Are you homeschooling your child and looking for language learning resources? Japanese is a good fit for homeschoolers. Its writing systems are visual and pattern-based, so children can start recognizing characters quickly, and the reward comes fast: a few weeks in, they can read real words on a menu, a sign, or a favorite anime title.
Below are four apps we like for homeschooling families. We list them roughly from the most playful to the most structured, so you can match the app to your child’s age and attitude.
Before You Choose: Know the Three Writing Systems
Japanese uses three scripts at once. Hiragana (ひらがな) and katakana (カタカナ) are two sets of 46 basic sounds, and most learners master them in a few weeks. Kanji (漢字) are the more complex characters that come later and take years to build up. For homeschoolers, the best plan is to start with hiragana and katakana, add basic phrases, and bring in grammar and Kanji once your child feels confident. The apps below follow roughly that path.
1. Dr. Moku’s Hiragana and Katakana
Best for: young children and complete beginners.
With its fun, friendly visual interface, this app teaches the basics of two Japanese writing systems: Hiragana (ひらがな, Hiragana, “rounded kana”) and Katakana (カタカナ, Katakana, “angular kana”). It is family-friendly and works well for younger students. It is also great for absolute beginners and should spark an interest in continued study.
Best for: kids who like short games and quick wins.
MindSnacks is a visually stunning, game-based learning app. With different quiz and challenge modes, your child can learn many nouns and expressions in Japanese, along with the basics of the writing systems. Short games make it easy to fit a few minutes of practice into a busy homeschool day, and it feels more like play than study.
3. Duolingo
Best for: ages 11 and up, and students who need motivation.
The most comprehensive of the learning apps we will suggest – this may not be age-appropriate for the little ones – but can serve 11 years and up quite nicely.
Duolingo comes close to being a complete Japanese textbook. Its colorful style and game-like design make it a natural choice for students who get distracted easily. They will have fun earning points and collecting badges. You can even customize your own avatar and spend the virtual currency you earn to dress it up.
Best for: teens who like clear explanations and self-paced study. For high school-aged homeschoolers looking for a digital Japanese textbook, we recommend Human Japanese. It is one of the most comprehensive digital textbooks available, and you can download the Lite version for free. Working through Japanese grammar at this level often gets teens thinking about how English sentences are built too – and families who want to keep reading and writing on track at home sometimes pair it with ELA tutoring.
How to Pick the Right App
Age or goal
Start with
Then add
Ages 6 to 9, no experience
Dr. Moku’s Hiragana and Katakana
MindSnacks for vocabulary games
Ages 10 to 12, wants to have fun
MindSnacks or Duolingo
Human Japanese Lite for grammar
Teens, serious about learning
Human Japanese Lite
Duolingo for daily practice
Any age, needs speaking practice
Any app above
A live class with a teacher
Tips for Homeschooling Japanese Successfully
Short, daily practice beats long, weekly sessions, so aim for 10 to 15 minutes a day. Let your child write the characters by hand as well as tap them on a screen, since handwriting helps memory. Connect lessons to things your child already loves, like games, anime, or food, and read the Japanese text on packaging or in videos together. Finally, celebrate small wins, like reading a first word or ordering something in Japanese, because motivation is the thing that keeps a language going.
Conclusion: Take Japanese Beyond the Screen
Apps are a great start, but they have one big limit: they cannot listen to your child speak, fix their pronunciation, or answer their questions. At some point, most homeschooling families want a real teacher in the mix.
If you live in or near Tokyo or Yokohama, Coto Academy’s Kids Japanese Courses are a good next step. Our courses welcome children with no prior Japanese, and lessons cover speaking, listening, reading, and writing in small classes taught by native teachers. You can choose private lessons for ages 7 to 15, a seasonal course with field trips and cultural activities for ages 8 and above, or an after-school course for teens. Classes are held at our Minato (Azabu-Juban) and Yokohama schools, and the first step is a free consultation.
Ready to see what your child can do with a real teacher?
FAQ
What is the best Japanese app for young children?
Dr. Moku’s Hiragana and Katakana is a gentle, picture-based start for young learners and complete beginners.
Can my child learn Japanese with only an app?
Apps are great for vocabulary and daily practice. For speaking, listening, and grammar, a teacher or textbook helps a lot.
Does Coto Academy offer Japanese courses for children with no experience?
Yes. The kids courses are designed for beginners, and no prior Japanese is needed.
Halloween in Japan is just around the corner, and when is a better time to learn some Japanese Halloween vocabulary, if not now? How else can you describe some of the ghosts, monsters, and creepy crawlers that will spring up across the nation? Japan is no stranger to celebrating various occasions, and Halloween is quickly gaining popularity, with Halloween-themed events and house parties becoming increasingly widespread.
People don’t just dress up in costumes and show up to different Halloween events in Tokyo. If you’re planning to parade around the city, it helps to know some Halloween-themed Japanese words, whether you want to describe your own costume or comment on someone else’s.
So, what are some key terms to know and look out for to make the most out of Halloween in Japan? Read more to find out!
Is Halloween Celebrated in Japan? Is it Different From the U.S.?
Halloween is becoming increasingly popular in Japan, especially in larger cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. However, unlike in the U.S., Halloween in Japan is more focused on public festivities than on trick-or-treating at homes.
The spooky season is particularly popular among young people, thanks to its fun supernatural themes and the opportunity to wear costumes. Large costume events, such as the one in Ikebukuro, often focus on character cosplays from Japanese video games and anime.
While Japan hosts many cosplay-focused events, Halloween costumes in Japan and the U.S. share similarities. People in both countries enjoy dressing up as characters from movies, pop culture, and even Japanese media, so in terms of costumes, Halloween isn’t too different between the two countries.
The biggest difference is trick-or-treating, which has not caught on in Japan as much as costume events. Small-scale trick-or-treat activities may occur at elementary schools or locally organized events, but generally, only young children participate rather than entire neighborhoods or cities.
30 Scary Japanese Vocabulary Words About Halloween
1. ハロウィン (Harouin): Halloween
First up, the basic Halloween vocabulary in Japanese. Let’s take a look at the word ハロウィン (Harowin). Want to guess what it means? You can probably already tell from the romaji, but in case you’re still wondering, it means Halloween. Written in Katakana, it is more or less a direct translation from the English Word “Halloween” itself.
2. 南瓜 (Kabocha): Pumpkin
Of course, we cannot write about Japanese Halloween vocabulary without including pumpkin. Pumpkin, or 南瓜 (kabocha), is often written in hiragana as かぼちゃ instead of kanji. Kabocha translates to pumpkin or winter squash, and is one of the most popular autumn flavors in Japan.
The term also describes the Japanese variety of pumpkin that has a deep, dark green outside and an orange-colored flesh on the inside. The texture is soft and smooth, and the flavor is somewhat sweet with nutty notes. The fruit (fun fact: kabocha is botanically a fruit) is commonly used in Japanese cuisine, especially when it’s in season, which is around autumn and winter. You can find it in tempura, nabe, and a variety of other popular dishes.
So, to conclude, the word kabocha covers both the Western and Japanese pumpkin. This term can describe the iconic Halloween pumpkin monster and the winter squash found in Japanese cuisine.
3. あめ (Ame): Candy
あめ is the word for candy, generally referring to the hard candies derived from sugars and starches such as rice, cornstarch, or potatoes. For a more general term encompassing all varieties of candy, such as chocolate, nougats, and caramels, you can say キァンディー (kiandii). For those who plan to trick-or-treat, both あめ and キャンディー are must-know Japanese Halloween vocabulary words.
4. お墓 (Ohaka): Grave
お墓 (おはか), or ohaka, refers to the Japanese grave or tombstone. Japanese tombs look physically different compared to Western graves, but they play a similar role as a physical structure representing an ancestor or loved one being laid to rest.
While graves might be a common prop in Halloween decorations, in Japan, the Obon festival (which takes place in August) is when Japanese people visit family graves, which is known as お墓参り(ohaka mairi)
5. お化け (Obake): Ghost
お化け (obake) refers to ghosts or paranormal beings in general. The term obake comes from the term 化ける (bakeru), which means to transform. The term is similar to 化け物 (bakemono), which broadly refers to creatures that transform; one famous example is the kitsune, or shape-shifting fox, found in Japanese folklore.
The term now generally describes ghosts similar to yuurei (which we will describe next), as well as the paranormal, such as its usage in お化け屋敷 (obake yashiki), or haunted house. Obake yashiki are a popular activity in many theme parks, so be sure to visit one this Halloween!
6. 幽霊 (Yuurei): Spirit
幽霊 (ゆうれい), or Yuurei, refers to Japanese ghosts or spirits found throughout Japanese folklore. They are generally restless spirits who are tied to the world due to strong unresolved emotions, but are not necessarily dangerous. For example, they can be stuck in the world due to their love for their child and remain to watch over them like an invisible guardian.
Yuurei, who have strong emotions of anger or hatred, known as 怨霊 (onryou), meaning vengeful spirits, are very dangerous. So, be careful not to come across an onryou this Halloween!
7. 骸骨 (Gaikotsu): Skeleton
Another in our Japanese Halloween vocabulary list is gaikotsu. Gaikotsu refers to skeletons, usually human ones. This word generally describes the whole skeletal body of a human, rather than any particular part.
8. ミイラ (Miira): Mummy
You might think that the Japanese word for mummy is a literal loanword: maami. But for this preserved body, the Japanese language uses the Portuguese word mirra (myrrh). This is because miira refers to mummies wrapped in bandages, just like in horror movies. You’ll often see them in haunted houses (お化け屋敷, or obake yashiki) during Halloween events.
