How to Read Japanese: An Absolute Newbie’s Guide

Ah, beautiful Japan! It’s one of the most captivating places to visit, immerse in its legends, and learn its unique culture, including language. Unfortunately, learning to read Japanese is like studying an alien communications system, where symbols defy conventional logic, and you must rely on your instincts to decipher what they mean. As if that isn’t challenging enough, the Japanese have three different writing systems that can make learning the language seemingly overwhelming.

Intimidated? Don’t be! We will share our no-nonsense approach to learning how to read Japanese. We will break everything down in a fun, engaging way to help you take your first steps toward Japanese literacy. Let’s get started!

Man reading Japanese on The Staring Book.

Kicking Off with A Primer on the Japanese Writing System

Unlike the English alphabet with 26 letters we can combine to form words and words into phrases and sentences, the Japanese language is quite unique. It doesn’t have an alphabet (as far as our version is concerned), but three Japanese writing systems working simultaneously—you could see characters from these systems in one sentence.

We must point out that these characters don’t represent individual letters. Instead, they are phonetics or “sounds” we produce when we speak. You can think of them as syllables, too. Unsurprisingly, many Japanese language teachers call these characters “syllabary.” 

Japanese characters on NILS Japanese Language School.

Here are the 3 writing systems in Japan.

Hiragana 

This Japanese writing system represents original or native Japanese words and is typically used in everyday conversation (including writing). It’s the basic building block for learning the Japanese language, making it essential for beginners.

Katakana 

It’s similar to Hiragana, except Katakana is only for foreign words and names (i.e., bread, restaurant, computer, television, vodka, tour, America, and camera). Like the Hiragana, beginners will want to focus on the Katakana (but we’re getting ahead of ourselves).

Kanji 

This writing system should be last on your to-do list. Why? Kanji characters don’t always represent any of Japan’s 46 fundamental sounds or phonetics. Instead, these symbols represent a word or an idea. One Kanji character can be a word. For example, the Kanji symbol “—“ already means “one” or “ichi” in Japanese. Kanji characters come from Chinese characters, mostly Mandarin (so, if you know Mandarin, you already have a leg up). 

So, How Should You Learn How to Read Japanese?

Reading Japanese with 3 distinct character sets (46 each for Hiragana and Katakana, while Kanji is super special) can be overwhelming without a stepwise approach. So, we’ll do just that.

Step 1. Learn and master the Hiragana.

As mentioned, beginners learning to read Japanese should start with the most basic (if there’s such a thing) – the Hiragana. This system allows non-Japanese to learn to read native Japanese words, including their grammatical functions. It’s the perfect introduction to Japanese pronunciation and reading, empowering learners to form complete Japanese sentences.

But how do you learn and master Hiragana? Like everything else, start with the basics. Here’s what you can do.

Learn the basic sounds first – the Hiragana Squad

A Hiragana chart by Kai_973 on Reddit.

As mentioned, the Hiragana is a set of 46 characters representing phonetics or syllables (a, i, u, e, and o). they’re like the English alphabet, except with “superpowers”—they always sound the same without tricky silent letters (like knife, knickers, and knuckle with the silent “k”).  

So, grab a 5-column Hiragana chart, each column representing the 5 syllables with their corresponding sounds. Notice the symbols or characters? Aren’t they adorable? Use that to your advantage by imagining each character or symbol as having a unique personality.

For instance, the symbol for “shi” looks like a smiling face, while the “tsu” sound is like a tiny tsunami wave. Don’t just memorize them—create stories for them!

Use mnemonics to remember characters

Memorizing shapes or symbols can be boring, so let’s make it more fun! Try imagining each Hiragana as a picture.

For example “ku” looks like a cuckoo bird’s beak (that’s coo-coo for you). Meanwhile, “chi” looks like a cheerleader’s pom-pom (cheer for ‘chi”). 

Use these silly mental tricks to help your brain lock in the characters faster than you think! 

Practice recognizing characters in words

Most Japanese language teachers use Hiragana flashcards to teach non-Japanese learners. However, we have a more fun way of practicing Hiragana recognition.

