JapanesePod101
by JapanesePod101.com · Various
***iTunes New and Noteworthy Podcast, April 2012*** JapanesePod101.com is an innovative and fun way of learning the Japanese language and culture at your own convenience and pace. Our language training system consists of free daily podcast audio lessons, video lessons, Japanese Word of the Day, Premium tools, and a vibrant user community. Go to JapanesePod101.com to sign up for a Free Lifetime Account and get even more fun, fast and easy Japanese lessons!
More resources on Japanese
LingQ
LingQ is a reading-and-listening platform built around comprehensible input: import any text or transcript, look up unknown words inline, and track them as they move from new to known across thousands of repetitions. Co-founded by polyglot Steve Kaufmann, it operationalises the input hypothesis better than any other tool by making 'reading at your level' the central daily habit. A free tier supports a meaningful amount of practice before any paywall kicks in.
Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese I
Genki I is the standard university textbook for first-year Japanese, used in classrooms across the world for over two decades and now in its third edition. It builds all four skills — listening, speaking, reading, and writing — across 12 lessons with paired audio, grammar explanations, and integrated kanji practice. The combination of clarity, breadth, and institutional adoption makes it the closest thing to a 'bible' for self-taught beginners.
Tofugu
Tofugu is an exceptional, free online blog renowned for providing the internet's best Japanese-learning methodology and resources. It goes beyond simple language lessons, offering deep insights, strategic frameworks, and practical advice on *how* to effectively learn Japanese, including kanji, grammar, and vocabulary. By demystifying the learning process and sharing evidence-based techniques, Tofugu empowers dedicated learners to optimize their study habits and develop a comprehensive understanding of the Japanese language and culture.
Language Reactor
Browser extension for interactive subtitle learning on YouTube and Netflix, enabling vocabulary lookup and phrase analysis while watching.
duolingo.com
Duolingo is a popular language-learning platform with a beginner Mandarin Chinese course. It offers gamified, bite-sized lessons covering listening, speaking, reading (characters and pinyin), and writing, plus vocabulary and grammar practice.
Genki I & II: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese
The "Bible" of beginner Japanese; a highly structured, university-grade curriculum focused on grammar and functional vocabulary. Completing the series provides knowledge of approximately 300 kanji and 1,100 words.