You are probably thinking of Akuma from the video game Street Fighter. But they got the name of the character from an ancient Japanese term for devil or demon. The word can be traced back to Buddhist texts from around 700 AD. The character 悪 (aku) translates to “evil” or “bad” and 魔 (ma) just refers to the devil, so the literal meaning is “evil devil”. You really can’t find a more evil entity than Akuma.
10. 魔女 (Majo): Witch
Ma (魔) means demon or evil spirit, and jo (女) means woman. Together, 魔女 means witch. In Japanese culture, witches can appear as either frightening villains or magical heroines, depending on the story. Think of Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service, which in Japanese is 魔女の宅急便 (Majo no Takkyubin), translating literally to witch delivery service.
In Japan, witches are not always represented as evil or malevolent; instead, they can be good-spirited people who have magical abilities.
Can you learn Japanese from anime like Kiki’s Delivery Service? To find out, read our blog on Learning Japanese with Anime!
11. 吸血鬼 (Kyuuketsuki): Vampire
Literally “blood-sucking demon.” 吸 (kyuu) means “to suck,” 血 (ketsu or chi) means “blood,” and 鬼 (ki or oni) means “demon.” Much like in the West, Japanese media can portray vampires as either terrifying or deeply romanticized.
12. こうもり (Koumori): Bat
Often associated with darkness, caves, and vampires. While not inherently scary in Japanese culture, bats take on a spooky vibe during Halloween. This scarier image of the bat was adopted along with the Halloween holiday from the West.
13. 黒猫 (Kuroneko): Black Cat
In Japan, black cats have mixed symbolism. They can bring bad luck (like in the West) but are also considered good luck for single women, believed to help attract suitors. On Halloween, they’re more on the spooky side.
14. クモ (Kumo): Spider
Spiders are associated with fear and creepiness, especially their webs in haunted settings. In folklore, there’s even the Jorougumo (絡新婦), a spider woman who lures men to their doom. There’s also a gigantic spider-like yokai called Tsuchigumo, known to be as large as people or even houses. However, Tsuchigumo was also a frequently used derogatory term for renegade clans who rebelled.
However, in terms of actual クモ, or spiders, they have a much more positive image. According to a common Japanese superstition, seeing a spider in the morning is a sign of good luck. However, seeing a spider at night will have the opposite omen.
15. ドキドキ(Doki doki): Heart Beating
Similarly, ドキドキ (Doki-Doki) is the onomatopoeia for a beating heart and actually has a wide range of uses in Japanese. It can be used to indicate excitement, nervousness, or as a way of expressing fear.
怖い(こわい)、心臓(しんぞう)がドキドキしちゃうよ Kowai, shinzou ga doki-doki shichau yo! That’s scary; my heart is beating so fast right now.
16. 怒り(Ikari) – Anger or Hatred
The word 怒り(Ikari) can be used to express the anger and hatred that someone holds towards another individual. This word conveys intense anger or wrath. In Japanese folklore, 怨霊 (onryou), which we described earlier, comes from 怒り(ikari), or anger, and 霊 (ryou/rei), or spirit. So, together, the term means angry spirit.
17. 呪い (Noroi): Curse
呪い (noroi) is a term that describes exceptionally evil or wicked powers or essences, including spells, hexes, and dark magic. In Japanese horror, the word describes objects, places, or people cursed or possessed by dark energies; you might commonly hear about 呪いの人形 (noroi no ningyou), cursed objects, and 呪いのビデオ (noroi no bideo), or cursed videos that, upon viewing, will bring misfortune.
Noroi encompasses dark, evil energy that often borders on the supernatural. It’s a must-know phrase that fits perfectly with the spirit of Halloween.
18. びっくり(Bikkuri): Surprised
Not always negative, but in a scary setting, it’s the sudden shock or jump-scare feeling. You can say びっくりした!, or “That scared me!” when surprised by a jump-scare from a horror movie or haunted house. Alternatively, you can also say the slang form, びびる (bibiru).
19. 不気味 (Bukimi): Eerie or Creepy
Bukimi describes something unsettling, eerie, or unnerving, like an abandoned house at night or a creepy doll staring at you. Perfect Halloween atmosphere. It also applies whenever something feels off or makes your skin crawl.
20怖い (Kowai): Scared
怖い (kowai) is an essential Japanese adjective for scary, usually as a way of expressing that something looks or is scary. For example, you can say “ホラー映画が怖いです”(horaa eiga ga kowai desu) or “horror movies are scary”. However, a common pitfall beginners make is when they say “私は怖い” (watashi wa kowai), which means “I am scary.” To say that “I am scared,” you must say, “私は怖がっている” (watashi wa kowagattiru).
Alternatively, the word 恐怖 (kyoufu) can also be used to express your fears and dread for something.
21. 妖怪 (Youkai): Yokai
You’ve most likely heard the word yokai before, as it describes some of Japan’s most iconic creatures and characters. Yokai captures a wide range of Japanese folkloric creatures, spirits, demons, and even deities. It doesn’t really describe a single character or being, so a yokai can be anything from the demons in Kimetsu no Yaiba to the majestic kitsune, like the Nine-tailed Fox in Naruto.
They encompass some of the most imaginative beings, often dating back centuries in Japanese folktales, artwork, and stories. So, this Halloween, keep an eye out for some iconic yokai such as the Tengu, oni, or even the infamous yuki onna.
22. 仮装 (Kasou): Costume
仮装 (kasou) translates literally to “disguise” but is used to describe wearing a costume for events like Halloween. To express the action of wearing or dressing up in a costume, you can say 仮装する (kasou suru), meaning “to wear a costume.”
Alternatively, you can use the English word for costume, transliterated directly into katakana as コスチューム (kosuchuumu). However, note that コスチューム is not usually used as a verb, so you would NOT say コスチュームする (kosuchuumu suru). You would instead say 仮装する, or コスプレする (kosupure suru), meaning “to do cosplay”.
23. 怪獣 (Kaijuu): Kaiju
In case you haven’t heard this word before, just think Godzilla, and now you know exactly what kaiju are: colossal, skyscraper-sized monsters that are known to level cities and even countries. They are an unstoppable force both in their destructive power and their worldwide popularity, as they are now inseparable from Japanese pop culture.
Godzilla is maybe the most famous kaiju, but there are many others such as Rodan, Mothra, and even King Kong. In popular anime and manga, you could describe the creatures in Neon Genesis Evangelion and Attack on Titan as kaiju.
24. 怪物 (Kaibutsu): Monster
怪物 (kaibutsu) literally means “strange living thing” but really refers to a monster, describing exactly what you might imagine: a terrifying, grotesque creature that is usually large or threatening. In some contexts, kaibutsu can be used interchangeably with kaiju.
However, the term can also refer to a person with extraordinary skills, abilities, or talent. Similar to how we might describe someone as a “monster” in English when they are unbelievably good at something. On the other hand, calling someone a kaibutsu could mean they are quite unpleasant, rude, or cruel.
25. 頭蓋骨 (Zugai kotsu): Skull
While we went over 骸骨, skeleton, in Japanese, if there’s one part of the skeleton to remember this Halloween, it’s the skull, or 頭蓋骨 (zugai kotsu). Skulls are probably one of the most common motifs you will see, perhaps even more than the skeleton itself. You might see skulls casually resting on tables next to snacks and drinks.
If you’re still looking for a Halloween costume, you can try asking the staff for a 頭蓋骨マスク (zugai kotsu masuku), or a skull mask. It might be easier to find than a whole costume, plus you can combine the mask with other clothes you already have, like a hoodie ー just an idea for a Halloween costume!
26. 収穫 (shuukaku): Harvest
収穫 (shuukaku) is the direct Japanese translation of “harvest,” being used to describe the season of crops maturing and being ready to be gathered. It can also describe the act of harvesting or gathering mature crops by adding する (suru), or “to do”. So, the whole phrase is 収穫する (shuukaku suru), or “to harvest.”
Halloween generally falls around harvest season, so many farms and agricultural organizations harvest fruits and vegetables such as pumpkins, chestnuts, pears, and grapes. 新米 (shinmai), or literally “new rice,” is also harvested around October and November.
So, while enjoying the haunted houses and costume parties during Halloween, don’t miss out on the harvest foods or even the Japanese harvest festival!
27. 案山子 (Kakashi): Scarecrow
No Halloween list is complete without scarecrows, known as 案山子 in Japanese, an inseparable icon of the season. If anything captures the spirit of Halloween, it’s scarecrows since their whole purpose is to strike fear into people’s hearts. Well, originally, they were only used to scare birds and protect farmers’ crops.
In Japan, kakashi were used for the same purpose, but they also were a subject of Japanese folklore, mythology, and Shinto beliefs.
28. 帽子 (boushi): Hat
Hats are a big part of many Halloween costumes, so knowing the word 帽子 (boushi), or hat in Japanese, will make costume shopping a bit easier. If you want to ask for a “witch’s hat,” you can say 魔女の帽子 (majo no boushi), or a scarecrow hat, you can simply say 案山子の帽子 (kakashi no boushi).
The term 帽子 describes a general hat, from baseball caps to large wide-brim witch hats, making it essential to include in your Halloween vocabulary.
29. 死神 (Shinigami): Grim Reaper
The grim reaper, or 死神 (shinigami) in Japanese, is one of the most terrifying beings in human imagination, and some form of it appears in different cultures and folktales around the world. So, you should expect the shinigami to make an appearance this Halloween.
In traditional Japanese folklore, the shinigami can refer to the “god of death.” They are known to cause cycles of tragedy and death, and tend to linger in places like graveyards and battlefields. However, shinigami can also broadly refer to any spirit or creature that possesses people and drives them to death.
