A quiet place,
for learning Japanese.
100% free. No sign-up. No ads. JLPT vocabulary flashcards and short readings on life, work, and culture in Japan — for learners and for the many people who now live and work here.
Learning tools
Simple, free, no-friction tools for everyday learning. No sign-up — just open and begin.
Articles to read
How to learn, daily life, work, culture. Short, calm reads gathered slowly over time.
We've Published Article Content — On How to Learn Japanese and How to Live in Japan
We've added 25 articles on how to learn Japanese and how to navigate life in Japan to Nihongo Tomo. Use them alongside the word flashcards in the gaps of your day.
Complete JLPT Roadmap N5 to N1: Vocabulary, Hours, and Real-World Levels
JLPT runs from N5 to N1 in five steps. Which level should you start with, how many hours will it take, and what can you actually do at each stage? Having the full map first saves you from wandering.
How to Memorize Kanji Efficiently: Conquering 2,000 Characters with Radicals, Phono-Semantic Composition, and SRS
'2,000 kanji' sounds dizzying, but 80% of kanji are 'radical + sound component' combinations. Knowing the structure first dramatically reduces the memorization load. Three weapons — phono-semantic compounds, SRS, and read/write separation — for tackling 2,000 characters.
About Nihongo Tomo
Nihongo Tomo (にほんご友) is a free, quiet place for everyone learning Japanese, and for the many people now living and working in Japan. We offer simple, no-friction tools — no accounts, no ads, no fees — and grow them step by step, together with our learners.