Do you know how to describe and write the position of something in Japanese using directions?
We have a new unit for your Kanji practice and studies! This features N5 Kanji that deal with directions such as up, down, north, south, etc.
This is the fifth unit in a series of free Kanji writing practice sheets that you can download and print. It features N5 Kanji that will appear on the JLPT N5, and mastering these kanji is an important step to passing the test!
This is the third in a series of free Kanji writing practice sheets that you can download and print.
This series deals with kanji related to the human body. If you want to learn Japanese Kanji that relates to the human body, then you can download these excerpts for free.
We will be releasing more over the coming weeks – so stay tuned to this page as we will update it with new links.
Learning kanji is one of the first big steps in mastering Japanese, and numbers are a great place to start. This free JLPT N5 Kanji Worksheet (Unit 1: Numbers) focuses on essential number-related kanji you’ll encounter early in your studies — perfect for beginners preparing for the JLPT N5. Download the PDF, practice writing each character, and build a strong foundation for your Japanese journey!
Getting ready for the JLPT? Boost your chances of passing with Coto Academy’s JLPT Prep Course — designed for busy learners. This class is perfect for students who plan to take the JLPT exam and work optimally towards their objectives. It covers exam practices and explanations of essentials such as Japanese grammar, vocabulary, kanji, and more!
These are the most basic kanji in Japanese — and they’re also the easiest to learn! Mastering numbers 1 to 10 will help you with counting, dates, prices, time, and more.
Number
Kanji
Kana
Meaning
1
一
いち
One
2
二
に
Two
3
三
さん
Three
4
四
し / よん
Four
5
五
ご
Five
6
六
ろく
Six
7
七
しち / なな
Seven
8
八
はち
Eight
9
九
きゅう / く
Nine
10
十
じゅう
Ten
Free Kanji Number Worksheet
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What is the 日本漢字能力検定?
日本漢字能力検定(Nihon kanjinouryoku kentei), usually knowns as 漢検(Kanken) or the Kanji Kentei, is a test that examines the candidate’s kanji skill. It tests on the candidate’s reading and writing ability of kanji as well as the ability to understand and use them in different contexts. Like the JLPT, it is another good proof of your Japanese knowledge and is useful when applying for jobs in Japan. Although anyone can sit for Kanken, it is challenging for foreign Japanese learners. As such, if you are a foreigner looking for jobs in Japan, acquiring a Kanken certificate will make you stand out from your competitors.
How Difficult is Kanken?
There are in total of 12 levels of Kanken, Grade 10 being the easiest and grade 1 being the hardest. Each level is set for different educational levels starting from primary 1. The requirements and scope of each level are as follows.
Grade 10 (Primary 1 level) Detailed Areas of Focus: Reading & Writing –Ability to read and write kanjis from the first year of the小学校学年別漢字配当表 (list of Kanji by school year). Stroke Order – length of points and strokes. Joints and intersections, stroke order and number of strokes.
Grade 9 (Primary 2 level) Detailed Areas of Focus: Reading & Writing- able to read and write kanji from the second year of the学年別漢字配当表 (list of Kanji by school year). Stroke order – Aware of Length of points and strokes, Joints and intersections; stroke order and number of strokes. Grade 8 (Primary 3 level) Detailed Areas of Focus: Reading & Writing – able to read and write kanjis from the 3rd year of the学年別漢字配当表 (list of Kanji by school year).
Understand onyomi and kunyomi
Write correct kana endings
Roughly understand the concept of antonyms
Roughly understand the concept of homonyms
Stroke Order – know correct stroke orders and number of strokes. Radicals – able to recognize and understand basic radicals.
Grade 7(Primary 4 level) Detailed Areas of Focus Reading and Writing -Able to read and write kanjis from the fourth year of the学年別漢字配当表 (list of Kanji by school year).