30. トリックオアトリート (Torikku oa toriito): Trick or Treat
The main event of Halloween in countries like the United States is trick-or-treating, which in Japanese is a direct loanword written in katakana as トリックオアトリート (torikku oa toriito). While trick-or-treating isn’t a traditional custom in Japan, some festivals and events do host trick-or-treats. Most of the time, only small kids do trick-or-treating since most events are held by elementary schools.
Expand Your Emotions With Japanese Halloween Words
Learning Halloween vocabulary in Japanese is not just about memorizing words; it’s about exploring how Japan interprets fear, the supernatural, and the mysterious. They are not just useful in Halloween but in expressing yourself in Japanese overall. Plus, don’t miss out on trying kabocha and ame, or candy.
To get the most out of this list of words, try practicing them with a professional teacher who can guide and train you to use them in natural, everyday conversation.
Why not join Japanese lessons at Coto Academy? Our classes are designed to help you engage with real, authentic Japanese culture.
We offer intensive Japanese courses as well as part-time options, so whether you want to immerse yourself fully or fit lessons into a busy schedule, there’s something for you. Start your journey to speaking Japanese confidently today!
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FAQ
Is Halloween popular in Japan?
Yes! Halloween has grown rapidly in Japan, especially in cities like Tokyo. It’s more about costumes, parties, and decorations than trick-or-treating, but spooky words definitely add to the fun.
What is the word for candy in Japanese?
Candy can either be あめ (ame), which generally describes Japanese hard candy, or キャンディー (kyandii), which refers to all varieties of candy in general.
Are there Japanese monsters or yokai tied to Halloween?
While Halloween in Japan borrows heavily from Western imagery (witches, vampires, bats), you’ll also find yokai like Jorougumo (the spider woman) or yurei (ghosts) being used in Halloween-themed events.
What are some Halloween Japanese vocabulary I should know about?
Some key Japanese Halloween vocabulary includes おばけ (obake, ghost), かぼちゃ (kabocha, pumpkin), こうもり (koumori, bat), ゾンビ (zonbi, zombie), and ハロウィン (Harowin, Halloween).
Want to expand your vocabulary beyond just Halloween-related Japanese vocabulary? You might want to check out:
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Complete the form and our team will contact you as soon as possible! If you are interested in online Japanese lessons, please select Online School as your preferred school option so our staff can best assist you!
FAQ
When can I start my Japanese online lessons?
You can start the class at any time. Create a free account and purchase points, and you’ll be ready to start your learning journey!
How can I learn Japanese online with Coto Academy?
Coto Academy offers a 100% online learning platform where you can easily browse Japanese courses, book classes, and join virtual lessons led by native Japanese instructors. You can also purchase lesson points and manage your classes all in one place.
Is Coto Academy suitable for complete Japanese beginners?
Yes! Coto Academy offers 18+ Japanese levels, starting from complete beginner courses where you’ll learn hiragana and katakana from scratch.
How does Coto Online lesson points work?
Coto Academy uses a point-based system for booking lessons. You purchase points, which can then be used to reserve different types of lessons. Private Lesson (50 minutes) = 4 points Group Lesson (50 minutes) = 2 points Group Lesson (100 minutes) = 4 points Additionally, some special courses are offered at 1 point per 50 minutes, depending on duration and content.
What makes Coto Academy different from other Japanese online language schools?
Unlike platforms using casual freelancers, Coto Academy features professional Japanese tutors and a structured curriculum developed at our Tokyo and Yokohama campuses. Our live group lessons offer a true virtual classroom experience, focusing on academic progress and maximum conversation practice.
How effective is Coto Academy Online for JLPT exam preparation?
Coto Academy offers targeted JLPT preparation courses designed to help students pass all levels of the JLPT (N5–N1). Lessons combine grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension with strategies for real exam success — all taught by experienced native instructors who understand the JLPT format inside and out.
Do you offer free online Japanese course?
At the moment, we do not offer free trial lessons. If you would like to test out some lessons or levels before committing, consider doing a one-time purchase of the 8-point package and booking the lesson you are interested in as a one-time booking!
How much does Coto Academy's online Japanese lessons cost?
Coto Online offers a Starter Plan at ¥9,600/month, which includes 8 points. Group lessons are 2 points each, giving you up to 4 group lessons per month. You can also combine group and private lessons depending on your goals.
Can I learn Japanese online without any prior experience?
Yes — we offer beginner courses specifically designed for students with no prior Japanese learning experience. You’ll start from the very basics, including hiragana and katakana, and progress at a pace that works for you.
Do you offer JLPT preparation online?
Yes. We offer online JLPT preparation courses covering N3, N2, and N1 — available as a structured full-year program. Lessons are taught by professional native Japanese teachers and cover all exam components, including grammar, vocabulary, reading, and listening.
What is the difference between group and private online lessons?
Group lessons have a maximum of 6 students, giving you an interactive class environment while keeping lessons personal and focused. Private lessons are 1-on-1 with your teacher. Both formats are taught exclusively by experienced, professional native Japanese teachers — not freelancers — so the quality is consistent whichever you choose.
Looking for the perfect Japanese learning app? Or are you interested in mastering the Japanese language?
Whether you’re planning to travel to Japan, pursuing a career in the language, or simply fascinated by the culture, learning Japanese can be an enriching and rewarding experience.
With the rise of technology, language learning has become more accessible than ever before, thanks to a plethora of language apps available on your smartphone.
But you might be thinking, which one should you start with? In this blog, we asked the teachers from Coto Academy for suggestions and introduced you to the top 30 apps for learning Japanese.
From vocabulary building to grammar practice and sentence construction, these apps offer a variety of features to help you improve your Japanese language skills.
So, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, these apps are sure to help you achieve your language learning goals. Let’s dive in and explore the best apps for mastering Japanese!
Why Use Japanese Learning Apps?
Learn anytime, anywhere 📱
Personalized study plans 🎯
Interactive & gamified lessons 🎮
Real-world conversation practice 💬
Tips for Effective Learning
Set realistic goals – Focus on daily progress.
Practice consistently – Even 10 minutes a day makes a difference!
Use multiple resources – Combine apps, textbooks, and native content.
Engage with native speakers – Apps with chat functions boost confidence.
Review regularly – Use spaced repetition for better retention.
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of language-learning apps, let’s dive into the top 5 apps for learning Japanese!
Best Apps for Beginners
1. Midori – The Ultimate Japanese Dictionary
Ideal for: Kanji learners & self-study
Price: Free
Midori is one of the most comprehensive Japanese-English dictionary apps available. It includes over 170,000 words, detailed kanji breakdowns, stroke order animations, and an offline mode for easy access. With a powerful search function, users can look up words by drawing kanji, inputting kana, or even using romaji. Midori is an excellent tool for learners who want to deepen their kanji knowledge and expand their vocabulary effectively!
Duolingo is a user-friendly app that makes Japanese learning fun with its bite-sized lessons, interactive exercises, and gamified elements. The app focuses on basic vocabulary, hiragana, and kanji while reinforcing learning through repetition. Though it lacks in-depth grammar explanations, Duolingo is a great starting point for beginners who want to build consistency in their language studies.
HeyJapan is a comprehensive Japanese learning app that takes you from the basics to advanced skills. Users can master hiragana, katakana, and kanji, expand vocabulary and grammar, practice speaking with interactive videos, and prepare for the JLPT. Daily 15-minute lessons, personalized learning paths, and gamified achievements make learning engaging and effective, helping learners build confidence in reading, writing, and conversation.
4. Memory Hint – Learn Kanji with Visual Mnemonics
Ideal for: Visual learners
Price: Free Memory Hint helps learners memorize kanji by associating each character with a unique visual mnemonic. This method makes kanji recall easier and more intuitive, particularly for beginners who struggle with complex characters. The app also includes quizzes and interactive learning exercises to reinforce retention.
Price: Free (Premium available) Todaii allows learners to improve their reading skills by providing real Japanese news articles with built-in tools such as furigana, English translations, and JLPT-based vocabulary tagging. Users can highlight words for instant dictionary lookup and listen to native Japanese audio to enhance their comprehension. This app is ideal for those looking to transition from structured lessons to real-world reading practice.
Price: Free or $14.99/month, $39.99/quarter, $79.99/year, $159.99 lifetime Lingodeer offers structured, comprehensive lessons focusing on vocabulary, grammar, and listening skills. Unlike Duolingo, it provides detailed grammar explanations, making it an excellent choice for serious learners. The second version, Lingodeer+, offers additional exercises to reinforce speaking, listening, and writing skills, helping learners to build fluency progressively.
Price: Free Yomiwa is an advanced kanji recognition app that allows users to scan Japanese text using their camera for instant translation. It supports handwriting input, making it useful for looking up kanji characters that are difficult to type. With its built-in dictionary, stroke order animations, and contextual usage examples, Yomiwa is an excellent tool for learners focusing on kanji acquisition and reading comprehension.
Ideal for : Beginner & Intermediate 💰 Price: Free (Premium available) HelloTalk is one of the best language exchange apps for learning Japanese through real conversations with native speakers. It provides text, voice messages, video calls, and instant translations, making it easier for learners to communicate confidently. The app also features a correction tool, allowing native speakers to edit your messages and improve your writing. Whether you’re a beginner or intermediate learner, HelloTalk is perfect for practicing Japanese in a natural, social setting.
9. Busuu – AI-powered Speaking Exercises
Ideal for : Beginner & Intermediate 💰 Price: Free – Premium $12/month Busuu provides an AI-driven learning experience with structured lessons covering pronunciation, speaking exercises, and conversation practice. The app includes speech recognition technology, allowing users to refine their pronunciation. Additionally, Busuu features a community-based learning system where users can get feedback from native speakers. Ideal for those looking to build speaking confidence through guided practice and real-world interaction.
