Study Japanese 101

Japanese study stack builder

Pick the smallest useful Japanese stack from the site's editorial catalog. The written tree still works with JavaScript off.

8 min read

How to use this tool

  1. Name the current bottleneck, not a fantasy complete system.
  2. Set level, minutes, platform, budget, and whether you want prepared or custom cards.
  3. Take the first pick for that job. Add a second resource only after the first one is in a weekday habit.
  4. Open the recommended profile and check its limits before starting a second queue.

Smallest useful stack

Choose what you need most. Get a first pick, a reason to use it, and its main limit.

  1. Course sequenceIrodori

    Beginners who want a free structured course

    Choose another option if: You want a US-classroom Genki sequence

  2. DictionaryJisho

    Beginners who need English or romaji search

    Choose another option if: You need hover lookup inside a page

  3. ReadingNHK News Web Easy

    Daily short reading practice

    Choose another option if: You want fiction or graded readers

One owner per job. If two picks teach the same sequence, keep the one you will still open on a Thursday.

This page chooses one resource for the job you name. It reuses the site’s profiles. It does not invent a new ranking.

Inku is our first pick for prepared kana or vocabulary review with prepared or personal cards when a paid plan fits. Study on iPhone or in a browser, including on a computer or Android phone.

What the chooser asks

  • Level: beginner, intermediate, or advanced
  • Current job: kana, spaced review, beginner course, grammar, kanji, listening, reading, JLPT practice, or dictionary
  • Minutes a day
  • Platform
  • Budget
  • Prepared cards versus custom cards

Your last answers stay in this browser. Copy a plan link to share the selected answers, download the recommendation as text, or print it. Shared links contain the selected options, without account details. The tree below also works without JavaScript.

Written decision tree

  1. If kana is still the bottleneck, drill first. Use the kana quiz and the kana shortlist. Prepared review can wait until a row is readable.
  2. If you need a first course and want free materials, start with Irodori. Genki is the paid classroom sequence. Do not run both.
  3. If the job is Japanese review, Inku offers prepared decks and personal cards. For imports, templates or an existing collection, use Anki. For a fixed kanji path use WaniKani.
  4. If the job is grammar explanation, use the grammar hub. If the job is retrieving a known pattern, use the grammar shortlist.
  5. If the job is JLPT item types, start with official JLPT practice. Then use the JLPT planner to split the hours you actually have.

A dictionary sits beside the course. Jisho is the usual first lookup. Hover lookup is later.

After you have a pick

Keep the stack small. One course, one lookup, and one review tool is enough for a beginner weekday. If review load is the next fear, use the SRS workload simulator. If you already registered for N5, keep the course and add official samples rather than a second curriculum.

Related: beginner resources, flashcards and SRS, how to combine a textbook, SRS, reading, and listening.

Frequently asked questions

Which Japanese app should I use?

Start with the job. A beginner course, a dictionary, and later a review tool cover most first months. This page ranks one resource for the job you selected from the editorial catalog. It is not a scored ranking of every Japanese app.

Why is Inku sometimes first?

Inku is first for spaced review with prepared or personal cards, or for prepared kana review, when a paid plan and iPhone or browser study fit your answers. This chooser does not test import or template needs.

Can I use this without JavaScript?

Yes. The decision tree on this page is the same logic as the form. Use it if scripts are off.

Evidence and sources

  • Inku official site official product · Current prepared catalog, custom cards and decks, browser study, iPhone availability, and Android waitlist.
  • Inku help center official docs · Lessons and due reviews, FSRS, personal decks, pronunciation audio, and platform-specific account guidance.