Hiragana
a
The first syllabary. It appears in Japanese words, particles, and grammar endings.
Start here
A calm path for starting Japanese
If you are starting from zero or do not know which tool to use first, follow this short path to understand the basics and practice inside YomuKana.
Starter
15
A small practical start that gives you progress without turning study into a marathon.
The map of Japanese writing
Before memorizing symbols, understand what each piece does. It keeps the beginning from feeling bigger than it is.
あ
Katakana
a
The second syllabary. It is common in loanwords, names, sounds, and visual emphasis.
Kanji
sun / day
Meaning-based characters. They feel easier once kana reading is more familiar.
Romaji
Latin letters
Useful for typing answers at first, but the goal is to depend on it less over time.
The order that keeps things clear
You do not need to learn everything at once. Use YomuKana as a short path you can repeat.
01
Kana Table
Check hiragana and katakana before trying to memorize everything.
Open table02Guess Kana
Test recognition and romaji to discover where you get stuck.
Start practice03Flashcards
Review symbols, words, and phrases in small blocks.
View decks04Moji Dojo
Use gamified practice to turn review into a habit.
Enter dojoYour first 15-minute session
A small practical start that gives you progress without turning study into a marathon.
3 min01
Look at vowels and the K row
Open the kana table and notice あ い う え お, then か き く け こ.
5 min02
Test active recall
Use the kana drill to answer without looking. Early mistakes are useful signals.
5 min03
Review in short blocks
Move through the available cards and mark what still feels unstable.
2 min04
Return to confusing symbols
End by looking only at the kana that slipped. Tomorrow they will feel less strange.
Common beginner traps
The goal is consistency, not proving willpower on day one.
- Starting with kanji before recognizing kana.
- Only looking at charts without testing memory.
- Treating romaji as the final destination.
- Making the first sessions too long.
Quick glossary
Terms you will see in YomuKana and almost any Japanese learning material.
- Kana
- The shared name for hiragana and katakana.
- Dakuon
- Marked kana sounds such as が, ざ, だ, and ば.
- Yoon
- Small-kana combinations such as きゃ, しゅ, and ちょ.
- SRS
- Spaced repetition: reviewing at the right time so less slips away.