Understand onyomi and kunyomi
Write correct kana endings
Roughly understand the concept of antonyms
Roughly understand the concept of homonyms
Know about the fundamental composition of Japanese idioms
Stroke order- know correct stroke orders and number of strokes. Radicals- able to recognize and understand radicals.
Grade 6 (Primary 5 level)
Detailed Areas of Focus: Reading& Writing: Able to read and write kanjis from up to the fifth year of the小学校学年別漢字配当表 (list of Kanji by school year).
Understand onyomi and kunyomi
Write correct kana endings and careful with the correct usage of kana
Know about the structure of idioms
understand the concept of antonyms and synonyms
understand the concept of homonyms
Stroke order -know correct stroke order and number of strokes. Radicals – able to recognize and understand radicals.
Grade 5 (Primary 6 level) Detailed Areas of Focus: Reading and writing: – Able to read and write kanjis from up to the sixth year of the小学校学年別漢字配当表 (list of Kanji by school year).
Understand onyomi and kunyomi
Write correct kana endings and careful with the proper use of kana
Know about the composition of idioms
understand antonyms, synonyms, and homonyms
Idioms – understand four-character idiomatic phrases Stroke order – know the correct stroke order total number of strokes. Radicals – able to understand and recognize radicals.
Grade 4 (Secondary school level) Detailed Areas of Focus Reading & Writing – Able to read and write all kanjis in the 小学校学年別漢字配当表 (list of kanji by school year) as well as about 300 frequently used kanji. Able to use them in a passage appropriately.
Understand onyomi and kunyomi
Write correct kana endings and careful with the proper use of kana
Understand the composition of idioms
understand antonyms, synonyms, and homonyms
Understand the concept of 熟語訓 (special kanji readings) and 当て字 (phonetic equivalents)
Idioms – able to understand the meaning of four-character idiomatic phrases. Radicals – able to recognize the radicals and understand their meanings.
Grade 3 (Secondary school graduate level) Detailed Areas of Focus: Reading & Writing – Able to read and write all kanjis in the 小学校学年別漢字配当表 (list of kanji by school year) as well as about 600 frequently used kanji. Able to use them in a passage appropriately.
Understand onyomi and kunyomi
Write correct kana endings and careful with the proper use of kana
Understand the composition of idioms
understand antonyms, synonyms, and homonyms
Understand 熟語訓 (special kanji readings) and 当て字 (phonetic equivalents)
Idioms – able to understand 4-word idioms. Radicals – able to recognize radicals and understand their meanings.
Grade Semi-2 (High school level)Number of Kanji: 1940 Detailed Areas of Focus Reading & writing – able to read and write about 1940 frequently used Kanji and use them in a passage appropriately.
Understand onyomi and kunyomi
Write correct kana endings and careful with the proper use of kana
Understand the composition of idioms
Understand antonyms, synonyms, and homonyms
Understand 熟語訓 (special kanji readings) and 当て字 (phonetic equivalents)
Idioms -understand 4-word idioms with traceable origins. Radicals – able to recognize radicals and understand the meanings in terms of the composition of kanji.
Grade 2 (High school graduate/ university/ general public level) Detailed Areas of Focus Reading & writing – Mastered the reading and writing of all frequently used Kanji and able to use them in a passage appropriately.
Understand onyomi and kunyomi
Write correct kana endings and careful with the proper use of kana
Understand the composition of idioms
Understand antonyms and synonyms
Understand homonyms
Understand 熟語訓 (special kanji readings) and 当て字 (phonetic equivalents)
Idioms – understand 4-word idioms with traceable origins. Radicals: able to recognize radicals and understand the meanings in terms of the composition of kanji.
Grade Semi-1 (University/general public level) Detailed Areas of Focus Reading and writing – mastered the reading and writing of the 3000 kanji and able to use them appropriately in a passage.
