Grammar notes, vocabulary, & study resources — all in one place
Lesson-by-lesson guides for standard beginner textbooks and The conversational track
Searchable word lists categorized by level from N5 to N1
Interactive stroke orders and worksheets for JLPT and JFT-Basic
Interactive Writing Sandbox, Reading Quizzes, and trainers
Free printable flashcards, Kanji booklets, and worksheets
Expert timelines, study guides, and preparation advice in About Us
Master hiragana & katakana with searchable charts and clean reference pages.
Open chartsLesson-wise notes and 5,300+ words categorized by level (N5-N1) — structured & conversational courses (all levels).
Read notesPerfect your writing, test your stroke orders, and convert romaji to kana with interactive sandboxes.
Open toolsTap a card to hear the sound in your head — five common syllables to start.
Comprehensive, expert-reviewed language guides to kickstart your Japanese learning journey.
Two tracks: a JLPT path (standard beginner textbooks for N5–N4, the comprehensive track & the weekly-summary track for N3–N1), and the free conversational track (A1–B1) for daily-life Japanese.
Free conversational · A1 → B1
It depends on your learning objectives. If your goal is to pass the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) or study structured grammar, follow the JLPT track — standard beginner textbooks for N5–N4, and the comprehensive grammar track & the weekly-summary track for N3–N1. If your goal is daily-life communication, working in Japan, or passing the JFT-Basic exam, the The conversational track (A1 to B1) track is highly recommended as it focuses on situational conversations, practical vocabulary, and real-life tasks.
The writing sandbox is an interactive tool that displays stroke-by-stroke guidance overlays for over 3,600 kanji characters across N5 to N1 levels. You can practice writing on your touch screen or with a mouse, toggle grids and stroke traces, check your strokes against templates, build drawing muscle memory, and save your practice drawings as images.
The Japan Foundation Test for Basic Japanese (JFT-Basic) measures the Japanese language proficiency required for the "Specified Skilled Worker" residency status in Japan. NihongoDoya provides a dedicated study roadmap and a categorized list of essential JFT-Basic kanji based on the conversational track syllabus to help you pass this test.
Yes. All vocabulary lists, detailed grammar notes, stroke order kanji charts, cheat-sheets, printable PDFs, flashcards, and interactive tools (sandbox, quiz, converters) are 100% free and open for self-study. No payment or account is required — PDF downloads simply ask for your email address so we can send you free study updates.
Every vocabulary word, kanji card, and phrase trainer card features an interactive audio speaker button. Clicking this button triggers a high-fidelity text-to-speech engine using your browser's native Japanese voice. You can adjust the playback volume and follow the furigana readings.
Yes. All PDF resources in our Resources tab (such as the Particle Cheat Sheet, Kanji lists, and hiragana/katakana flashcard packs) are formatted in print-ready A4 and US Letter sizes. Teachers are welcome to print and distribute these materials for classroom and non-commercial educational use.
If you are starting from scratch, begin with the Character Charts to master hiragana and katakana. Once you can read the basic kana scripts, move to the JLPT N5 Grammar Lessons (starting at Lesson 1) or the Beginner (A1) guide depending on your chosen track.
We welcome learner feedback, suggestions, and corrections! You can email us at contact@nihongodoya.com or visit our Contact page to reach us directly. We typically reply within 2–3 business days.