Time for a Hiragana scavenger hunt! Go to your favorite Japanese store (a sushi bar, an authentic ramen shop, or a Japanese grocery) and look at their printed displays. You could grab Japanese snacks, too. Try to recognize Hiragana characters in these prints.

Extend your Hiragana scavenger hunt on Manga copies. Or, you could watch anime intros on TikTok or YouTube (you can pause the video) to identify the Hiragana symbols.

Seeing Hiragana in real life makes learning more exciting instead of just studying. 

Read simple Hiragana-only texts

Once you’ve mastered recognizing Hiragana symbols, up your level a notch by reading simple words. 

For instance, you can combine “ne” and “ko” to form “neko,” meaning cat. “Su” + “shi” is easy, although “sa” + “ku” + “ra” can be quite challenging at first (it means cherry blossom, by the way).

Trust us. Recognizing whole words is easier than focusing on each syllable (or Hiragana character) one by one.

Use reading apps and games

Supercharge your Hiragana learning with fun tools. The beauty of these apps and web resources is that you can access them from anywhere. You could be on a bus going to San Francisco or touring the Washington DC area and brushing up on your Hiragana knowledge.

• Duolingo – Bite-sized reading practice 
• Anki – flashcards that actually stick
• NHK Web Easy – real news in simple Hiragana
• Shinobi Japanese – cute and easy stories

Gradually increase reading complexity

Once you’ve mastered Hiragana recognition and simple word construction, it’s time to level up by reading full sentences. 

Start with short, complete sentences (maybe 3 words), like “Watashi wa Sakura desu” (I am Sakura) or “neko ga suki desu” (I like cats).

Increase the Hiragana reading complexity as you master each level. It should pave the way for the next step in your how to read Japanese journey.

Step 2. Conquer the Katakana.

Going through this step should be a breeze because the strategies would be essentially the same as learning and mastering Hiragana. After all, Katakana characters represent 5 syllables and their respective phonetics, totaling 46.

But why is this Japanese writing system important to learn? Is the Hiragana not enough? Why should you bother learning Katakana if it’s nearly the same as Hiragana (at least in terms of their characters and phonetics)?

Well, unless you intend on living in Japan permanently, learning the Katakana is a must. Moreover, even contemporary Japanese use these characters. 

Unlike the Hiragana that focuses on original or native Japanese words, Katakana emphasizes foreign words adapted into Japanese. 

Katakana is essential for reading menus (i.e., cheeseburger (chiizubaagaa) and ice cream (aisukuriimu), product labels, and advertisements. You might see these characters in manga, too! Katakana empowers you to read nearly perfect Japanese (including borrowed foreign words). Pretty useful, right?

So, how do you conquer the Katakana?

Compare Katakana with Hiragana

 

A Katakana chart by User:Pmx on Wikimedia.

Katakana characters resemble Hiragana symbols, so you shouldn’t have any issues distinguishing their syllables and sounds. 

The difference? Hiragana characters are soft and curvy like they were handwritten. On the other hand, Katakana symbols are sharp and straight (some say they look like futuristic or robotic letters). 

So, your first mission (should you choose to accept!) is to recognize the shapes and pair them with sounds. This should be easy-peasy if you’ve mastered Step 1 (the Hiragana).

Practice with loanwords

Start with common loanwords, like the following.

• Asia – ajia
• America – amerika
• Apartment – apaato
• Bus – basu
• Butter – bataa
• Bed – beddo
• Building – biru
• Ballpoint pen – boorupen
• Button – botan
• Department store – depaato
• Door – doa
• Elevator – erebeetaa
• Film – firimu
• Fork – fooku
• Gasoline – gasorin
• Handbag – handobaggu
• Hotel – hoteru
• Curtain – kaaten
• Camera – kamera
• Computer – kompyuuta
• Coffee – koohi
• Restaurant – resutoran
• Spoon – supuun
• Taxi – takushi
• Toilet – toire

Notice anything? Most Katakana words sound like their English counterparts (well, almost). That should make it easy for you.