Ideal for : Beginner & Intermediate 💰 Price: $150 per level Pimsleur is an audio-based language learning program that focuses on developing conversational fluency through spaced repetition and interactive dialogues. Lessons are designed to improve listening comprehension, pronunciation, and sentence structure without relying on reading. This method is especially beneficial for learners who prefer audio-based learning and speaking drills over traditional textbooks.
Ideal for: Beginner & Intermediate 💰 Price: Free (Premium available) Umi is a unique Japanese learning app that teaches through popular anime, dramas, and movies. It provides interactive exercises, vocabulary breakdowns, and subtitles to help learners improve listening skills and contextual understanding. The app’s immersion-based approach makes it a great tool for learners who enjoy Japanese pop culture and want to learn naturally through entertainment.
12. Linglass – Learn Japanese from Anime with Dual Subtitles
Linglass shows Japanese and English subtitles together on Netflix, Crunchyroll and YouTube. You can tap any word to see its reading and meaning, save it to flashcards, and review it with spaced repetition. They also have AI grammar explanations and AI-generated Japanese subtitles for videos that don’t have any. Free plan with an optional Premium subscription, available on Chrome, iOS and Android.
Ideal for: Beginner & intermediate learners who love anime
Ideal for: Intermediate & Advanced 💰 Price: Free (Premium available) Skritter is an advanced kanji and kana writing practice app that uses spaced repetition and real-time stroke feedback. It provides detailed stroke order guidance, helping learners memorize and retain kanji characters effectively. Skritter is an essential tool for those preparing for the JLPT or looking to enhance their Japanese writing skills through structured and interactive learning.
Ideal for: Intermediate & Advanced 💰 Price: Free Anki is a powerful spaced repetition flashcard app that allows users to create and customize their own study decks. It is widely used as a Japanese learning app for JLPT preparation, kanji memorization, and vocabulary retention. With thousands of pre-made decks, learners can access study materials tailored to different JLPT levels, making Anki an essential tool for serious Japanese learners.
Ideal for: Beginner to Advanced 💰 Price: Free trial, $5/month (Premium available) Bunpro offers structured grammar lessons aligned with JLPT levels. It features SRS-based exercises, native example sentences, and grammar explanations, making it one of the most effective tools for learning Japanese sentence structure and grammar rules. Ideal for learners preparing for the JLPT exam.
Ideal for: Beginner to Advanced 💰 Price: Free (Premium available) Renshuu is an interactive gamified learning platform featuring customizable quizzes, kanji drills, grammar breakdowns, and spaced repetition exercises. It offers a playful approach to language learning, incorporating daily challenges and adorable mascot rewards to keep learners engaged.
Ideal for: Beginner to Advanced 💰 Price: $99.95 per level Rocket Languages is an interactive, audio-based language course designed for learners who want structured lessons with real-world dialogues. The app includes interactive exercises, pronunciation practice with speech recognition, grammar breakdowns, and cultural insights. With its progress tracking system, learners can steadily advance from basic phrases to fluent conversation skills while reinforcing listening and speaking abilities.
Ideal for: Intermediate to Advanced 💰 Price: $20/month FluentU enhances Japanese comprehension skills by offering real-world videos, such as commercials, movie trailers, and news clips, with interactive subtitles and quizzes. It’s an excellent tool for learners who want to develop their listening abilities in a natural, immersive way.
18. Speaky – Connect with Language Partners Worldwide
Ideal for: Beginner & Intermediate 💰 Price: Free (Premium available) Speaky is a language exchange platform that helps learners connect with native Japanese speakers worldwide. It offers text, voice, and video chat options, allowing users to practice real-life conversations in a social and engaging way. The app also includes matching algorithms to pair learners with compatible partners, making it an excellent choice for those looking to improve fluency through real-time interaction.
19. Kanji Senpai – Japanese Learning App With Spaced Repetition for Kanji
Ideal for: Intermediate & Advanced 💰 Price: Free Kanji Senpai uses a spaced repetition system (SRS) to help learners memorize kanji characters and their readings. This Japanese learning app features JLPT-specific kanji lists, quizzes, and progress tracking, making it an effective tool for mastering kanji efficiently.
Ideal for: Beginner to Advanced 💰 Price: Free (Premium available) Bunpo offers a structured curriculum covering JLPT grammar, sentence patterns, and conjugation rules. With interactive exercises, progress tracking, and clear explanations, it is an excellent app for learners looking to build a solid foundation in Japanese grammar.
Ideal for: Beginner & Intermediate 💰 Price: Free Mondo helps learners connect with native Japanese speakers through chat-based language exchange. Users can practice writing, speaking, and grammar correction with language partners, making it a valuable tool for improving fluency in an interactive setting.
🎮 Best Apps for Interactive & Gamified Learning
22. Mindsnacks – Japanese Learning App With Fun Mini-Games
Ideal for: Beginners & casual learners 💰 Price: Free (In-app purchases available) Mindsnacks makes learning Japanese fun and engaging through bite-sized lessons combined with interactive mini-games. The app covers essential vocabulary, kanji, and grammar rules while keeping you entertained with colorful graphics and reward-based progression. Each game is designed to improve specific language skills, such as listening comprehension, sentence structure, and kanji recognition. By integrating spaced repetition techniques, Mindsnacks ensures long-term retention, making it an excellent choice for beginners who want to build a solid foundation while enjoying the process.
23. Studystack – Flashcard-Based Learning with Games
Studystack enhances traditional flashcard learning by incorporating interactive memory games such as Hangman, crosswords, and matching exercises. This app is particularly useful for learners who rely on repetition and recall to memorize new Japanese words, kanji, and grammar patterns. With customizable decks, learners can focus on specific vocabulary sets, JLPT kanji lists, and everyday expressions. The app’s spaced repetition system ensures that words and characters are reviewed at optimal intervals for long-term memorization.
Ideal for: Kanji learners, handwriting practice 💰 Price: Free
Ringotan is a must-have app for serious kanji learners looking to improve their writing skills. It helps users master stroke order and proper kanji formation through interactive handwriting exercises. The app uses a spaced repetition system to reinforce learning and ensure that users retain kanji characters effectively over time. By providing real-time feedback on stroke accuracy and order, Ringotan offers an experience similar to writing with pen and paper, making it an excellent digital alternative for kanji practice.
25. Ameba – Japanese Learning App For Blogging for Reading & Writing Practice
Ameba is a popular Japanese learning app and blogging platform where learners can immerse themselves in authentic written content. By reading native-level blog posts on various topics, users can improve their reading comprehension and become more familiar with real-world Japanese expressions and grammar structures. Additionally, learners can start their own blogs in Japanese, practicing writing skills while receiving feedback from native speakers. This is an excellent way to build confidence in written communication while engaging with Japanese culture and current trends.
Waygo is an indispensable tool for travelers and beginners struggling with Japanese text. The app allows users to instantly translate printed Japanese words, phrases, and kanji by simply pointing their phone camera at the text. Whether deciphering restaurant menus, street signs, or product labels, Waygo provides accurate translations without requiring an internet connection. This makes it a perfect on-the-go tool for real-world interactions and survival Japanese.
Drops makes learning Japanese vocabulary quick and engaging with five-minute daily sessions. Using visual mnemonics, swipe-based interactions, and spaced repetition, it helps users memorize words effortlessly. With themed categories like travel, food, and daily life, Drops is perfect for building vocabulary in a fun, stress-free way.
28. Wagotabi – Learn Japanese Through Cultural Exploration
Wagotabi blends language learning with cultural immersion, offering interactive lessons based on real-life scenarios, history, and traditions. By engaging with authentic Japanese content, users enhance their comprehension and vocabulary while gaining a deeper understanding of cultural nuances. Perfect for learners looking to go beyond textbooks and experience Japanese in its real-world context.
Ideal for: Beginners & intermediate learners 💰 Price: 19.99$ one time purchase
Shashingo is a unique educational video game that teaches Japanese through photography. Players explore a visually immersive environment where they can take pictures of objects to reveal their Japanese names and translations. With a focus on real-world vocabulary and contextual learning, the game enhances memory retention through visual association. Perfect for those who enjoy interactive and experiential learning, Shashingo makes studying Japanese feel like an engaging adventure.
30. OTO Navi – Japanese Audiobooks & Listening Practice
OTO Navi offers a vast library of Japanese audiobooks, podcasts, and learning materials to improve listening skills. By exposing learners to natural speech patterns and authentic conversations, it helps bridge the gap between textbook learning and real-world Japanese comprehension.
🎓 Additional Resources for Learning Japanese
Podcasts – Great for improving listening skills. Try JapanesePod101 or Nihongo con Teppei.
YouTube Channels – Follow Japanese Ammo with Misa or Dogen for grammar and pronunciation tips.
Books – Check out Genki, Minna no Nihongo, and Tobira for structured learning.
Final Thoughts
Japanese learning apps make studying fun, engaging, and efficient. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced learner, choosing the right app will make a huge difference in your progress.
🔥 Want to learn Japanese with expert teachers? Join Coto Academy for personalized lessons! Sign up here🎌✨
If you are interested in studying Japanese in Japan, find out more about our school by filling out the form below!
FAQ
What are the top apps to learn Japanese online?
The top apps to learn Japanese include Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, Memrise, FluentU, and Tae Kim’s Guide to Learning Japanese.
Is Duolingo good to learn Japanese online?
Yes, Duolingo is a popular app that offers gamified lessons, vocabulary practice, and interactive exercises to learn Japanese.
What is Rosetta Stone?
Rosetta Stone is known for its immersive language learning approach, offering speech recognition and interactive lessons to effectively learn Japanese.
