6 Practical Steps to Kickstart Your Japanese Learning Journey
The right start makes all the difference.
With all the free and paid content out there, it’s hard even to know where to start learning Japanese.
So, you’ve decided to learn Japanese — whether because of your favorite anime, an upcoming trip to Japan, or an interest in the language and culture. But before diving headfirst into kanji, textbooks, or your favorite anime, you might wonder: Where do I start?
I started learning Japanese back in 2008 when YouTube was still in its infancy, and the iPhone app store had only been released a month before — though I wouldn’t have a smartphone for a few more years.
Now, anyone wanting to learn Japanese is overwhelmed by the number of quality resources and learning methods. Do you want to watch anime all day? Do you want to learn with apps? Do you prefer textbooks? There’s a method out there for you. But it’s hard for a beginner to sort through all the information and know what will work for them.
Japanese can feel intimidating at first glance. There are four writing systems: hiragana（ひらがな), katakana (カタカナ), kanji（漢字), and romaji（ローマ字), grammar that looks nothing like English, and ways of showing politeness that are baked into the word choice and grammar itself. This point especially can cause some learners to stress over theoretical social faux pas before they’ve even said their first words. Between finding resources and the perceived difficulty of the language, it can seem impossible, like doing a puzzle of the clear blue sky.
But, like any big goal, learning Japanese is 100% doable if you break it down into steps. Let’s begin at the beginning, and I’ll walk you through how I would start learning Japanese if I could start over today. These steps are designed to ease you into the language, keep things fun, and, most importantly, set you up for long-term success. Ready? Let’s go!
Step 1: Learn Hiragana and Katakana
Start with the ABCs… or, in this case, the あかさたなs
The real meat and potatoes — rice and miso soup? — of Japanese are hiragana and katakana. These two writing systems are used in combination to write most of the language.
Hiragana and katakana are more challenging than the Korean alphabet Hangul, but that’s the most intuitive alphabet on earth. Still, it should only take about two weeks of studying before you can recognize 80% of the symbols every time. At each step in this process, we’ll aim for understanding, not mastery. This 80% rate will allow you to move on and let studying and reviewing reinforce your knowledge.
What are Hiragana and Katakana?
Hiragana and katakana are what’s called syllabaries; unlike an alphabet where each symbol represents one or more sounds, symbols in the Japanese syllabary represent either a single vowel sound (V), a single consonant sound (C)— ん and ン respectively — or a consonant-vowel (CV) pair. And, as the name suggests, each symbol is a whole syllable within a word. Each syllabary has 46 symbols, but once you’ve learned the hiragana symbol, you can quickly pick up the katakana because they look relatively similar.
Hiragana and katakana are each made up of 46 basic characters that were all derived from kanji. There are two syllabaries because hiragana and katakana are used in different contexts. Here’s a quick breakdown:
Hiragana (ひらがな) is used for native Japanese words and grammatical elements like particles and verb endings. It is the backbone of written Japanese, which sets it apart visually from written Chinese. While it can be hard for learners, modern Japanese can be written entirely in hiragana. Many books intended for young readers are written this way.
Katakana (カタカナ) is used mainly for foreign words, scientific terms, sound words, and for emphasis (similar to italics in English). If you see more angular words like コーヒー (coffee) or コンピュータ (computer), you’re looking at katakana.
Now, before you roll your eyes and think, “I can’t even memorize my shopping list. How will I memorize two entire alphabets?” — take a deep breath. Learning these characters is easier than you think. If we focus on learning vocabulary rather than abstract characters, it’ll go a lot faster. Once you do, you can read anything* written in Japanese (even if you don’t understand it yet). Plus, you only need to learn 92 characters total (46 in each alphabet), which is nothing compared to the thousands of kanji you’ll eventually be able to read.
How to Learn Hiragana and Katakana:
Tofugu
Besides being an invaluable resource for Japanese learners, they have the best free guides for learning hiragana and katakana.
Tofugu’s Ultimate Guide to Hiragana
Tofugu’s Ultimate Guide to Katakana
LingoDeer/Duolingo
I’m not the biggest fan of Duolingo, but it is great at getting new learners into the habit of studying every day. There is just something about getting 5 or 10 minutes of study time instead of scrolling social media that just feels rewarding. But if you aren’t already in the clutches of that maniacal owl, I’d suggest trying out LingoDeer. There’s more support for Asian languages, especially Japanese and Korean, than with Duolingo.