Understand 熟語訓 (special kanji readings) and 当て字 (phonetic equivalents)
Understand anonyms, synonyms, and homonyms
Understand 国字 (Japanese-made Chinese Characters)
Understand Kanji used to represent locations/nations (this is a type of 当て字)
Understand multiple Kanji Labels. (multiple kanji used to indicate the same meaning interchangeably e.g. 国 and 國)
Idioms -able to understand four-character idiomatic compounds, Proverbs, and 故事成語 (idioms derived from historical stories). Classical literature – able to understand kanji, Chinese characters from Japanese and Chinese literature. Grade 1 (University/General Public Level) Detailed Areas of Focus Reading and writing mastered reading and writing of the 6000 kanji and able to use them appropriately in a passage.
Understand 熟語訓 (special kanji readings) and 当て字 (phonetic equivalents)
Understand anonyms, synonyms, and homonyms
Understand 国字
Understand Kanji used to represent locations/nations
Understand multiple Kanji Labels
Idioms – able to understand four-character idiomatic phrases and proverbs. Classical Literature -able to understand kanji, Chinese characters from classical Japanese, Chinese literature.
Total Scores and Percentage to Pass
Grade 1 ~ 2: 200 full score, pass for scoring 80% and above
Grade semi-2 ~ 7: 200 full score, pass for scoring 70% and above
Grade 8 ~ 10: 150 full score, pass for scoring 80% and above
How to register for the Kanken:
The paper test takes place 3 times in a year, usually in February, June, and October. Registration opens 3 months prior to the test. You can simply register for Kanken online through a few simple steps. Click here to register for Kanken If you wish to take any level from Level 7 to Level 2, you can also register for Kanken CBT (Computer Based Testing). Few reasons why you should register for Kanken CBT
It is Much more convenient. You will be sitting for Kanken on a computer at a test venue on the date chosen by yourself. There are more than 150 test venues in the country. Select the one most convenient for you.
You will receive a physical certificate just like others taking the paper test.
You will get notified your test result much faster. Your result slip will be mailed to you in about 10 days after the test
The registration for Kanken CBT can also be done online. Click here for more registration information Registration fee The registration fees are as shown below. Grade 8 – 10: 1500 yen Grade 5 – 7: 2000 yen Grade Semi-2 – 4: 2500 yen Grade 2: 3500 yen Grade Semi-1: 4500 yen Grade 1: 5000 yen
Start taking Japanese lessons and master Kanji!
Downloading and using Anki decks can be one of the most effective and easiest ways to learn Japanese. Anki is a free, open-source flashcard program that uses a spaced repetition system (SRS), allowing you to revisit new vocabulary repeatedly but in a programmed time frame. Through this, you can spend more time on words you have a harder time remembering and less on easier ones.
Though Anki is extremely versatile, we strongly recommend Anki to learn new Japanese words and building vocabulary over time. Still, when you are just starting out, you should use pre-made Anki decks. Once you know your learning preference, you can then customize it. Anki decks can easily be downloaded from the Anki website.
So, what are the best options? Check out our recommendations for the 15 best Japanese Anki decks below!
What is Anki?
Anki is a flashcard app that uses spaced repetition, a learning technique that shows you cards at increasing intervals based on how well you remember them. It’s used by a wide range of people, from med students to language learners. Basically, it is used by anyone who needs to memorize a large amount of information over time.
An Anki deck is essentially a set of flashcards grouped together. You can have multiple decks for different topics (e.g., “JLPT N5 Vocabulary”, “Medical Terminology”, “GRE Prep”). Each card typically has a front (question, prompt) and a back (answer). You can also include audio, images, and formatting.
How to choose the right Anki deck?
When learning Japanese with Anki, the front of the card is often the Japanese word, and the back shows the English meaning. As you become more familiar with Anki, you can start customizing your cards to suit your learning style. You can add audio, pictures, tags, custom fields, or other types of media to make your flashcards more engaging and effective!
With there being hundreds of Japanese Anki decks for learning, choosing the right one can be difficult and confusing. This is especially so for first-time users of Anki who are still figuring out how to use the software. It’s not hard when you get used to it, but we don’t want to add more to your full bowl.
