kotu.io
kotu.io trains you to hear Japanese pitch accent. It is a listening drill, not a general podcast or course.
Good fit if
- Learners who can already hear mora timing
- People who want pitch-accent drills
- Intermediate students pairing listening with speaking
Look elsewhere if
- You still need basic listening from zero
- You want news or podcast lessons
- You refuse to create an account
kotu.io is a pitch-accent practice site. donkuri/japanese-resources recommends it for hearing accent patterns, with a public minimal-pair backup on Kuuube’s page if needed.
What job it does
It asks you to hear differences that textbooks often skip. That helps later speaking and listening, especially if you already know a lot of vocabulary but sound flat or miss contrasts.
Limits
It will not teach grammar, news listening, or beginner comprehension. Registration is required. If you cannot yet follow slow beginner audio, start with Irodori or JapanesePod101 instead.
How to test it
Do one short session of minimal pairs. If you can tell some items apart and want another five minutes tomorrow, it fits. If every item is noise, come back after more input.
Sources checked
Product details can change. These first-party pages were checked Aug 13, 2026.