Consider using the tricks we used in learning and mastering Hiragana

Remember using mnemonics to associate Hiragana characters with sounds? That works with Katakana symbols, too. You can also read simple Katakana words, go on a Katakana scavenger hunt, and play fun games.

Step 3. Tackle Kanji.

So, you’ve mastered Hiragana and tackled Katakana like a pro. You’re now staring at Kanji like the final boss on an action-packed video game. But, should you really learn Kanji? Aren’t reading Katakana and Hiragana enough?

Here’s the thing. Kanji unlocks real Japanese reading! Japanese without Kanji is like trying to read English without spaces (try “thequickbrownfoxjumpedoverthefenceandgotitshindlegshurt”). Kanji breaks up sentences, making reading faster and more natural.

A Kanji chart on Nippon.com.

The beauty of Kanji characters is that they are mostly symbolic. Unlike Katakana and Hiragana, which require characters to form a single word, a single Kanji can already be a word. They’re easy to decipher, too. For instance, the Kanji symbols for fire, water, and wood are single-character stick-like figures.                  

Another reason for studying Kanji is it eliminates confusing words. Many Japanese words sound exactly the same but have different meanings. For example, the phonetic “ha-shi” could mean bridge, chopsticks, or tip (or edge). A Kanji delivers the right message.

Lastly, you can see Kanji virtually anywhere, from road signs and menus to manga, novels, and even your Japanese friend’s text message. Cool!             

So, how to learn to read Kanji?                 

Start with basic Kanji

Did you know there are over 50,000 Kanji characters? You don’t have to tackle everything in one sitting, though. After all, even native Japanese speakers only use about 2,100. Target 500 to 1,000 Kanji characters and you can read MOST things Japanese.

Start with the most frequently used Kanji, like sun (or day), moon (or month), fire, person, and water. 

Learn “radicals”

Radicals and their placement (shaded orange) in Kanji on SLJFaq.org

Once you’ve mastered around 500 Kanji, it’s time to appreciate radicals. These are the building blocks of Kanji (think LEGO pieces, where Kanji are simply radicals put together). You can start with 50 to 100 radicals. 

Used spaced repetition systems

One issue about learning Kanji (there’s thousands of characters, excluding radicals) is that you can memorize them today but forget them tomorrow. If you’re in this situation, Spaced Repetition Systems (SRS) should be handy. 

Here’s how it works. Learn one Kanji. Review it the following day. Easy? Review it again after 3 days. If it’s difficult, your brain hasn’t memorized the character yet. The idea is to review each concept or Kanji character many times, increasing the review intervals so that your brain will never forget.

Read everyday materials

Practice. Try reading every Japanese material your hands can grab, or your eyes can see, from manga and anime to menus, text messages, and internet content. You can use mnemonics, fun apps, and other learning tools, too. 

Step 4. Build reading fluency.

You’re ready to combine Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji in your Japanese reading adventures. Here’s how you can improve.

Start with simple materials

Buy Japanese children’s books because these are often written in Hiragana with basic sentence structures. You can also try graded books designed for language learners with increasing difficulty levels. Lastly, consider Manga with small Hiragana above Kanji to help you read along.

Use digital resources

NHK Easy News is an excellent website providing current events in simplified Japanese. Try Japanese learning apps like LingQ and Satori Reader for a more interactive reading experience. You can watch anime with Japanese subtitles to reinforce word recognition.

Read aloud

Grab a Japanese friend and make them your audience. Reading aloud helps with pronunciation, allowing you to internalize sentence structures. Even if you don’t fully understand the meaning, speaking the words solidifies your knowledge and paves the way for better reading.

A student writing Japanese characters on AKAL Japanese Academy.

Final Thoughts

Reading Japanese may seem daunting at first. Patience and practice can help you ease into this unique language until it becomes second nature. Learning how to read Japanese isn’t a sprint or a marathon. So, take your time. Enjoy the process. Before you know it, you’ll be reading Japanese with confidence!