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Planning to visit the bustling streets of Tokyo or the serene temples of Kyoto soon? Maybe you’re an anime or manga fan, or like me, you’re into Japanese literature and looking to explore more of this Asian culture. Whatever your reason, learning Japanese helps you enjoy more of these experiences.
However, with busy schedules and a lack of local classes, fitting Japanese language learning into your life can seem challenging. Fear not! There are a lot of Japanese courses online that cater to all levels, learning styles, and budgets.
So, grab your favorite cup of tea (or matcha), get cozy, and get ready to learn more about these Japanese online classes.
Why learn Japanese with online courses
Let’s face it, carving out time for a new hobby, especially one that requires regular attendance, can feel impossible.
Japanese courses online are a lifesaver for busy learners like you and me. They offer the ultimate flexibility — you can squeeze in a lesson during your lunch break, tackle some kanji practice before bed, or binge-watch grammar tutorials on a lazy Saturday morning.
But online courses aren’t just about convenience. They cater to all sorts of learning styles. Maybe you’re a visual learner who thrives on interactive Japanese learning apps and colorful graphics. Perhaps you’re an auditory learner who gets fired up by listening to native speakers. There’s a course out there designed for you, with options ranging from gamified learning experiences to lectures packed with cultural insights.
You’re also not limited by geography. Connecting with a passionate Japanese teacher on the other side of the globe, or joining a virtual study group with classmates from all corners of the world is possible with just a few clicks.
And let’s not forget the budget! Traditional language classes can put a serious dent in your wallet, especially with textbooks and commuting costs factored in. Japanese online courses come with a spectrum of options, from completely free resources to affordable subscriptions.
Plus, many online courses allow you to try before you buy, with free introductory lessons or limited-time trials. So, you can test the waters and see if the course clicks with your learning style before committing any cash.
Best Japanese courses online for beginners and intermediate learners
1. Rocket Japanese
Learn Japanese on Rocket Languages
Rocket Languages offers a comprehensive course designed to get you to speak Japanese with confidence. Its method incorporates proven techniques to guide you from beginner to advanced levels.
The course is structured around conversation, with audio lessons featuring natural dialogues spoken by native speakers. This approach helps you develop listening comprehension and pronunciation from the very beginning. I love that Rocket Japanese also dives into the writing systems, teaching you Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji characters. Plus, it touches on cultural aspects to enhance your understanding of the language.
While Rocket Japanese doesn’t provide live interaction with teachers, it does offer a self-paced program with downloadable materials for offline study. This makes it a good fit for motivated learners who enjoy independent work.
Learn more about this amazing app with my in-depth review of Rocket Languages.
What I like about Rocket Languages:
- Focus on pronunciation and conversational skills
- Comprehensive lessons on Japanese writing systems
- Cultural insights are incorporated into the lessons.
Pricing: Starts from $149.95 per level. Huge discounts are available here.
2. Alison
Alison offers a variety of free online courses to help you learn Japanese, whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to brush up on your conversational skills. Its courses are designed to be flexible, so you can learn at your own pace and schedule.
For those just starting out, Alison has a course called Japanese for Beginners that introduces basic vocabulary and grammar used in everyday conversations. You’ll also learn about the three different writing systems used in Japanese.
If you’re looking for a more comprehensive overview of the language, Alison offers a Diploma in Japanese Language course. This covers a wider range of topics, including pronunciation, sentence structure, and more advanced grammar. By the end of the course, you’ll be better prepared to hold basic conversations in Japanese.
What I like about Alison:
- Quality courses for free!
- Great for beginners to advanced learners alike
- Includes a variety of formats for different learning styles
Pricing: Free! The optional certificates come with a cost and you can get ad-free lessons for 7.99/month. Start learning on Alison.
3. Cudoo
Cudoo offers online Japanese courses designed to take you from beginner to intermediate level. The program covers essential aspects of the language, including greetings, basic grammar, pronunciation, and common vocabulary. There are also specific courses for business, retail, and hospitality.
The biggest perk? Cudoo provides lifetime access to its courses. This means you can learn at your own pace, revisit materials for clarification, and refresh your knowledge whenever needed.
Plus, upon completion of each course, you’ll receive a personalized certificate to showcase your achievement. This certificate can be a valuable addition to your resume or a badge of honor to share on social media!
What I like about Cudoo:
- Course content comes in a variety of formats (e.g., videos, tips, quizzes)
- Mobile-friendly learning
- Lifetime access and certificate of completion after every course
Pricing: Starts from $12.99/course. Check out the latest Cudoo promo here.
