# Hirogaru > Japan Foundation Kansai A1-A2 site: interest-topic articles, videos, and kanji practice. Canonical: https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/hirogaru Last updated: 2026-08-31 Japan Foundation Kansai A1-A2 site: interest-topic articles, videos, and kanji practice. Published: 2026-08-31 5 min read beginner · free · easy · Reading · Web [Visit Hirogaru](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/hirogaru) ## Key facts | Fact | Details | | --- | --- | | Best for | Beginners who will pick one interest topic and finish it | | Avoid if | You needed a numbered textbook path | | Pricing | Free | | Platform | Web | | Ease of use | easy | ## Pros - Beginners who will pick one interest topic and finish it - People who want official free articles with video - Learners at JF Standard A1 or A2 ## Cons - You needed a numbered textbook path - You will click every topic and finish none - Irodori already fills the official-course slot Hirogaru (ひろがる) is a free Japanese-learning site from the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Kansai. It is built for A1 and A2 on the JF Standard. You pick an interest topic such as cafes, anime, music, or shrines, then read articles, watch videos, and practice related kanji. The current official URL is on jpf.go.jp. Older hirogaru-nihongo.jp addresses send you here. The visit link on this page goes to the English home. ## Who it fits It fits beginners who will pick one topic and finish the article or video. English pages include word lists and, on some videos, a transcript. ## Limits It is not a numbered course like [Irodori](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/irodori). Opening twelve topics is not practice. Keep one official free path. ## Sources checked Product details can change. Evidence pages and their individual check dates appear below. Profile reviewed 2026-08-31. - [Hirogaru](https://www.hirogaru-nihongo.jpf.go.jp/en/) - official product · checked 2026-08-31 · Official English home used for the free Japan Foundation Kansai site and the twelve interest topics. - [About Hirogaru](https://www.hirogaru-nihongo.jpf.go.jp/en/about/) - official docs · checked 2026-08-31 · Official about page used for the A1-A2 JF Standard target, articles, videos, transcripts, and topic-related kanji practice. ## Alternative tools - [Gravity](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/gravity) - Japanese media, synced transcripts, and review tied to the original scene. - [Immersion Kit](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/immersion-kit) - Search Japanese words in anime and drama subtitle lines. - [Japanese Graded Readers](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/japanese-graded-readers) - ASK’s よむよむ文庫 print packs with audio, and White Rabbit Press’s 9-story app. ## Related - [Japanese reading resources](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/reading) - Reading improves when the text is finishable. Choose the amount of help, not the longest library. - [5 Best Anki Alternatives for Japanese: Inku Is Our Pick](https://studyjapanese101.com/best/anki-alternatives-for-japanese) - We recommend Inku first for most Japanese learners who want prepared daily review on iPhone. Renshuu fits a broader Japanese study system, JPDB fits media vocabulary, WaniKani fits a fixed kanji path, and Bunpro fits grammar retrieval. Protect your Anki collection before testing a replacement. - [Free Japanese Learning Resources: Build a Study Routine](https://studyjapanese101.com/best/free-japanese-learning-resources) - A complete free stack can start with Irodori for sequence, Tae Kim for explanation, Jisho for lookup, Renshuu for optional review, Tadoku for reading, and Nihongo con Teppei for audio. You do not need all six on day one. - [Hiragana and Katakana Resources for a Two-Week Start](https://studyjapanese101.com/best/hiragana-and-katakana-learning-resources) - Learn hiragana, then katakana, with one drill and one review loop. Inku fits prepared cards with audio on iPhone. Real Kana fits typed recall. A textbook or Irodori can teach the same script inside a course. - [The best Japanese dictionary apps and websites by lookup job](https://studyjapanese101.com/best/japanese-dictionary-apps-and-websites) - Start with Jisho for browser lookup. Choose a phone dictionary for offline use, Yomiwa for camera text, or Yomitan for lookup inside web pages. Kanjipedia serves Japanese-language kanji reference. - [6 Japanese SRS Apps: Why Inku Is Our First Pick](https://studyjapanese101.com/best/japanese-flashcard-and-srs-apps) - We recommend Inku over Anki for most Japanese learners who want a prepared daily review routine on iPhone or in a browser. Choose Anki for advanced card customization and imports, JPDB for media vocabulary, WaniKani for a longer kanji sequence, Bunpro for grammar retrieval, or MaruMori for a broad course.