On the Anki website, there is a section under ” Popular categories: Languages ” where you can see links to landing pages for different languages.
Click on the “Japanese” link, and it will bring you to a page full of different Japanese Anki decks. If you already have a topic in mind that you want to study, there is a manual search option in the top right corner.
If you have a problem choosing, click on each Anki deck and look at the reviews. A rating column also shows the ratings of the different tabs.
Once you have chosen the Anki Deck you want to use, simply click the “download” button to open Anki on your device.
Japanese Core 2000 Step 01 is one of the most popular and used Anki decks to memorize Japanese vocabulary. Specifically customized for beginners to Japanese, this Anki Deck has over 2,000 Japanese words for you to learn.
The contents in this Anki deck are well-structured, with images provided for easier memorization. The deck contains 405 audio files and 235 images, and example sentences for the Kanji.
It would probably take 2-3 months to complete this Anki deck if you practice consistently. As we know, consistency is the number one thing for improvement.
Visit the Anki website to download the Anki Deck onto your computer. The flashcards will appear on your screen once the deck is imported to your device. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.
Japanese Core 2000 Step 02 is the second part of the Japanese Core 2000 Anki series. Make sure you start with Step 01 before you visit Step 02. Still, for beginners, this Anki Deck is a more advanced version with audio files, English translations, and images provided in the flashcards.
There are Japanese Kanji, verbs, and example sentences that are used in everyday life. This Anki Deck has over 404 Audio files and 236 Images.
Similar to Step 01, it would probably take you 2-3 months to complete this Anki Deck if you practice consistently.
Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. The flashcards will appear on your screen once the deck is imported to your device. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.
If you have already learned the basic Japanese writing system, you can skip this. But if you are just a beginner, we recommend Japanese Basic Hiragana. Unlike the Japanese Core Series Anki Deck, this Anki deck does not have any pictures, but it is particularly helpful if you want to remember hiragana characters.
The deck was modified from the TextFugu Hiragana deck and only includes 46 basic audio hiragana character files.
However, you can type in romaji under particular hiragana characters. You can easily complete it as the contents are basic and simple for beginners. Since there are only 46 notes, the deck is a good refresher for new learners.
Since it only covers fundamentals, it does not have all the hiragana characters. So, you might want to move on to more advanced Japanese Anki Decks once you have completed the Deck.
This is the all-in-one Anki deck if you want to focus on grammar. The Jtest4you Anki Deck is a JLPT grammar-focused flashcard. It includes example sentences, romaji, and translations that can be added to the front and back of the flashcards.
What’s good about this Anki deck is that the vocabulary is divided into different JLPT levels, so you can study words relevant to your current situation.
In most flashcards, the front would be the kanji and example sentence in Japanese, while the back of the flashcard would be the furigana, romaji, and English translation.
Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. The flashcards will appear on your screen once the deck is imported to your device. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.
5. Japanese Visual Novel, Anime, Manga, LN Vocab – V2K
If you are interested in Japanese visual media, Japanese Visual Novel, Anime, Manga, LN Vocab – V2K Anki Deck could be perfect for you.
This Anki Deck has over 2,000 common words in popular Japanese media, such as novels, anime, and manga. In Japanese media, words and phrases often serve various contexts and examples.
Hence, this Anki deck helps users link the particular kanji and familiar English translations.
It is a beginner-focused Anki deck where users will learn kanji and furigana, along with a pre-recorded audio that can be found at the front of the flashcard.
You will be able to pick up heaps of useful words, such as 全然駄目だ、結構, that are frequently mentioned in anime and manga. It will also significantly improve your reading and listening comprehension.
Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.
Katakana Reading Practice is an Anki deck that acts as a guide for beginners in learning katakana. With over 1,000 words and phrases in Katakana, the contents of the flashcard focus a lot on foreign loanwords, proper names, onomatopoeia, animal names, as well as brand names.
