# Remembering the Kanji > Remembering the Kanji (Heisig) teaches kanji meanings and writing before readings. Fit, the RTK bargain, and when WaniKani is a closer product. Canonical: https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/remembering-the-kanji Last updated: 2026-08-30 A meaning-first kanji book. Useful if you accept delayed readings. Not a vocabulary course. Published: 2026-08-14 5 min read beginner · intermediate · paid · involved · Kanji · Textbook · Print [Visit Remembering the Kanji](https://studyjapanese101.com/go/rtk) ## Key facts | Fact | Details | | --- | --- | | Best for | Learners who want a complete meaning-first pass | | Avoid if | You need readings and vocab now | | Pricing | Paid book | | Platform | Print | | Ease of use | involved | ## Pros - Learners who want a complete meaning-first pass - People who will use Kanji Koohii or Anki beside the book - Students okay delaying readings ## Cons - You need readings and vocab now - WaniKani already owns the sequence - You will not finish the stories Remembering the Kanji (Heisig) teaches characters as meaning-and-writing first. Readings come later, on purpose. ## Who it fits It fits adults who will finish the stories and add readings from real Japanese. ## Limits It is not [WaniKani](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/wanikani). Running both is two sequences. [Kanji Koohii](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-koohii) exists to support this method, not to replace a reading habit. ## Sources checked Product details can change. Evidence pages and their individual check dates appear below. Profile reviewed 2026-08-30. - [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 for authorship, edition, and the meaning-and-writing-first imaginative-memory method. - [Kanji Koohii RTK community](https://kanji.koohii.com/) - official product · checked 2026-08-14 · Official product page used for the public description, platform, and current offering. ## Alternative tools - [Kakitori](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kakitori) - Show-based vocabulary, self-written kanji mnemonics with AI feedback, text mining, and SRS review. - [Kanji Damage](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-damage) - A free mnemonic kanji guide with a readable order and blunt stories. - [Kanji Koohii](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-koohii) - Community kanji stories and reviews for Remembering the Kanji users. ## Related - [Japanese kanji resources](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji) - Kanji study is a sequence problem before it is a memory problem. - [Best Kanji Learning Apps and Methods for Japanese, Compared](https://studyjapanese101.com/best/japanese-kanji-learning-apps) - 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. - [Kanji Koohii](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/kanji-koohii) - Community kanji stories and reviews for Remembering the Kanji users. - [WaniKani](https://studyjapanese101.com/resources/wanikani) - A prepared kanji and vocabulary sequence with memory stories and scheduled reviews. - [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.