Test Yourself (with Games!)
If you’re not interested in LingoDeer or Duolingo but still like the idea of gamifying your studying, these are some great options:
Kana Pro — A simple web-based game to test hiragana and katakana knowledge
Real Kana — A website and app for testing hiragana and katakana with some nice extras
Wagotabi — A new app and Steam RPG that slowly introduces Japanese as you play. The YouTube channel Game Gengo did a preview of it here
Read
We’re not reading for comprehension, but if you do understand what you’re reading that’s great too! Use Tadoku readers to help you build your confidence and character recognition while also picking up some vocabulary and reading skills. Memorizing hiragana and katakana as abstract symbols will always be harder than learning words for concrete subjects.
Anki
The flashcard app Anki is definitely a versatile tool but there’s a bit of a learning curve to it. So a great way to learn how to use it would be to learn hiragana and katakana with premade anki decks. These hiragana and katakana decks from jtalkonline.com are great!
Bonus Step: learning the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) can be a handy tool for learning pronunciation. Comparing the phonetics of Japanese and English (or another language you’re more familiar with) can help you build a solid foundation.
Step 2: Get a Solid Grammar Book & Textbook
Now that you’ve got your hiragana and katakana down, it’s time to jump into the deep end: grammar.
Grammar is often the part of language learning that scares people the most — particularly Japanese grammar. Why? Because the sentence structure is entirely different from that of English. Instead of the familiar Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure, sam ate oranges, Japanese uses Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) sam oranges ate. But here’s the thing — SOV is actually the most common word order for languages around the world. Once you start to understand how it works, it makes it that much easier to study Korean, Turkish, or a handful of other languages throughout South and Southeast Asia.
Textbooks:
Genki I & II: The Genki series is one of the most popular textbooks for beginners — I used them in my first classes back when there was only a first edition. It’s designed for classroom learning but can be adapted for self-study with resources like Tofugu and YouTubers like TokiniAndy. The Genki books cover all the essential grammar, vocabulary, and listening practice for the beginner stages (JLPT N5 and N4). Pro tip: Supplement the textbook with the Genki Workbook for more exercises. There are also apps available for listening practice.
Minna no Nihongo: This is another textbook commonly used in classrooms but also favored by self-learners. It’s more traditional and might feel dry, but it’s extensive.
Sou Matome Series: If you already know that you want to take the JLPT some day I highly recommend the Sou Matome series of test prep books. They also have sample question books that are a great way to help track your progress even if you don’t plan on taking a proficiency test.
Why You Also Need a Grammar Dictionary:
Grammar dictionaries, like A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, are fantastic companions to your textbook. They break down individual grammar points with multiple examples, explanations, and comparisons, helping you better understand tricky concepts. All of these resources can start to add up so feel free to use the resources I linked below if you have to wait to get your grammar dictionary.
But I wish I’d had this when I started. Instead, I spent hours Googling grammar points, often finding myself in the dark corners of the internet where everything sounded 10 times more confusing than it needed to be.
A note on Tae Kim’s Guide to Japanese Grammar: This is probably the best free Japanese “textbook” on the web. I don’t personally recommend it because of the issues I think it causes for beginner learners. Namely, unnatural example sentences, nonstandard terminology, and a pseudo-scientific explanation of grammatical subject in Japanese. Of course, if you can’t or won’t spend money before knowing you’re committed to learning Japanese, it is still the best free option.
Step 3: Review Basic Grammar Terms
Before diving headfirst into your textbooks, do yourself a favor and take a quick look at the introduction. We’re going to have a refresher on basic grammar terms. You don’t need to become a linguistics expert, but understanding basic terms like pronoun, preposition, and transitive vs. intransitive verbs will make your life much easier.
Why? Because Japanese grammar has elements that English doesn’t. For example, particles (like は, が, を, and で) that function as grammatical markers which can change the meaning of sentences depending on how they’re used.
How to Refresh Your Grammar Knowledge:
Take a few minutes to read through the introduction in your textbook and grammar dictionary.
If you still need a little more help, websites like Grammar Monster or Khan Academy can help clear up any confusion.
Trust me, a little effort here will go a long way. Language textbooks often assume you already know these terms — or that you read their introduction — and there’s nothing worse than getting stuck on a concept because you need to remember what a direct object is. (No shame, I don’t think I was explicitly taught these terms until college!)