Many users of this Anki deck have found it very helpful in improving their speed and confidence in speaking and writing katakana.
English speakers might think it’s unnecessary to learn katakana. After all, they are loan words from English — but you’d be surprised by some Japanese katakana words that don’t sound similar to the original English words.
Visit the Anki website to download the Anki deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.
KanjiDamage is the ultimate deck to learn Kanji with the KanjiDamage method, which is basically learning Kanji using mnemonics. There are over 1,700 Kanji to learn from in this Anki Deck.
You will learn a mix of commonly used Kanji as well as uncommonly used Kanji that have been put in random order. The stroke order of how to write the Kanji is also included.
If you want to learn kanji frequency instead, check out another Anki Deck made by the same user, which is a reordered version of this Anki deck. It has been reordered based on the frequency of each Kanji character so that you can more common characters first, followed by the uncommon ones.
Visit the Anki website to download the Anki Deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.
Looking to learn pretty much everything there is to learn about Kanji? All in One Kanji deck is one of the most comprehensive and informative collections out there. It is perfect for those looking to practice writing the Kanji and gaining more knowledge on kanji meaning and readings.
The Anki deck is nicely formatted. With over 10,000 flashcards, you will learn how to read each kanji in onyomi, kunyomi, and nanori as well as learn the number of strokes and stroke orders.
It also teaches you how each Kanji has been changed from its original Chinese elements to become a Japanese character.
This Anki deck, created by Tofugu, helps you learn Hiragana through Mnemonics. In this Anki Deck, you will be able to learn the basics of Japanese pronunciation.
This Anki deck, created by Tofugu, helps you learn Katakana through Mnemonics. In this Anki Deck, you will be able to learn the basics of Japanese pronunciation.
Through descriptive and animative mnemonics, they make learning fun and interactive, and are a perfect method for memorization! Visit the Anki website to download the Anki Deck onto your computer. Once the deck is imported to your device, the flashcards will appear on your screen. You can edit the cards by clicking on the “edit” button.
11. Japanese Course Based on Tae Kim’s Grammar Guide & Anime
This is a self-contained Japanese course for beginners, built around Tae Kim’s Grammar Guide, a popular free resource known for its clear explanations of essential grammar points. The creators also developed a companion Anki deck, making it easy to study and review.
The course places a strong focus on listening comprehension, using real anime scenes to reinforce learning. Each flashcard shows a Japanese phrase on the front, along with a video clip of the sentence used in an anime. The back of the card includes the English translation and a detailed grammar breakdown, helping learners understand both meaning and structure.
If you’ve taken a Japanese class, chances are you’ve used the well-known Genki textbook series. This Anki deck is a simple but effective tool I created to help me learn how to write the kanji introduced in Genki I and Genki II.
The deck covers individual kanji characters from Lesson 3 to Lesson 23, following the exact order presented in the textbooks. Each flashcard shows the English meaning, along with the on-yomi and kun-yomi readings on the front, and the kanji character on the back.
It’s perfect for reinforcing writing practice and memorizing readings in context with the Genki curriculum.
Reading katakana can be surprisingly challenging, even if you’ve already memorized the characters. Unlike hiragana, katakana is often used for foreign loanwords and names, which don’t always follow typical Japanese word structure.
This Anki deck features 1,000 cards designed to help you read katakana with speed and confidence. It focuses on loanwords from English, German, French, Portuguese, Chinese, and more, along with wasei-eigo (English-inspired words made in Japan like salaryman). You’ll also find cards with onomatopoeia, company names, animal names, and other real-world katakana usage to give you the exposure you need.
14. Remembering the Kanji 1, 6th Edition (2200 Kanji)
This Anki deck includes all 2,200 kanji from the 6th edition of Remembering the Kanji 1 by James W. Heisig. It was created to offer a complete and accurate companion to the book, as many existing shared decks were either incomplete, based on older editions, or lacked consistency in format and content.