What is Memrise?
Yes, Memrise is a vocabulary-focused app that uses spaced repetition and mnemonic techniques to help learners master Japanese vocabulary.
What is the most effective way to study?
A mix of structured learning (apps, textbooks, grammar guides) and immersion (native content, conversation practice) is the most effective method.
What makes Japanese such a challenging langugae to learn?
Japanese has simple pronunciation and basic grammar, but kanji and honorifics make it challenging. A step-by-step approach makes it manageable.d app that uses spaced repetition and mnemonic techniques to help learners master Japanese vocabulary.
What is JLPT N2 level like?
JLPT N2 is considered conversational fluency, while JLPT N1 indicates near-native proficiency required for work and academics.
How to learn Japanese fast?
Yes, but it requires discipline. Use structured apps (Anki, Bunpro), practice speaking (HelloTalk), and immerse yourself in the language daily.
How to start learning Japanese?
Begin with hiragana and katakana, learn basic grammar and phrases, then gradually introduce kanji and conversation practice.
Is learning Japanese thorough apps good for beginners?
Yes, most apps offer resources and lessons suitable for beginners, allowing them to start learning Japanese from scratch.
Welcome to Japan! Along with your first steps in your new life in Tokyo, one of your first priorities is to start learning Japanese. Some of you might already have a certain level of Japanese ability, such as reading and writing hiragana and katakana. But what if you have never learned Japanese before?
When you have completely zero knowledge of Japanese, we recommend you join what is called a Japanese Crash Course, like ones offered at Coto Academy. In 4 weeks, you will learn the fundamentals of Japanese, directly useful for your daily life, including an introduction to hiragana and katakana.
Interested in joining our Japanese Crash Course, or wondering if it’s the right fit for you? We’d love to help! Simply fill out the contact form below, and our English-speaking staff will get back to you shortly.
Coto Academy’s Japanese Crash Course is an intensive, short-term survival program designed specifically for complete beginners and new residents in Japan who need to build functional, everyday Japanese skills as quickly as possible.
Aspect
Details
Target Level
Zero Beginner (No prior Japanese knowledge required)
Coto Academy locations (such as Azabu, Iidabashi, Yokohama) & Online
Key Features & Learning Focus
Practical, Conversation-First Curriculum: Focuses on immediate, practical communication rather than heavy grammar theory. Students master key phrases across 9 real-life scenarios, including ordering at restaurants, shopping, asking for directions, self-introductions, and simple daily interactions.
Basic Literacy: Teaches Hiragana and Katakana reading and writing, alongside common Kanji frequently encountered in daily life (such as street signs, menus, and shop notices).
Small Class Sizes: Limited to a maximum of 8 students per class (averaging 3–6), ensuring maximum speaking time and individual feedback from instructors.
Experiential Learning (Tokyo Explorer): Includes interactive outdoor activities where students put their classroom learning to the test in real-world settings like local cafes, supermarkets, and izakayas.
How is Japanese Crash Course Different From Beginner Japanese Lessons?
Japanese Crash Course is a special course designed for individuals who have completely zero knowledge or prior experience in learning Japanese. On the other hand, some beginner Japanese lessons might already expect students to know about basic hiragana and katakana and phrases.
It is important to clarify with your chosen Japanese language school if the beginner lessons they offer are designed for total beginners or not.
Who is This Japanese Crash Course For?
Other than for total beginners, we think Japanese Crash Course is the right fit for you if you:
1. New Arrivals Who Want Practical, Everyday Japanese
If you just arrived in Japan and need to start communicating right away, this course prioritizes real-life interaction over dry theory. Rather than spending weeks on abstract grammar rules, you learn functional phrases you can use immediately for shopping, ordering food, and navigating daily life. The speaking-first approach gets you talking from day one so you feel confident handling everyday tasks.
2. Returning Learners Rebuilding Their Foundation
If you studied Japanese before but took a long break, this course serves as an efficient refresher. It helps you clean up forgotten grammar, review Hiragana and Katakana, and fix gaps in your foundational skills. This reactivates your speaking momentum without forcing you into an overly advanced class.
3. Short-Term Visitors, Tourists & Travelers
If you are visiting Japan for a few weeks or months, you can enjoy a flexible language immersion experience without long-term commitments. Unlike traditional language schools that require 6-month or 1-year visa commitments, you can enroll for short blocks starting from just 1 week. It offers a hands-on way to make your trip richer by learning the language while exploring the country.
What’s The Experiential Learning at Coto Academy’s Japanese Crash Course?
At Coto Academy, we believe learning a language shouldn’t feel like studying for a history exam. Japanese is a living, breathing tool, and you should get to use it from day one!
That’s where Experiential Learning comes in. Once a week, we take the learning outside! Guided by your teacher, you’ll head out of our campus to complete fun missions like ordering a customized drink, asking a shopkeeper for recommendations, or getting directions to a nearby landmark.
Inside the class, you can expect role-plays like introducing yourself to new friends and handling shopping questions.
Ready to Start Your Japanese Journey?
If you’re excited to learn Japanese by actually living it, our Japanese Crash Course is ready for you! Classes run in small groups to make sure everyone gets plenty of speaking time and personal guidance.
Come join us, meet fellow learners from around the world, and start exploring Japan with confidence!
Do I need any prior Japanese knowledge to join this course?
No prior experience is necessary! The Japanese Crash Course is specially designed for absolute beginners (Zero Beginner). Whether you haven’t learned a single word yet or only know konnichiwa, our native teachers will walk you through daily essential phrases, as well as hiragana and katakana, step by step.
How long does the course last, and how flexible is the schedule?
We offer high flexibility so you don’t need to make a long-term commitment. While the core unit runs for 4 weeks, you can enroll for anywhere from 1 week to 12 weeks depending on your availability and length of stay in Japan. Classes typically run part-time multiple days a week, making it easy to fit into a busy schedule.
What is the class size like?
To ensure everyone gets personal attention and plenty of speaking time, our classes are kept strictly small, with a maximum of 8 students per class (averaging around 3 to 6 students). You will have continuous opportunities to practice active conversation rather than just passively listening to a lecture.
For years, Coto Academy has worked to give students the best learning experience through our teachers, staff service, and facilities. Recently, we even opened more campuses to make learning Japanese easier to reach: a Coto Academy Japanese language school in Shinjuku and a full-time Japanese language school in Kokubunji.
But while everyone saw these big developments, we were quietly building something else. We completely revamped Coto Cards, and it is finally ready for you!
Coto Cards is Coto Academy’s in-house vocabulary and kanji flashcard app, built to help students learn and review what they learned before, in between, or after class. This will be available for all Coto Academy and Coto Institute students for free. Here is how we built it, how to get the most out of it, and everything else you need to know.
What Is Coto Cards, and Why Did We Originally Create It?
A few years ago, Coto Academy created Coto Cards to give our students a more accessible way to review their lessons! Coto Cards sync with your course curriculum, so you always review what you actually studied. Teachers use it in class too, going over new vocabulary on the TV.
Why did we create it? For a long time, Coto Academy has been known for conversation-focused lessons (and we’re proud of that!). Our teachers focus on practical Japanese, and you get plenty of speaking practice with classmates.
But we also know that learning Japanese well takes more than talking. You need to build your vocabulary and kanji knowledge too, and remembering them is hard.
Coto Cards is a manifestation of our hope to help you learn Japanese through different resources and develop your skills in a well-rounded way.
So Why Did We Rebuild Coto Cards Now?
So Why Did We Rebuild Coto Cards Now?
Coto Cards has been around for years, but we realized many of our students weren’t using it. Some of them didn’t even know it existed! We understood why: the idea was there, but we quickly noticed that the app was not where we wanted it to be when we first launched it.
Earlier in 2026, we sent a big survey to current and former Coto Academy students asking what they really think of Coto Cards. We immediately saw a pattern in the feedback: buggy logins, a layout that didn’t work on mobile, lag, and Android-specific bugs.
So we read every review and comment, grouped the feedback, and asked ourselves one question: if we were building a Japanese flashcard app from scratch, what would our students want?
We also listened to our teachers. Students told us what they want to learn and how they learn best. Teachers told us what they want their students to know. That two-way view shaped the new Coto Cards. Working closely with our developers and designer, we didn’t just redesign the app. We rebuilt it with a new system, new features, and new capabilities. It’s intuitive, easy to use, and actually useful. Best of all, you don’t have to buy it. If you study at Coto Academy, Coto Cards is completely free and included in your curriculum and package.
New and Improved Features with Coto Cards
The old Coto Cards were, let’s face it, outdated. Here is what changed.
1. Two ways to study
Daily Review gives you the full deck, the same experience as the old app. Smart Review uses spaced repetition (SRS). You pick a range of decks (for example, Beginner 1 to Intermediate 3), the number of cards per session, and your display settings. The app then serves cards you have not seen yet or marked with an ✕ before. Your mastery status is saved for each card and carries across sessions, so your history stays even if you remove a deck and add it back. Teachers get a Check mode for class, where words students do not know come up again.
2. Progress tracking for students and teachers
A progress tracking feature is something that a lot of Coto Academy students requested on our survey. Our deck shows a mastery percentage, plus how often you study (days studied and sessions over the last 30 days). The old app had no teacher view at all. Now teachers can follow their students’ progress on the new Students pages. Content can also be locked so only specific groups can access it.
3. Better content
In the Beginner library, we corrected about 4,100 words, merged about 525 duplicate groups into single IDs (so SRS recognizes a word you already mastered in another course), and fixed a romaji bug affecting about 1,700 words.
We added about 5,000 new words, including Kanji Look & Learn, and rebuilt Lite Intensive Kanji B1 to B6. The font now matches our textbooks more closely, so it is easier to read.