Step 4: Work Through Your Textbook Quickly (80% Understanding)
Here’s where a lot of beginners fall into the perfectionism trap. You’re working through your textbook, and then BAM! You hit a tricky grammar point or kanji, and suddenly, you’re stuck on page 45 for a month, re-reading the same sentence repeatedly, trying to “perfect” it.
The trick here is simple: strive for progress, not perfection.
How to Approach Your Textbook:
Set a reasonable pace. You don’t need to finish the textbook in a week but aim to move through it steadily. For example, you could aim to finish Genki I in about 3 months and Genki II in another 3 months.
Focus on understanding. If you understand the core concept of a lesson, it’s okay to move on, even if you don’t feel 100% confident yet.
Skip writing exercises if they slow you down too much. Focus on reading and comprehension during your first pass, and you can come back to practice writing later.
Watch grammar explainer videos on YouTube. Channels like Japanese Ammo with Misa or ToKiniAndy do an excellent job of breaking down concepts simply.
But I get it; I’m a perfectionist, too. However, spending hours trying to master every grammar point will only slow you down and make the process more frustrating. Keep moving forward — you’ll have time to refine your skills later.
Step 5: Start Consuming Japanese Media
Now we’re getting to the fun part — consuming native content! Once you’ve got a basic foundation from your textbook, it’s time to expose yourself to authentic Japanese to help reinforce what you’re learning.
This might sound overwhelming initially, but trust me, it’s one of the most effective ways to improve. Plus, it’s fun! (Who doesn’t want to call watching Netflix “studying”?)
What to Watch/Read:
Anime and TV Shows: Start with slice-of-life shows that use simple, everyday language. Shows and movies like Shirokuma Cafe or My Neighbor Totoro are great for beginners. Tools like Language Reactor can slow down Netflix subtitles or toggle between Japanese and English subs.
YouTube: We talked about learning resources earlier, but you can also watch Japanese vloggers, cooking channels, or anything else you’re interested in. (I can’t stop watching stationary review videos… it’s a problem)
Manga and Graded Readers: Manga with furigana (small hiragana above kanji to show the readings) is a fantastic way to practice reading. You can also check out Satori Reader, which has graded stories with built-in vocab and grammar explanations.
How to Make the Most of It:
Don’t rely on subtitles — In my ESL classes, I like first to show students content with Japanese subtitles, then once without any subtitles, and finally, one last time with English subtitles to help students check their comprehension. Subtitles are great for understanding, but if you want to improve listening comprehension, challenge yourself to watch without them sometimes.
Shadowing: This technique involves listening to native audio and repeating it aloud as closely as possible, imitating the speaker’s pronunciation and rhythm. It’s an excellent way to improve your speaking and listening skills simultaneously.
Make it understandable: Follow Steven Krashen’s comprehensible input theory, exposing yourself to content above your current level. You should understand about 70–80% of what you’re hearing or reading, with the remaining 20–30% being new, challenging material.
Step 6: Start Speaking and Writing
Speak like a toddler… it’s part of the process.
The only way to get better at using Japanese is to start using it — even if your sentences sound like they’re straight from a preschooler. That’s fine! Starting to speak and write early will help you get over the fear of making mistakes (because you will make plenty, and that’s part of the learning process).
How to start using Japanese:
Talk to yourself. Start narrating your life or thinking out loud in Japanese. You can even use an app like Notta to transcribe what you’re saying.
Use language exchange platforms like HelloTalk or book lessons on italki to chat with native speakers.
Keep a simple journal in Japanese, even if you’re just writing “今日は暑いです” (“Today it’s hot”) every day.
Your first conversations and writings will probably feel like you’re trying to juggle while riding a bike. It’s awkward, but totally worth it when you finally have your first “Aha!” moment.
Final Thoughts: This is Just the Beginning
Learning Japanese is not something you do on a spare weekend (or even in a year). It’s a long-term commitment that requires patience, persistence, and, most importantly, enjoyment. Celebrate the small victories — understanding a simple conversation, reading your first page in a manga, or recognizing kanji on a street sign.
Most importantly, don’t burn yourself out. Pace yourself, and make sure to mix in the fun stuff — Japanese media, conversations, and, yes, even a bit of games and anime now and then.
What part of Japanese are you most excited to learn? Have you already started, or are you still figuring out your plan? Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear about your journey!