4. Udemy
Udemy offers a variety of courses to learn Japanese, catering to both complete beginners and those looking to brush up on their existing skills. One popular option is the Complete Japanese Course, which offers a non-stop speaking course for beginners. This course is led by a native speaker and promises to get you speaking Japanese quickly.
Another well-rated course is the N5 Course, which helps you master the basics of writing and pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar related to the JLPT N5 level. There are also courses that take you up to N1!
What I like about Udemy:
- Quality course content from expert teachers
- Mobile access
- Often goes on sale!
Pricing: Varies per course. Udemy’s courses are often available at discounted prices.
5. Pimsleur
One of my favorite apps for learning Japanese, Pimsleur is a great tool for jumpstarting your Japanese conversation skills.
One of its strengths is the use of graduated interval recall, its version of SRS. This method introduces new vocabulary and phrases, then strategically brings them back for review at increasing intervals. This constant refresh helps solidify information in your memory, making it easier to recall during conversations.
Unlike some language programs that focus on memorization and translation, Pimsleur prioritizes speaking from the get-go. The core lessons are audio-based dialogues, where you actively participate by repeating phrases and responding to questions. Plus, the mobile app complements your learning with additional features such as reading drills, interactive quizzes, and a section dedicated to introducing Hiragana and Katakana.
Check out my Pimsleur review to know more about this awesome program.
What I like about Pimsleur:
- Focus on listening and speaking
- Science-backed method of developing long-term recall
- High-quality native speaker audio
Pricing: Starts from $14.95/month. Try Pimsleur free for 7 days!
6. Mondly
If you ever thought about learning Japanese but felt overwhelmed by the complex writing systems and grammar, Mondly might be a great fit for you. This app utilizes a gamified interface, with leaderboards, points, and achievements. Bite-sized lessons packed with images and intuitive exercises make learning foundational Japanese more fun.
Mondly excels at building a strong base in spoken Japanese. Through gamified activities and conversations with the app’s chatbot, you’ll practice pronunciation and sentence structure in a safe, pressure-free environment. The app focuses on practical vocabulary and real-life situations, preparing you for conversations with locals.
It’s important to note that Mondly prioritizes spoken Japanese, and doesn’t go deeply into the intricacies of reading and writing Japanese. You can rely on the Romanizations if you’re not yet familiar with Japanese writing, but I suggest learning this first elsewhere.
Learn more with this comprehensive review of Mondly.
What I like about Mondly:
- Gamified interface that motivates learners
- Chatbot and speech recognition engine
- Variety of exercises to test your skills
Pricing: Free daily lessons. Get full access for $9.99/month or check out Mondly’s latest sale here.
7. Ling
Unsure if traditional Japanese lessons are for you? Ling offers a fun and accessible way to learn Japanese through gamified exercises. Here, you get engaging games, puzzles, and challenges. There’s also a chatbot for conversation practice.
Ling caters to beginners perfectly. No prior knowledge is required, and the app guides you step-by-step through the fundamentals of the language. Learn essential greetings, common phrases, and practical vocabulary for everyday situations, all presented in a clear and manageable way.
That said, Ling goes beyond just speaking. It’s one of the best apps for learning Hiragana and Katakana. Through finger-tracing exercises, you’ll gain familiarity with Japanese characters, and soon, you’ll be able to write sentences in Japanese!
Find out more about Ling app with this detailed review.
What I like about Ling:
- Fun and quick exercises
- Conversational drills with a chatbot
- Interactive way to learn writing
Pricing: Starts at $14.99/month. You can also try Ling for free now!
8. JapanesePod101
JapanesePod101 is a multimedia resource for Japanese learners. It offers a variety of materials to suit different learning styles, including audio and video lessons. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to brush up on your conversational skills, it’s a platform worth considering.
One of the highlights of JapanesePod101 is its podcast. With new daily episodes, you can get a short burst of Japanese learning that fits easily into your schedule. The lessons focus on practical vocabulary and grammar, along with cultural insights to give you a well-rounded understanding of the language.
Beyond the podcast, JapanesePod101 offers video lessons on YouTube, a comprehensive audio dictionary, and a community forum where you can connect with other learners. Its website is also robust, offering both free and paid supplementary resources.
What I like about JapanesePod101:
- Teaches Japanese through various learning materials and formats
- Cultural insights integrated into lessons
- Lessons taught by native speakers
Pricing: Basic access for $4/month, while Premium starts from $10/month.
9. Skillshare
Skillshare’s Japanese course selection allows you to tailor your learning to specific goals. Instead of a single, comprehensive curriculum, it offers a variety of classes focusing on mastering particular skills like Hiragana and Katakana, essential for reading Japanese.