Furigana (small hiragana above kanji) helps you read words you do not know or forget. We also created JLPT decks, and our team can now edit, import, and publish content in-house without going through a vendor.
Password: Your password will be the email you used to log in to the Coto Academy student portal
Coto Cards is not in the App Store or Google Play right now. It is a mobile-first web app, which means it works in your browser and you can also install it on your phone (as a PWA, or progressive web app).
Once you log in, tap the Install App button to add Coto Cards to your home screen. After that, it opens like any other app, with nothing to download from a store. You can also switch the app language from English to Japanese if you want some extra learning experience. Coto Cards is available to both Coto Academy and Coto Institute students.
Current, past, and upcoming Coto Academy and Coto Institute students all get full access to Coto Cards.
Current Coto Academy and Coto Institute students
Past students who finished at Coto Academy or Coto Institute up to one year ago
All you need is your student ID and email.
If you do not remember or know your student ID, you can sign in to the Coto Academy student portal. Your student ID is located next to your name (see image below).
Setting Up Your Coto Cards Deck
The platform walks you through setup, so you will be ready in under a minute. The new design takes you straight to your class, level, and course.
Choose your school: Coto Academy or Coto Institute. You can also choose Public to study vocabulary by JLPT level, our Fun and Easy book, or hiragana and katakana.
Choose your class type: intensive, part-time, lite intensive, or textbook-based.
Choose the level you are currently attending.
That is it. Your deck is ready, and there is nothing to download or configure!
Everything is set up for you, but once you are comfortable, we recommend making it your own. The app is divided into vocabulary and kanji decks.
Vocabulary cards show kanji, hiragana, and the English translation, in that order by default. You can change the order anytime. Kanji cards follow the same order: kanji, hiragana, English. For kanji, you can also turn furigana on or off.
Setting Up Your Coto Cards Study
Smart Review on the Study Deck compiles all the flashcards you’ve learned and remembers the cards you got wrong. This wa, Coto Cards is not a one-day app that resets every time you study.
Once your cards look the way you like, it is time to set up how you study. Everyone learns differently: some people like a quick daily check, others prefer longer sessions. Coto Cards lets you do both.
Here, you can set how many cards you want to review per session. You can also choose what to review: all the vocabulary, only the ones you don’t know, cards you know a bit, or cards you know well.
Step
Action
What to do
1
Add your decks
Select the decks from your current class and up to 5 levels before it.
2
Remove your oldest decks
Each time you move up a level, remove decks that are now more than 5 levels below you.
3
Review every day
A few minutes a day beats one long session a week. Come back daily so SRS can work properly.
4
Rate each card
Tell us if you knew it well, knew it a bit, or did not know it. This decides when you will see it again.
5
Set your session size
Choose how many cards to study per session. This is the setting you will adjust most.
What is The Difference Between Coto Cards Study and Deck?
You’ll notice two settings in your dashboard: Deck and Study. Deck is a quick, one-time flashcard set. It pulls the vocab and kanji from a single lesson, so it’s perfect for a fast review before class. It doesn’t save your past flashcards or use the SRS system, so each deck is a fresh start and gre
Study works more like Anki. It uses spaced repetition (SRS) to bring back the words and kanji you need to see again, and it keeps track of what you’ve learned over time.
Difference
Deck
Study
Type
One-time use
Ongoing, like Anki
Content
Vocab and kanji from one lesson
Combines all the flashcards you’ve learned
Customization
Less customizable
More customizable, with filters
Progress
Doesn’t save what you skipped or remembered
Saves your progress
SRS
No
Yes
Great for
Quick review between Japanese lessons
Long-term retention
What Is SRS?
One feature you will not see but will definitely feel is the Spaced Repetition System (SRS). SRS is a proven method that shows you each word right before you are likely to forget it. Words you struggle with come back sooner. Words you know well appear less often, and after a while they return every 30 to 60 days to keep them fresh. It is the most efficient way to move vocabulary into long-term memory.
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If you’re using the old Coto Cards app from the App Store, that’s great. Keep using it! We plan to migrate it to the new Coto Cards in the future, but for now, enjoy it to the fullest. We’ll let you know when it’s time.
Tips for Using Coto Cards
Coto Cards gives you the tools to study your way, right on your phone or computer. Here are some tips for making the most of it.
Find what works for you. Coto Cards is easy to customize. Turn furigana on when you are learning new kanji, then turn it off when you want to test yourself. Change the order of the card (kanji, hiragana, English), choose how many cards you study per session, and filter by the cards you knew well, knew a bit, or did not know.
Take advantage of all the features. You get access to every level, so use that. Go back to the levels below yours for a quick refresher, or look ahead and preview the vocabulary and kanji for your next class. You walk in already familiar with the words.
Optional third tip: Review a little every day. A few minutes a day beats one long session a week. Smart Review remembers what you got wrong and brings those cards back at the right time, so short, daily sessions work best.
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Dreaming of a Japanese name for your future child? Whether you love the culture or have a Japanese spouse, there are some common Japanese names that might give you some inspiration. Like “John” or “Maria” in English, there are some very popular Japanese names, some of them so common that you encounter them on textbooks! Regardless of that, each one carries a meaning that helps explain its staying power.
So, find out some of the most common names to know in Japanese and how to read them so that when you see them on staff name tags, you’ll know how to address them!
Should I Address Someone by Their First or Last Name?
In Japan, it’s customary to address people outside of your family and friends by their last name, especially when you first meet them. Generally, when you address someone you should respect or don’t know well, use their last name with an honorific suffix, like 〜さん (~san) or 〜さま (~sama). This is especially important in Japanese email, since it’s standard to start by addressing the person’s surname with a suffix.
However, with family, friends, classmates, or close colleagues, you can be more relaxed and drop the formalities. It would come across as cold and unnatural to address someone you know by their surname. It’s more common to use their first name, often with a casual suffix like 〜くん (~kun) or even 〜ちゃん (~chan) to address them in a friendlier and warmer manner.
Most Common Japanese Family Names & Their Origins
There are over 100,000 distinct Japanese surnames, often related to geography, occupation, and nature. A common name, such as 山田 (yamada), means “mountain field,” likely reflecting where the family lived.
Before the Meiji Era, only nobles such as samurai officially carried surnames, often to tie themselves to the land they protected or ruled. However, during the Meiji Restoration, the government required all people, including commoners, to officially register a surname. Many had to choose a name, but only from a limited number of government-approved kanji. So, it was common to choose popular names they heard, which would vary by region. That’s why you’ll find certain surnames are common in some areas and not others.
Married couples are generally required to officially use the same family name (usually the husband’s surname); however, this is actually not a traditional practice. Japan adopted it from the West and stipulated it into policy in 1898. But more companies and government organizations are accepting birth names, and Japanese government officials have raised the possibility of amending the policy multiple times. So, it might not be too surprising to come across Japanese couples with different family names.
List of the Most Common Japanese Surnames
Here is a list of the most common Japanese surnames, ranked by the number of people who carry them. (Note that while these names are the most common, they might not be very common in certain regions; most of the names are very uncommon in Okinawa):
Surname
Meaning/Description
1. 佐藤 (Satou)
Satou is the most common surname in Japan, with around 1.99 million people carrying the name as of 2008. The name is particularly popular in Hokkaido, Tohoku, and Kyushu. The name comes from the famous 藤原 (Fujiwara) clan, from which the second kanji character, 藤 (Tou/Fuji), comes.
2. 鈴木 (Suzuki)
Suzuki is the most common surname in the Kanto region and the second most common nationwide. The name literally means “bell tree.”
3. 高橋 (Takahashi)
The third most common name, and is particularly popular in Tohoku and Shikoku. Takahashi translates somewhat to “tall bridge.”
4. 渡辺 (Watanabe)
Watanabe is common throughout Japan, with higher concentrations around the Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures as well as Kyushu. However, the name actually originates from Osaka.
5. 田中 (Tanaka)
Tanaka is another name you will commonly find across Japan; it is more frequent in Western Japan compared to other areas.
6. 伊藤 (Itou)
Itou is common in a variety of Japanese regions, such as the Kanto, Chukyo, and Sannin regions. Nagoya city has the highest number of individuals with the Itou surname. It also shares the same 藤 (tou) kanji as 佐藤 (Satou) and comes from the Fujiwara clan name as well.
7. 山本 (Yamamoto)
You’ve probably heard the name Yamamoto before since it’s quite common across northeastern and western Japan. It’s the most frequent name in the Kinki and Sanyo regions.
8. 中村 (Nakamura)
Nakamura is also very common throughout Japan, especially in the Western areas.
9. 小林 (Kobayashi)
Kobayashi is another very common name found across Japan, especially in Kanto, Shinetsu, Kinki, and Chugoku.
10. 加藤 (Katou)
Katou originates from Ishikawa Prefecture and is now most common in the Chugyo region. It also comes from the Fujiwara clan name, as evidenced by its second kanji 藤 (Tou).
Top 15 Most Common Japanese Names
Japanese names are often inspired by many things such as nature or characteristics of the name itself. Many names are chosen based on their kanji meanings, aesthetics, or both. Kanji is actually a rather important aspect of Japanese names since each character can convey a certain meaning or even luck that parents might want to associate with their child.
Similar to English, there are many names that are usually gendered as male or female. But you will also have plenty of unisex names as well. So, let’s dive into the most popular male, female, and unisex names based on a 2025 Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance survey.
Most Common Names for Girls
While Japanese female names vary widely, they often include 子 (ko) at the end, which is thought to give the name a more feminine appeal. So, common names like 花 (hana) might include 子 to make 花子 (Hanako). In this list, we include many names that often have 子 at the end but for the sake of simplicity, we mostly left it out.