The deck focuses solely on kanji characters, excluding primitive elements that are not kanji themselves. Each card includes a link to an external website for stroke order diagrams, allowing for easy reference and writing practice. It’s an ideal tool for learners following the Heisig method who want a streamlined, comprehensive study aid.
This comprehensive Anki deck includes the full set of 2,136 Jouyou Kanji — the official list of kanji designated by the Japanese Ministry of Education for daily use. These are the characters taught in Japanese schools and used in newspapers, books, and official documents. In addition to the Jouyou Kanji, the deck covers JLPT N5 to N1 kanji, 861 Jinmeiyou Kanji (used primarily in names), the 2,500 most frequent kanji, 3,007 kanji from Heisig’s Remembering the Kanji, and more.
The Full Japanese Study Deck consists of everything a Japanese learner would want, from JLPT-categorized vocabulary and kanji to additional words. The card is designed simply. You can go through the subdeck, which contains the vocabulary and kanji, one by one. (vocab and kanji) one by one. It can be considered a “core deck” as well, as it contains common/essential words and kanji used in everyday Japanese (both in real life and in anime/manga). You can also find other subdecks, like the “ready-made mining material” subdecks, where all cards are suspended by default, and “reference material” subdecks for a quick search when you need to look up radicals, kana, and kanji.
Each card contains rich, detailed information: the English meaning, readings (onyomi, kunyomi, and nanori), stroke count, stroke order, and an example compound word. It also includes kanji classification levels such as JLPT level, Jouyou grade, and usage frequency.
Yes, Anki is a great tool for memorizing vocabulary and kanji, but just like with learning any other language, it should not be your only resource! While you can embed audio recordings and reading passages into Anki to help with listening and reading, it is great for theory but not practice. For example, to learn how to speak, the best way is to actually practice speaking, either alone or with a partner.
If you are self-studying Japanese, Anki is definitely one of the best ways to build vocabulary over time, but don’t forget to mix it with other resources too!
Take Your Anki Learning to The Next Level!
Anki is incredibly powerful for building vocabulary and strengthening your memory. But just like any learning process, the best way to truly learn Japanese is through immersion. That means speaking with native speakers, practicing conversations out loud, writing actively in Japanese, and so much more.
These are experiences you simply can’t get from Anki alone. That’s where Coto Academy comes in.
Since 2000, Coto Academy has been helping students learn natural, real-life Japanese through conversation-focused lessons. With campuses in Tokyo and Yokohama, plus a thriving online school, Coto offers an immersive learning environment wherever you are. You won’t just learn kanji, grammar, and vocabulary. You’ll learn how to use them in real situations, right away.
Why join Coto Academy?
School locations in Shibuya, Minato, Iidabashi, and Yokohama, plus a fully online Japanese language school, so that you can learn anywhere, anytime!
Small classrooms with only up to 8 students for personalized support
Professional native Japanese teachers, all trained to help you succeed
Over 60 different Japanese classes across 18 levels, tailored to your needs
You can explore our courses and talk with our staff. No string attached. We just want to help you learn Japanese,
FAQ
What is Anki?
Anki is a powerful flashcard app that uses spaced repetition to help you memorize information more efficiently. For Japanese learners, it’s especially useful for retaining kanji, vocabulary, grammar points, and listening comprehension.
Can I customize the Japanese Anki deck?
Yes! Anki is very flexible—you can edit cards, add audio, images, mnemonics, or even create your own card types to match your study style.
What’s included in this Japanese Anki deck?
That depends on the deck, but typically you’ll find:
Listening and reading practice (optional with media decks) Some decks are based on popular resources like Genki, Tae Kim, or Heisig, and include JLPT-level tagging (N5 to N1).
Kanji cards (with meanings, readings, stroke order, and examples)
Vocabulary cards (with context sentences and audio)
Grammar explanations
Ready to start learning Japanese with Anki, or by yourself? You might want to check out:
