N5 → N1 · Built for Japanese

Nihongo Master — Learn Japanese, your way.

A guided, adaptive Japanese learning app that actually teaches you Japanese — hiragana, katakana, kanji, grammar, vocabulary, listening, writing — and prepares you for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) from N5 through N1. Offline-first. No account required to start.

Start learning free · Try the quick hiragana demo

2,136 kanji covered · N5 — N1 JLPT levels · 100% offline core

Everything you need to learn Japanese, in one app

Nihongo Master is not a flashcard deck, and it is not a gamified drill machine. It is a real curriculum backed by real tools, designed around how Japanese is actually written, spoken, and tested.

Guided Journey (たび)

A hand-crafted roadmap across all five JLPT levels. Each checkpoint introduces characters, vocabulary, grammar, reading and a mini-quiz — in the order they actually build on each other.

Smart review — adaptive spaced repetition (復習)

A Thompson-Sampling recommender picks what to drill next and when. Tricky items resurface more often; mastered items wait patiently.

Kanji, deeply (漢字)

Every N5–N1 kanji with readings, meanings, stroke-order animation, compound words, and a writing pad you can practice on. 2,000+ kanji total.

Timed JLPT mock tests (模擬試験)

Full-length practice for N5 through N1: vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening — with a continue-after-each-question flow that mirrors the real exam.

Sentence generator (作文)

Instead of canned example sentences, the app composes them from vocabulary and grammar you have actually learned — so every sentence is readable for you today.

Natural Japanese voices (音声)

High-quality VOICEVOX voices read every vocabulary item and example sentence — so your ear learns alongside your eyes.

Stroke-order writing practice (書き順)

Trace kana and kanji at your own pace with a guided stroke-order canvas. Real muscle memory, not copy-paste.

Honest progress tracking

Heatmap, goals, weak items and review forecast. See what is slipping and what is coming up. No fake streaks — real signal about what to study next.

Works offline

Content, progress and audio live on your device. No account needed to start, no connection needed to learn. Your data stays yours.

How Nihongo Master works

Tell us where you are. Start at zero or skip the kana you already know. A gentle diagnostic places you on the curriculum so you never sit through what you already have.
Follow the Journey. Short, focused lessons drip in new characters, vocabulary and grammar in the order they actually teach each other. Checkpoints make sure nothing slips.
Let the app remember for you. Smart review resurfaces shaky items before they disappear. Mock tests calibrate you against real JLPT pacing. No streak shame, no guilt engine.

How it compares to Duolingo, WaniKani and Anki

Every Japanese-learning tool has trade-offs. Nihongo Master is built specifically for Japanese — kana and kanji are treated as first-class, not a language pack. You get the full JLPT curriculum (N5 to N1), timed mock tests, stroke-order writing, real Japanese voice audio, and everything works fully offline — without a forced sign-in, ads, or guilt-trip streaks.

Pricing — the learning is free

Everything you need to go from your first あ to passing N1 is in the free tier: the full JLPT N5 → N1 curriculum, adaptive spaced repetition, 2,000+ kanji with stroke order, timed JLPT mock tests, natural-voice audio, offline-first on-device storage, and no account required. No credit card, no trial clock.

A Pro tier will arrive later for people who want cloud sync across devices, premium themes, and quality-of-life extras. The core curriculum stays free for everyone, forever.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nihongo Master free?

Yes — the core curriculum is free. Hiragana, katakana, kanji, vocabulary, grammar, the guided journey, smart review, and JLPT mock tests work without an account. A Pro tier with optional extras like cloud sync is in the works.

Do I need to sign up?

No. You can install the app and start studying immediately. You only create an account if you later opt into cloud sync — and even then, your learning still works fully offline.

Which JLPT levels does it cover?

All of them — N5 through N1. Each level has dedicated vocabulary, grammar and kanji, plus mock tests that mirror the real exam format.

Which platforms are supported?

iOS and Android are live today. Desktop builds for macOS, Windows and Linux are in beta. Everything shares one account when you opt into cloud sync later.

Does it work offline?

Yes. Everything that matters for daily study — lessons, review, writing practice and audio — is on-device after install. No connection needed to learn.

Download Nihongo Master

Download for iOS (App Store) · Android closed beta (join the waitlist) · Desktop (macOS, Windows, Linux) from GitHub Releases