Free Android apps that take you from zero kana to reading real Japanese. Echo Fluency shadowing, SM-2 spaced repetition, and tools built around how language actually sticks.
Every tool is built on proven methodology, not gamification for its own sake.
The SM-2 algorithm adapts to your actual forgetting patterns. Cards in Fluency Tool are linked to grammar patterns you're actively shadowing, not a generic word list. YoMoo schedules vocabulary saved from real articles at intervals calibrated to long-term recall.
Reading about Japanese doesn't make you speak Japanese. Fluency Tool's Echo Fluency system has you listening, recording, and comparing every session. Speech recognition scores your pronunciation. The cycle repeats until the output is consistent.
YoMoo doesn't invent sentences. It takes live news, Aozora Bunko literature, and JLPT passages and makes them readable through furigana, instant lookups, and AI simplification. N5 through N1 content. No manufactured scaffolding.
Each tool is purpose-built for a specific part of the learning process. Use one to get started, or combine them for the full picture.
30 days of structured daily lessons to take you from zero characters to reading hiragana (ひらがな) and katakana (カタカナ) fluently. Native audio, speaking practice, daily streaks. No romaji. No shortcuts.
Read kana in 30 days →
Echo Fluency shadowing, SM-2 spaced repetition flashcards, a complete JLPT grammar guide (N5–N1), pitch accent practice, and vocabulary games — one app, one system.
Start speaking Japanese →
Authentic news, literature, and JLPT passages with automatic furigana, one-tap word lookups, SRS vocabulary review, and AI simplification. N5 through N1 content. Real Japanese, actually readable.
Read real Japanese →
A closer look at the screens you'll actually use.
Every feature exists to move you toward a concrete skill. Not to keep you opening the app.
Kana Challenge's 30-day structure exists because spaced exposure over weeks — not quiz marathons — is how the kana alphabet becomes automatic. The app is designed to graduate you, then get out of the way.
Fluency Tool's Echo Fluency cycle: listen, shadow, record, compare. Speech recognition scores your pronunciation. The system repeats at spaced intervals until your output is consistent, not just recognized.
YoMoo takes live news, Aozora Bunko literature, and JLPT passages and makes them accessible through furigana, one-tap lookups, and AI simplification. You're reading real Japanese at every level.
SRS in our apps is tied to what you're actually studying. Flashcards in Fluency Tool connect to grammar patterns you're shadowing. Vocabulary saved in YoMoo is reviewed at intervals calibrated to long-term recall, not arbitrary daily quotas.
Fluency Tool's 25-sub-level JLPT structure exists because JLPT levels are the clearest shared vocabulary for tracking Japanese proficiency. The roadmap shows you exactly where you are and what to tackle next.
Fever Pitch, Hangman Kanji, and JLPT Crosswords are built on your active vocabulary — not preset word lists. When you win, it's because you actually know the words. They're practice, not a substitute for it.
No download required. Use these in the browser to reinforce what you're learning in the apps.
Paste any Japanese text and get instant grammar breakdown, readings, and vocabulary lists.
Guess the reading before the yen runs out. Built on your active vocabulary, not preset lists.
Timed hiragana and katakana recognition practice. Good for drilling the characters that aren't sticking.
Vocabulary-level crosswords sorted by JLPT level. More useful than flashcard review for low-frequency words.
Honest answers, not marketing copy.
Duolingo optimizes for daily streaks. Our apps optimize for actual skill acquisition:
Read more about the Echo Fluency method and why output matters.
Hiragana (ひらがな) first. It covers the core grammatical fabric of the language. Katakana (カタカナ) is mostly loanwords, which are easier to learn once hiragana is automatic. Kana Challenge teaches in this order for exactly that reason.
See our hiragana and katakana charts for a visual overview of both scripts.
Fluency Tool covers N5 through N1 with a 25-sub-level grammar guide, shadowing content, flashcard decks, and a progress roadmap at each level. YoMoo has reading content from N5 through N1, with AI simplification that lets lower-level learners access higher-level articles without being overwhelmed.
The Grammar Library covers N5–N1 grammar patterns with examples and usage notes.
Inside Fluency Tool, the cycle runs like this:
The same sentences cycle back at spaced intervals. Learn more about the Echo Fluency methodology.
Yes. The Japanese Learner's Map is a free interactive roadmap covering every stage from your first hiragana stroke to JLPT N1 and native-level comprehension. Key features:
Our apps use SRS tied to what you're actually studying, not a generic word list:
Read about the spaced repetition methodology behind these choices.
In-depth articles that go beyond quick tips — written for learners who want to understand the why, not just the what.
Why pitch accent matters, how it works in Tokyo Japanese, and how to actually practice it — not just read about it.
Proven strategies for expanding your word bank systematically — without spending 90 minutes a day in Anki.
Actionable steps for developing spoken Japanese confidence — including what to do when you don't have a conversation partner nearby.
A small team in Tokyo, obsessed with the gap between studying Japanese and being able to use it.
Most apps teach you about Japanese. We build tools that make you use it — through speaking, reading real content, and daily practice that mirrors how fluency actually develops. No romaji shortcuts, no gamified busywork.
Language learners and technologists based in Tokyo. Every feature we ship is driven by one question: does this move a learner from studying Japanese to actually using it? If the answer is no, we don't ship it.
Questions, feedback, or something broken? We read every email.
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