Japanese│日本語
Find online resources to help you learn and practise Japanese.
Coursebook companion websites│教科書のウェブサイト
These websites provide activities which link with course books/courses offered through Victoria University of Wellington.
Genki textbook (second edition)
An electronic copy of this popular Japanese textbook.
Genki workbook (second edition)
An electronic copy of the workbook that accompanies this popular Japanese textbook.
Genki online
JAPA101/102, 201/202.
Check out the Self-Study Room.
Genki Kanji Quiz
JAPA101/102 and useful revision for JAPA201.
Practise the Kanji you learn in Genki1 from lesson 3 to 12.
Typing in Japanese
Instructions to change your keyboard to Japanese and type romaji, kanas and kanji for your Blackboard quizzes.
Online Hotel Reservations
JAPA201/202.
Tobira online learning centre
JAPA301/302.
Language learning hubs│学習全般
These websites offer a large variety of language learning material across all skills and all levels of difficulty.
Japanese Tease's 'My guide to self-studying Japanese'
A variety of resources for studying Japanese. You can find most of the books in the LLC Self-access Library and follow the web links to download the apps onto your mobile device.
Tofugu
Excellent site with links and lists of resources for learning Japanese.
Nihongo Dekimasu
A multi-skill and comprehensive self-study website featuring 25 lessons complete with video conversations, various transcript and subtitling options, grammar explanations with examples, cultural notes and plenty of quizzes and practice exercises.
JOSHU
Brought to you by the University of Texas in Austin, JOSHU literally means "assistant", or "tutor", which is what this website attempts to do to anyone interested in learning the Japanese language. A treasure trove of practice materials covering all skills.
Listening│聞く
EasyLanguages
Listen to how native speakers talk in unprepared, everyday situations including colloquial language, filler words, incomplete sentences speakers not completing their sentences etc. It is authentic and really gives you a feel for the country in which the speaker comes from.
Japanese Pod101
Learn Japanese through the audio and video content on this YouTube channel.
Miku Real Japanese
Miku teaches you how to speak Japanese on her YouTube channel. Lots of focus on sentence patterns, verb conjugations etc.
Japanese Ammo with Misa
Learn Japanese through Misa's YouTube channel. Lots of focus on sentence patterns, verb conjugations etc.
NHK Easy News
For beginning/intermediate Japanese learners. The NHK offers this website with all of their news stories in simple language with furigana. It offers interesting and current news in a format that is digestible once you have a basic grasp of hiragana. Audio transcripts are available.
Japanese Fairy Tales
Each fairy tale is narrated in Japanese and is between 5 and 15 minutes long in duration. A good listening resource for adults and children alike. The tales are will be more familiar to those from a European cultural background.
Nobita from Japan
Native material for advanced learners. This YouTube channel mainly covers social issues and trends in Japan.
Japanese and foreigners are interviewed so viewers can see a variety of perspectives. In Japanese with English subtitles available.
Ask Japanese
Native material for advanced learners. This YouTube channel features street interviews of Japanese people on various subjects linked to Japan, Japanese culture, foreigners living in Japan, anime & Manga, and tourism. In Japanese with English subtitles available.
That Japanese Man Yuta
Native material for advanced learners. Yuta interviews random people on the street in Tokyo and also makes videos about Japanese culture and language from a Japanese perspective. In Japanese with English subtitles available.
Speaking│話す
Earworms Volume 1
200+ essential words and phrases that will get anchored into your long-term memory through music. Highly recommended for pronunciation and speaking practice. Volume 2 adds another 200+ words and phrases. These hyperlinks link to the accompanying PDFs. To borrow the audio CD(s) come and visit the LLC's Self-access Library.
Wasabi
45 Japanese lessons with Japanese radio programmes dedicated to intermediate levels (JLPT4 +) using the read out loud method. You can either download or stream the programmes.
NHK Japanese lessons
The Basic Japanese for You programme in English is updated every Wednesday. The Brush Up Your Japanese programme in English is updated every Friday.
Reading│読む
Online graded readers - Yomimono Ippai
A recent initiative, these free graded readers are great for developing fluency.
Online graded readers - Tadoku
These free graded readers have been created by students and teachers of Japanese.
Learning Japanese with manga
Practice reading ‘real’ spoken Japanese with the help of translations (across a range of languages) and culture information.
Hir@gana Times
Digital archives of current affairs articles.
Asahi Shimbun (in Japanese)
An English version is available, click on 'Language' at the top right-hand side of the page.
Writing│書く
Linguee
Search for words to see how they are used in a variety of sample sentences. You can also see the translations for these in your native language.
Hiragana writing practice
Blank, downloadable sheets to help you practice writing in hiragana. Includes some helpful advice on how to manage your ‘writing’ practice.
Katakana writing practice
Exercises (with answers) to help you practice writing in katakana.
Grammar and vocabulary│文法と語彙
LanguageGuide
Roll your mouse over a picture and you will get the word in kanji and hiragana plus the sound file. A great way to expand and revise your vocabulary.
Quizlet
Learn Genki vocab, etc. through flashcards, also with audio.
Anki
Free application using a spaced repetition system to help you to learn Japanese more effectively than with regular flashcards.
Japanese Cheat Sheet
Condensed Japanese language reference.
Visualising Japanese Grammar
Presents basic grammar through videos, with good examples.
Culture and news│文化とニュース
Japan National Tourist Information
From travel tips to in-depth insights into different aspects of Japanese culture.
Tokyo Food Page
Complete guide to Japanese cuisine with recipes, culinary travel tips, restaurant listings, and more. In English and Japanese.
Dictionaries and reference│辞書と参考書
JapanDict
Dictionary providing audio, example sentences and showing the stroke order for different kanji.
Jisho.org Dictionary
Just paste what you want to understand into Jisho, be it English, romaji, a single word or an entire paragraph of Japanese text. You can even input kanji by drawing online or use voice recognition and say the word out loud.
Tagaini Jisho
Free downloadable online dictionary with kanji lookup-tool.
Japanese Wikipedia
A free encyclopaedia that anyone can edit, with a range of articles about almost anything.
Rikaichan
A browser extension that translates Japanese text as you mouse over it with one of four languages – English, German, French and Russian. Has word definitions, and information for kanji e.g. stroke number, radical.