1. 翠 (Sui/Midori)
翠 (Midori) is the most popular female name, and it actually topped the list for the first time in 2025. The name translates to “kingfisher” and makes up part of the word for “jade,” which in Japanese is 翡翠 (Hisui). Jade is considered to bring good fortune and conveys wishes for a happy and beautiful life.
2. 陽葵 (Himari)
陽葵 (Himari) takes second place as the most common name for Japanese girls. It is associated with the cheerfulness of the sun and sunflowers.
3. 紬 (Tsumugi)
紬 (Tsumugi), named for a type of woven silk fabric. So, it’s a popular name for girls for its popular associations with craftsmanship and patience.
4. ましろ Mashiro
茉白 (Mashiro) is another common name with a very pretty meaning, combining jasmine, 茉 (ma), and white, 白 (shiro), so “white jasmine.” So, it’s no surprise it’s a popular name for girls in Japan.
5. 凛 (Rin)
凛 (Rin) is actually a gender-neutral name, but it’s especially common with females compared to males. It actually translates to “dignified and poised.”
6. 陽菜 (Hina)
陽菜 (Hina) pairs the kanji for “sun” with the kanji for “greens” or “vegetables,” giving an image of something nurtured and warmed by sunlight.
7. Ema
If you consider the most popular name by reading rather than specific kanji, Ema ranks as the most popular name overall. So, this name might not have one singular meaning since it can consist of different kanji.
Boy names also vary widely and sometimes are based on naming traditions like the order of who was born first: 陽一 (Yoichi), meaning first son, and 真二 (Shinji), meaning second son. Like female names, many are chosen for their meaning, sound, and aesthetic.
8. 湊 (Minato/Sou)
湊 (Minato) means “harbor” or “a place where water gathers,” and topped the boys’ list for the first time in 2025. It expresses parents’ hopes that their child will be sociable and have many meaningful encounters with others.
9. 伊織 (Iori)
伊織 combines kanji without a strong standalone meaning on their own, but together they carry an elegant, literary feel often associated with building connections.
10. 結翔 (Yuito/Yuuto)
結翔 (Yuito) pairs “to connect” with “to soar,” blending the idea of relationships with ambition.
11. 琉生 (Rui/Ruki)
琉生 (Rui) uses the kanji for “lapis lazuli” or “gem” alongside “life” or “born,” giving the name a precious, vibrant image.
12. 蓮 (Ren)
蓮 (Ren) means “lotus,” a flower strongly associated with purity and resilience in Japanese and Buddhist symbolism.
13. 朔 (Saku)
朔 (Saku) refers to the “new moon,” giving the name a quiet, fresh-start kind of meaning.
Most Popular Unisex Japanese Names
Gender-neutral naming has become an increasingly visible trend in Japan, with parents choosing names that work equally well for boys or girls.
14. せな (Sena)
Sena topped the gender-neutral name rankings in 2025. It’s typically written in hiragana or with kanji chosen more for sound than fixed meaning, which is common among genderless names.
15. 葵 (Aoi)
葵 (Aoi) means “hollyhock,” a flowering plant, and has remained one of the most enduring unisex names in Japan for years.
16. 陽向/陽太 (Hinata)
Hinata, meaning “sunny place” or “facing the sun,” is one of the most well-established gender-neutral names, regularly appearing near the top of both boys’ and girls’ rankings depending on the kanji used.
Conclusion: The Most Common Japanese Names are Full of Meaning!
Japanese names and surnames have a long history and can carry significant meanings. While historically, many commoners didn’t officially have last names, today they are very important, especially since it’s a standard for Japanese etiquette to address people by their surname. However, with close friends, family, and even colleagues, you can use their first name! You’ll probably meet at least a few people who have the names from this list!
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Whatever your goals are, we have a class for you! Come visit our campus or join us online from anywhere around the world. Simply fill out the form, and we will contact you for a casual chat to discuss more details.
FAQ:
What is the most common Japanese name?
It depends on how you count it. By kanji, 湊 (Minato) and 翠 (Sui) topped the boys’ and girls’ rankings in 2025, but by reading alone, Haruto has been the single most popular boys’ name for 17 years running, since many different kanji combinations can all be read as “Haruto.”
Why do so many Japanese names have multiple readings?
The same kanji can often be pronounced several different ways depending on the parents’ choice, which is why names like 陽翔 can be read as Haruto, Hinato, or Haruka.
Why do many Japanese female names end in 子 (ko)?
子 is traditionally added to make a name sound more feminine, though it’s been less common in recent naming trends compared to its peak popularity decades ago.
What's a "genderless" or unisex name in Japan?
These are names chosen to work for either gender, often written in hiragana or with kanji selected more for their sound than a fixed masculine or feminine meaning, like Sena, Aoi, or Hinata.
While Japanese has tons of English loanwords, English actually borrows quite a bit from Japanese as well. Words like sushi, karate, or tsunami are so commonly used that it might be easy to forget that they’re loanwords from Japan.
Let’s discover some common Japanese loanwords in English, covering some of the old and some of the new, but this blog is by no means exhaustive. By the end of this article, who knows? New words are probably being borrowed at this very moment.
Why Do Japanese and English Borrow so Many Words From Each Other?
Since Japanese and English come from very different places with distinct cultures, cuisines, and geographic characteristics or phenomena, the more exposed we are to each other’s cultures, the more new concepts and words we encounter. It makes sense that English would just adopt the words for Japanese food items like “sushi” or “ramen.”
However, the word tsunami is also of Japanese origin. It just so happens that English had no word for huge tidal waves, so it borrowed tsunami from Japanese. Often when a word sufficiently describes something we don’t have a word for, we just adopt it into our language. As you are probably well aware, Japanese quite often does the same.
You’ve probably experienced what could be called the katakana glitch. You see a katakana word, and you just can’t figure out what it is until you mouth it, then you finally figure out that biiru (ビール) is actually “beer”. You probably can think of many more English loanwords in Japanese, such as soccer, or sakkaa (サッカー), and even modern slang like rizz, or rizu (リズ). New words are crossing over, perhaps because the internet and pop culture spread new trends faster than ever before.
Note that this doesn’t always happen; when baseball was introduced to Japan, they made their own word for the sport, yakyuu (野球), which is made up of the words field, or 野 (ya), and ball, 球 (kyuu).
Japanese Loanwords Used in English for Food and Entertainment
In 2013, UNESCO named Japanese food an intangible cultural heritage. The flavors and practices associated with Japanese food are unique. Many of the Japanese loanwords in English reflect that uniqueness. Similarly, many aspects of Japanese entertainment tend to originate in Japan, and the English words borrowed from Japanese show that.
A lot of these loanwords are originally written in kanji, hiragana, or katakana. If you need to review hiragana and katakana, head to this article.
1. Karaoke (カラオケ)
Did you even know this was a Japanese word before Karaoke actually came into contact with Japan or the language? It has roots in the words: kara (空), meaning “empty,” and oke (オケ), meaning “orchestra.” So, together the word actually means orchestraAlso, have you seen anyone do karaokelike the Japanese?
2. Sudoku (すどく)
If you’ve played sudoku and understand it, more power to you. This game and its title originated in Japan in 1984 and have since become very popular worldwide. The su comes from suji or suu (数), meaning number, and the doku (独) means single. The overall aim of the game is to get numbers to appear once in squares in a grid. So literally, the numbers must remain single. Or suuji wa dokushin ni kagiru (数字は独身に限る), which was the original title of the game.
Europeans actually played a similar game in the 18th century. In the 1980s, a Japanese publisher distributed sudoku, which turned into a huge hit and has been popular ever since.
3. Pachinko (パチンコ)
Hard to spend any time in Japan and not see a pachinko parlor. Pachinko is a kind of pinball game played in arcade games or, more commonly, gambling parlors. Japanese people like to make words that mimic or represent the sound you hear, like the bees buzzing or the snake hissing. The word pachinko is partly made up of a Japanese onomatopoeia. The first part, pachin, is from the sound that the metal pinball makes as it hits an obstacle. The ko is a diminutive suffix that means something like ‘little’.
4. Soy (sauce, beans)
Tofu and miso are obviously Japanese loanwords, but soy? Yes, apparently it comes from しょうゆ (shoyu), which is Japanese for soy sauce. The actual Japanese term for the bean is daizu. Edamame, which are green soybeans, is also commonly used in English.
5. Tamari (たまりしょうゆ)
This one is kind of hip these days. Many recipe bloggers suggest using tamari as a ‘healthy’ alternative to regular soy sauce. Tamari is richer, thicker, and less salty than regular soy sauce, but it is also made from fermented soybeans.
6. Shiitake, maitake, matsutake, and enoki mushrooms (椎茸、舞茸、松茸、えのき)
Did I miss any? Many Japanese mushroom names have been carried over and used as-is in English. The most popular of these might be shiitake, which is often pronounced without the second ‘i’, resulting in shitake.
7. Umami (旨味)
Umami is probably one of the most popular Japanese loanwords in English, being used all the time to describe a distinct savory flavor. This term is a relatively recent adoption into the English language, and it’s somewhat new to Japanese as well.
The word was first coined in 1908 when a Japanese scientist used the word to describe the “5th taste,” which is savoriness. In both Japanese and English, umami generally describes the savory flavor you would find in cooked meats, soy sauce, and mushrooms.
8. Dashi (だし)
No mention of washoku can exclude dashi, stock made from fish or kelp that is used as the base for many Japanese dishes. Dashi is commonly used in English to mean the same thing.
