohii](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-koohii) | Stories and reviews before readings | Japanese readings and vocabulary come later | | Learn through words you meet while reading | [Yomitan](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/yomitan) plus [NHK News Web Easy](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/nhk-news-web-easy) | Frequent reading and selective lookup | Less explicit coverage and progression | ## Best managed sequence: WaniKani [WaniKani](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/wanikani) supplies named components, mnemonic stories, kanji, related vocabulary, unlock rules, and a spaced-review schedule. Its strongest feature is the removal of curriculum decisions. You open it and work on the next available lesson or review. That makes it a strong answer to “I have no kanji plan.” The same structure is the main constraint. You accept its order, begin near the start, and let lesson pace create future reviews. WaniKani should own one narrow role. It does not replace grammar, listening, speaking, or broad reading. Pairing it with [Anki](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/anki) can work when Anki holds personally encountered material, but duplicating WaniKani items into another queue is usually maintenance rather than learning. See [Anki vs WaniKani](https://studyjapanese101.com/compare/anki-vs-wanikani) for that boundary, including Anki used only for kanji, or [Is WaniKani enough?](https://studyjapanese101.com/guides/is-wanikani-enough) if it has become the whole plan. ## Best Android writing workbook: Kanji Study [Kanji Study](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-study) is the clearer Android option when the task is writing practice, quizzes, or drilling selected character lists. It behaves more like a workbook on a phone than a story-led course. That distinction matters. A learner preparing for handwritten class work needs repeated production. A learner who only wants to recognize words on a screen may not need to spend the same hour on stroke recall. Choose Kanji Study when Android is already the study device and writing is named in the goal. Choose WaniKani when the missing piece is a supplied order and mnemonics rather than handwriting. ## Best dedicated handwriting SRS: Skritter [Skritter](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/skritter) makes handwriting the recurring review task and works across web, iPhone, and Android. It is the specialist option when stroke production deserves its own spaced-practice loop. The subscription and review commitment only make sense if you will write. Do not add Skritter as insurance against forgetting kanji while WaniKani, a textbook, or another SRS already fills the week. Test the physical behavior you need. If class requires writing a character without a prompt, practice that. If your work is typing and reading, recognition inside vocabulary may be the higher-return target. ## Best mnemonic book with readings: Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course [Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kodansha-kanji-learners-course) is a 2,300-character print sequence by Andrew Scott Conning. Its official materials describe a mnemonic method that includes meanings, readings, and sample vocabulary. It fits a learner who wants a long, explicit path but prefers a book to a level-gated app. The book does not create a daily routine by itself. You still decide when to study, how to review, and how the example words will reach real sentences. Do not combine it with WaniKani or another complete mnemonic order. Pick the sequence whose daily format you can sustain. ## When Remembering the Kanji and Kanji Koohii fit [Remembering the Kanji](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/remembering-the-kanji) is a different bargain: build a meaning-first relationship with the characters and delay Japanese readings. [Kanji Koohii](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-koohii) supplies community stories and web reviews for learners already following that method. This route can reduce the initial complexity of each character. It also creates a later handoff to readings and vocabulary. Choose it only if that separation is intentional. If delaying readings feels like unfinished work, KLC or WaniKani is a closer fit. Kanji Koohii is a companion, not an independent reason to start the book method. ## The reading-first route: lookup plus easy pages A separate kanji course is optional when you already read consistently. [Yomitan](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/yomitan) can expose readings and definitions inside a web page, while [NHK News Web Easy](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/nhk-news-web-easy) supplies short current articles with furigana and audio. The routine is simple: read a small section, look up only what blocks the sentence, and keep a small number of recurring words. Kanji knowledge grows through vocabulary and repeated context rather than a separate character list. This route has less visible coverage. There is no level screen proving that every common character has appeared. It works best for learners who value reading continuity more than completion metrics and can tolerate uneven acquisition. ## Why two kanji sequences usually fail Two systems create three costs: 1. duplicated reviews for the same characters; 2. conflicting component names, stories, or order; and 3. less time for vocabulary, grammar, listening, and reading. If an existing method is working, do not replace it because another app looks more complete. Change only when you can name a repeated failure, such as no usable review loop, no required writing practice, or an order that prevents progress with current material. ## A fourteen-day fit test Run one route conservatively for two weeks. Measure setup time, daily minutes, unfinished reviews, and whether you still meet kanji inside words and sentences. Stop adding new items for several days before judging the workload. Keep the method if it makes ordinary Japanese more legible without consuming the entire study session. If the queue grows faster than the reading habit, reduce the pace before switching tools. The [SRS workload guide](https://studyjapanese101.com/guides/how-to-use-srs-without-burning-out) explains how to do that. ## Related resource profiles See the individual profiles for who each resource fits and its limits. - [Kanshudo](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanshudo) - [Moji](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/moji) ## Resources in this shortlist - [WaniKani](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/wanikani) - A prepared kanji and vocabulary sequence with memory stories and scheduled reviews. beginner · paid · easy · Kanji · Vocabulary · Web · [Visit](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/wanikani) - [Kanji Study](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-study) - An Android kanji workbook with writing practice, quizzes, and JLPT lists. beginner · intermediate · freemium · easy · Kanji · Android · [Visit](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/kanjistudy) - [Skritter](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/skritter) - Spaced-repetition handwriting practice for Japanese kanji and words. beginner · intermediate · paid · moderate · Kanji · Flashcards & SRS · Web, iPhone, Android · [Visit](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/skritter) - [Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kodansha-kanji-learners-course) - A mnemonic textbook for 2,300 kanji, including all jōyō characters. beginner · intermediate · paid · involved · Kanji · Print · [Visit](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/kklc) - [Remembering the Kanji](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/remembering-the-kanji) - A book method that teaches kanji meanings and writing before Japanese readings. beginner · intermediate · paid · involved · Kanji · Textbook · Print · [Visit](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/rtk) - [Kanji Look and Learn](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-look-and-learn) - Japan Times kanji textbook covering 512 characters with mnemonic illustrations. beginner · intermediate · paid · moderate · Kanji · Textbook · Print, Digital · [Visit](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/kll) - [Kanji Koohii](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-koohii) - Community kanji stories and reviews for Remembering the Kanji users. beginner · intermediate · free · moderate · Kanji · Web · [Visit](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/kanjikoohii) - [Yomitan](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/yomitan) - A browser popup dictionary for looking up Japanese while you read. intermediate · free · involved · Dictionary · Web · [Visit](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/yomitan) - [NHK News Web Easy](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/nhk-news-web-easy) - Free graded Japanese news with furigana and audio. beginner · intermediate · free · easy · Reading · Listening · Web · [Visit](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/nhkeasy) ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best app for learning Japanese kanji? WaniKani is the clearest fit when you need a managed sequence. Kanji Study is the clearer Android choice when handwriting and quizzes are the actual job. ### Can I learn kanji through vocabulary and reading? Yes, if you read consistently and use lookup. Yomitan plus an approachable source such as NHK News Web Easy forms a reading-first route without a separate kanji course. ### Should I use WaniKani and Remembering the Kanji together? Usually not. Both can own the kanji sequence, so running them together duplicates order and review work. ### Do I need to practice handwriting? Practice handwriting when class, work, or personal goals require production. Recognition-focused learners can spend more time meeting kanji inside words and sentences. ## Evidence and sources Product details can change. Evidence pages and their individual check dates appear below. Page updated 2026-09-03. - [WaniKani official overview](https://www.wanikani.com/) - official product · checked 2026-08-13 · Official radical, kanji, vocabulary, mnemonic, and level-sequence description. - [Kanji Study on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mindtwisted.kanjistudy) - official app store · checked 2026-08-13 · Current official store listing, platform, and listed price. - [Skritter official site](https://skritter.com/) - official product · checked 2026-08-14 · Official product page used for the public description, platform, and current offering. - [Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course official site](https://keystojapanese.com/klc/) - official publisher · checked 2026-08-27 · Official course site used for the 2,300-kanji mnemonic method, keywords, sample vocabulary, and sequence. - [Kodansha USA catalog](https://kodansha.us/book/the-kodansha-kanji-learners-course/) - official publisher · checked 2026-08-27 · Official publisher listing used for authorship, the 2,300-character scope, and the print edition. - [Kanji Look and Learn on Japan Times Publishing](https://store.jtpublishing.co.jp/en/pages/kanjilookandlearn) - official publisher · checked 2026-09-01 · Official 512-kanji illustrated textbook, workbook, and N5 through N3 mapping. - [Remembering the Kanji 1 at University of Hawaii Press](https://uhpress.hawaii.edu/title/remembering-the-kanji-1-a-complete-course-on-how-not-to-forget-the-meaning-and-writing-of-japanese-characters/) - official publisher · checked 2026-08-30 · Official publisher description used for authorship, the meaning-and-writing-first method, keywords, and imaginative-memory sequence. - [Kanji Koohii](https://kanji.koohii.com/) - official product · checked 2026-08-14 · Current RTK companion with community stories and reviews. - [Yomitan documentation](https://yomitan.wiki/) - official docs · checked 2026-08-13 · Official popup lookup behavior for a reading-first route. - [NHK News Web Easy](https://news.web.nhk/news/easy/) - official product · checked 2026-08-28 · Current easy-news reading source with furigana and audio. ## Related - [Inku](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/inku) - Japanese flashcards on iPhone and the web, with ready-made decks, custom cards, pronunciation audio and spaced review. - [Japanese kanji resources](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji) - Kanji study is a sequence problem before it is a memory problem. - [Kanji Koohii](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-koohii) - Community kanji stories and reviews for Remembering the Kanji users. - [Kanji Look and Learn](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-look-and-learn) - Japan Times kanji textbook covering 512 characters with mnemonic illustrations. - [Kanji Study](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-study) - An Android kanji workbook with writing practice, quizzes, and JLPT lists. - [Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kodansha-kanji-learners-course) - A mnemonic textbook for 2,300 kanji, including all jōyō characters.