Free app for iOS and Android
Learn hiragana and katakana, a few minutes a day.
Kanapup is a free app to learn Japanese writing from the very first step. It teaches the 104 kana of each script the way Japanese kids learn them: row by row, with native recordings, stroke order and quick exercises. A shiba keeps you company.
How the app works
Row by row
You start with the five vowels. Once you know a row well, the next one unlocks, so you never face a wall of unknown characters.
Listen to every kana
Each character comes with a recorded pronunciation and example words, so your ear learns along with your eyes.
Trace the strokes
Watch the stroke order, then trace it with your finger. Writing a kana is the fastest way to remember it.
Short exercises
Ten questions at a time, mixing sounds, romaji and characters. Weak kana come back more often until they stick.
Pick a script
Learn hiragana
The rounded script used for native Japanese words and grammar. Learn it first.
カタカナLearn katakana
The angular script used for foreign words, names and emphasis. Same sounds, new shapes.
Learn Japanese, one small step at a time
Kana are the foundation, but they are only the start. These free guides take you through the rest of the first weeks: how to plan your learning, how the language sounds, and the words you will use every day.
- How to learn Japanese: a step-by-step plan from zero, and how long each step takes.
- Japanese pronunciation: the five vowels, long sounds and the rhythm that makes you sound natural.
- Japanese greetings: hello, thank you and goodbye, written in hiragana so you can read them.
- Japanese numbers: counting from 1 to 10,000, with the readings that change.
- Basic Japanese phrases: 40 sentences for your first conversation or your first trip.
Questions people ask
Is Kanapup free?
Yes. Every kana, every recording, the stroke order and the exercises are free, with no account to create.
Do I need to know any Japanese?
No. The app starts with the five vowels and explains each new row. It is built for complete beginners.
Hiragana or katakana first?
Hiragana. It writes grammar and native words, so you need it for everything. Katakana uses the same sounds and comes quickly afterwards.
How long does it take to learn hiragana?
Most learners read all 46 basic hiragana after one to two weeks of ten minutes a day. Reading fast takes a few more weeks of practice.
Get Kanapup
Learn every kana row by row, listen to native recordings, trace the stroke order with your finger and quiz yourself until each one sticks.