9. Katsu (curry or chicken katsu) (かつ)
Katsu refers to cutlets of meat that are breaded using panko and deep-fried. The cutlets are usually pork or chicken. Katsu is served with a sauce or with curry. In fact, in some places overseas, katsu curry has become so popular that the term is used to mean all Japanese curry.
10. Panko (パン粉)
You might have guessed this from the previous entry, but panko is breadcrumbs. They are commonly used in Japanese cooking and the product and the name have crossed over into English-speaking cultures.
The word panko is actually a combination of a loanword that didn’t come from English and the original Japanese word. “Pan” came from the Portuguese language, pao, and ko (粉) is a Japanese word that means “flour” or “dust”.
The biggest difference between panko and standard breadcrumbs is that panko is made from bread without crusts. Panko’s crustless white bread is coarsely ground into airy, large flakes that give fried foods a light, crunchy coating.
11. Amazake (甘酒)
Making the list of words of Japanese origin recently recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary, amazake is a sweet, fermented drink made from rice. Unlike sake, which is also made from rice, amazake is not alcoholic. It literally means sweet (ama) sake.
12. Manga (漫画)
These loanwords are used the same way in English as they are in Japanese. One distinction is that while mangameans comics in general in Japan, the term typically means Japanese comics in English.
13. Anime (アニメ)
Probably the most popular loanword used all the time in English is アニメ (anime), which ironically comes from the word “animation” borrowed from English. But in English, “anime” specifically refers to Japanese animation even though in Japanese it refers to all animation. This term is a great example of words being traded back and forth between two languages.
14. Emoji (絵文字)
Texting and instant messaging is just not the same without emoji, graphics that help express an emotion when words are just not enough. But the cute, yellow pictogram you’ve been using on your iPhone? The word came from the Japanese language. The kanji 絵 (え) means “picture” and 文字 (もじ) means “character” or “letter.” You might learn some new emoji from the Emojipedia online.
Japanese Loanwords Used in English for Sport and Martial Arts
Japanese martial arts are known the world over by their Japanese names. These are quite established loanwords, and the sports themselves continue to gain devotees.
15. Judo (柔道)
Japanese martial arts are well-known throughout the English-speaking world, by their Japanese names. Judo, a defensive martial art,is no exception. The term originates from soft, gentle (柔; juu) and way, road (道; do). Judo is an Olympic event, and practitioners are usually called judoka (柔道家).
When you’re saying the word “judo” in Japanese, remember to elongate the first syllable: Ju-u-dou. In English, however, you can shorten it.
16. Jujutsu (柔術)
Precursor to judo, this is also a Japanese unarmed martial art. The first part of the term, juu means gentle, just like in judo and the jutsu (術) means skill or art. There are variant spellings in English, including jiu-jitsu or ju-jitsu. It is also the origin of the name of the famous martial art, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
However, historical evidence shows that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) comes from Judo, but at the time Judo was still being called “Ju-Jutsu,” which is why BJJ has its name today rather than “Brazilian Judo.”
17. Karate (空手)
Karate is definitely one of those Japanese loanwords that almost feels like it’s always been in English.The term originates from empty (kara) and hand (te), meaning fighting with bare hands. But the history actually gets more interesting.
Karate originates with the indigenous people of Okinawa, who referred to their martial arts as 手(te or tii in Okinawan). But because the Okinawans traded so much with China, Chinese martial arts heavily influenced Karate, so it was initially called “Chinese hand” (唐手), pronounced the same as we know it today. Eventually, after Japan took over Okinawa, the name was changed to 空手 (karate).
18. Kendo (剣道)
Another Japanese martial art that was simply imported into English, it consists of participants using bamboo swords and wearing protective gear based loosely on samurai armor. Ken means “sword” and do means “way.”
19. Sumo (相撲)
Often suffixed with ‘wrestling’ in English, sumo means to fight. It’s not just the word that has crossed borders. Many non-Japanese people have succeeded as sumo wrestlers, in what is perceived to be a closed and very traditional world. Check out this quick guide to sumo related terms to learn a bit more about the sport.
Japanese Loanwords Used in English for Performing and Literary Arts
From the theater to the page, traditional Japanese performing and literary arts have become well-known in English-speaking cultures.
20. Kabuki (歌舞伎)
This is a kind of Japanese theater. The Online Etymology Dictionary cites two possible origins of this Japanese loanword. One is that kabuki comes from the verb kabuku, meaning to deviate. The first kabuki performance was given in a shrine by a girl, dressed as a man, which was outside of the norm. The other explanation is that kabuki means ‘art of song and dance,’ from ka (song), bu (dance), and ki (art, skill).
21. Noh (能)
In Noh theater, performers sing and dance while wearing masks. This loanword comes from the Japanese meaning ‘talent’.
22. Tanka (短歌)
A poem written using just five lines, tanka means short (tan) song (ka). In English, the poems typically use five lines and 31 syllables, but in Japanese, they are typically written in three lines.
23. Haiku (俳句)
If you’ve heard about haiku, you probably have the impression that it takes immense skill to craft them. These poems are written using a set number of syllables. The haiku consists of three lines, with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second, and five in the third.
Though haiku were originally written in Japanese, English poems following this pattern also go by the same name. Literally meaning light (haikai no) verse (ku), these poems are often about nature.
23. Senryu (川柳)
Senryu is a loanword that refers to another type of Japanese poetry that’s similar to haiku. It tends to talk about people, rather than nature. This form was named after a poet who frequently practiced it.
Other Japanese Loanwords We Use in English
From business to bedding and natural disasters, Japanese loanwords are used in many areas of life. The following words don’t fall neatly into the categories we have here. But they are still commonly used.
25. Tycoon (大君)
You’ve probably heard this word used a lot with another t-word, tech, as in tech tycoon. Its origins have little do with technology, however. Taikun was the name foreigners gave to the shogun (another loanword) when they came to Japan in the 1800s. Over time, taikun (great lord) became tycoon. Today, the word refers to someone of tremendous wealth and power.
26. Honcho (班長)
This is another loanword often used alliteratively with head, as in head honcho, meaning leader. The term originates from Japanese han (group) and cho (leader), and was apparently picked up by foreigners in Japan during the second world war.
27. Skosh (少し: Sukoshi)
Have you ever noticed someone saying, “Just a skosh.” Maybe you’re asking if you need to add more salt when you are making soup. This loanword is a shortening of the Japanese sukoshi, meaning a little. It was adopted by the US servicemen when they were stationed in Japan after World War II. It is used in the same way in English and carries the nuance of a really tiny amount.
28. Zen (善)
This loanword originates from the Japanese school of Zen Buddhism that focuses on meditation. In common use in English, zen means calm and peaceful, and doesn’t explicitly refer to Buddhism.
29. Futon (布団)
Futon is one of those loanwords that perhaps many people have forgotten is, in fact, a loanword. It’s used to describe a flat mattress that can be rolled up, which is traditional bedding in Japan. However, in English, people refer to couches that have pull-out beds as futons. The fu in this loanword means sheet or cloth, and the ton means group.
30. Ikigai (生きがい)
Ikigai, as a concept, has been making waves in the English-speaking world in recent years. Iki means life and gai means value, so the term translates to ‘reason for being’. The idea is that with a reason for being or a purpose, people can live more fulfilling lives, as those lives get longer.
31. Tsunami (津波)
Originating from harbor (tsu) and wave (nami), this word has been in use in many unfortunate circumstances recently. As with the original Japanese, it describes a large sea wave caused by an earthquake. Tsunami has also been used in a figurative sense to mean a large and sudden amount of something.
32. Samurai (侍)
Many words from Japanese history are usually adopted directly into English, and samurai is no exception. Samurai describes a specific warrior class that only existed in the context of Japan. Calling them “Japanese knights” just wouldn’t capture what they were and the place they had in Japanese society.
Likewise, many other historical Japanese terms for different social positions or figures, like shogun, daimyo, or even ninja, are simply borrowed in English.
33. Katana (刀)
While katana actually just means “sword,” in English it has come to refer to the specific Japanese sword with its characteristic curved blade that was used by the samurai. Likely due to its unique aesthetics, carefully crafted by skilled blacksmiths, it caught the attention of foreigners. Thus, now we use the word katana to describe the iconic sword from Japan.
34. Kimono (着物)
The kimono is a beautiful, elegant garment that has come to be known as the national dress of Japan. So, there’s no question why English adopted the word kimono to describe this iconic piece of clothing. There isn’t even an equivalent type of clothing to the kimono in English-speaking countries; while there are dresses and robes, none of them are quite a kimono.
35. Shinkansen (新幹線)
While English has the word “bullet train,” it’s not uncommon for people to opt to use the word “shinkansen” instead. Japan’s efficient transportation system, particularly the bullet train, has become such an image of the nation that shinkansen is now widely known in English. Often when people visit Japan, they might say they want to ride the “shinkansen” rather than the “bullet train.”
Conclusion:
You might be surprised how many words the English language adopts from Japanese alone. You’ve no doubt been using many of them, and as the English language continues to borrow words from Japanese, you’ll end up using even more Japanese in English. The truth is, languages constantly borrow from each other, showing how we exchange ideas all the time.
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Does English have Japanese loanwords?
Yes, the English language borrows a lot of Japanese words. For example, tsunami, tycoon and sudoku came from the Japanese equivalent. English language also retains a lot of original Japanese food-related words, like sushi, katsu and dashi.
What English words are borrowed from Japan?
Among many of them, the most common English words borrowed from Japan are:
Tsunami
Karaoke
Tycoon
Sushi
Skosh
Ramen
Futon
Does Japan borrow words from the English language?
Yes, Japanese has around 4,500 words that are borrowed from English. Loanwords borrowed from a foreign language is called gairaigo (外来語).
