A Japanese learning field guide
Your guide to
Japanese fluency.
Good resources. A clearer next step. An English-language hub for learners finding their way from JLPT N5 to N3.
10 resources to explore · 3 starter guides · Your pace
Find your footing
A good place to begin.
Three short guides.
Choose what helps you today.
- N5 · Start here
Start Here: N5 Roadmap
From your first kana to your first short story, one manageable step at a time.
4 min read - N5–N3 · On a budget
Best Free Resources by Level
A practical shortlist for N5, N4 and N3, with clear notes about access and costs.
5 min read - N5–N3 · Writing systems
Kana & Kanji Tools
Drills, mnemonics, flashcards and a dictionary: choose a tool for the job in front of you.
4 min read
From the resource shelf
Three resources to start with.
- N5
Kana
Real Kana (external resource)
A focused drill for recognising hiragana and katakana. Choose the rows you want to practise and build up gradually.
Open access · No visible paywall in the source check; the page does not explicitly state a price.
- N4 / N3
Grammar
Tae Kim’s Guide to Learning Japanese (external resource)
English explanations of Japanese grammar, from the basics to more involved sentence patterns. Read a little, then try your own example.
Open access · No visible paywall in the source check; the guide does not explicitly state a price.
- N3
Reading
NHK Easy Japanese News (external resource)
Short news written in easier Japanese. Try one headline and a short paragraph as a bridge toward everyday reading.
Free access · Listed as free in the curation source. Check the publisher for current access conditions.
Links checked on 14 October 2026. Level labels are suggestions. Sponsorship never decides our picks.
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