You’ll also find courses dedicated to everyday phrases for travelers or conversation starters for beginners. This lets you focus on what interests you most, whether it’s cracking the writing system or becoming conversationally ready.
A big advantage of Skillshare is the format. Many courses are broken down into bite-sized videos, perfect for busy schedules or those who prefer short, focused learning bursts. Plus, with the same subscription, you can explore other creative pursuits like calligraphy, origami, or even dive into animation or filmmaking — all on the same platform.
What I like about Skillshare:
- Targets particular skills, rather than following a one-size-fits-all format
- Bite-sized learning through videos
- Diverse course library
Pricing: Pricing varies per region
Best Japanese online courses to improve your vocabulary and grammar
10. MosaLingua
MosaLingua is a useful tool for incorporating Japanese learning into your daily routine. The app promises bite-sized lessons that take just 10 minutes a day. This method focuses on practical vocabulary, prioritizing the words and phrases you’ll use most often.
The core of the program lies in its mobile app, which utilizes flashcards featuring audio recordings and images to solidify vocabulary and pronunciation. MosaLingua also prioritizes teaching the most frequently used words and phrases first. This means you’ll be able to have simple conversations and navigate everyday situations relatively soon after starting.
MosaLingua emphasizes spaced repetition, which is scientifically proven to improve memorization. It reviews Japanese words at increasingly spaced intervals, helping you retain them in the long term.
What I like about MosaLingua:
- Spaced repetition flashcards for learning vocabulary
- Focus on commonly used words
- Audio and video materials to boost pronunciation accuracy
Pricing: $9.99/month or $119.88/year. Snatch a MosaLingua discount here!
11. Busuu
Busuu’s Japanese course offers a structured approach to learning vocabulary and grammar, aiming to get you from beginner (A1) to upper intermediate (B2) levels.
The course starts with the foundations: Hiragana and Katakana, the two phonetic scripts essential for reading and writing basic Japanese. After mastering these, you’ll delve into Kanji, the complex system of ideographic characters that forms the backbone of written Japanese.
Busuu’s lessons also use a combination of techniques to solidify your grasp of vocabulary and grammar. Engaging dialogues spoken by native speakers introduce new words and phrases in context. Interactive exercises challenge you to recall information and apply grammar rules to fill-in-the-blank tasks or construct sentences. Plus, the app has a feedback feature, where native speakers review your written work to improve your accuracy and help you avoid common mistakes.
What I like about Busuu:
- Well-structured course for a scaffolded learning experience
- Emphasis on Japanese vocabulary and grammar
- Native speaker feedback
Pricing: Starts at $12.99/month. Find a Busuu promo here.
12. Mango Languages
Learn Japanese on Mango Languages
Mango Languages offers a Japanese course designed to build your conversational fluency through a focus on practical vocabulary and grammar. The course emphasizes real-world situations, like greetings, introductions, and ordering food, helping you confidently navigate daily interactions.
Through dialogues and interactive exercises, you’ll gain a foundation in essential grammar concepts. You get color-coded grammar notes and features that focus on specific grammatical nuances between Japanese and your native language to strengthen your understanding of the Japanese language structure.
The course also incorporates spaced repetition techniques through review cards and section quizzes. This helps solidify your understanding and recall of newly learned vocabulary and grammar points.
What I like about Mango Languages:
- Conversational approach that grows vocabulary and teaches grammar
- Lessons include cultural context
- Focus on grammar
Pricing: $11.99/month for a single language and $19.99/month for unlimited access to 70+ languages. Try it FREE here!
Best free Japanese courses online
13. NHK World-Japan
Learn Japanese on NHK World-Japan
For those on a budget, NHK World-Japan offers a variety of resources for learners interested in picking up Japanese, with options for both beginners and those with some foundation.
For complete beginners, the crown jewel is the “Easy Japanese” program. This course uses short, fun skits with explanations and travel tips to introduce basic grammar and useful everyday phrases. All the materials are available for free online, including audio lessons, transcripts, and illustrations.
If you’ve already grasped the basics and are looking to move to the next level, NHK World-Japan has Easy Japanese for Work, Weekly News in Simple Japanese, and Magical Japanese to take you from beginner to intermediate level. These programs use slightly more complex grammar and vocabulary, but they still focus on practical communication and keep the content engaging.
What I like about NHK World-Japan:
- Its entire course library is available for free!
- Downloadable audio materials like audio and video lessons, transcripts, and more
- Focus on practical communication
14. JF Japanese e-Learning Minato
Try JF Japanese e-Learning Minato
JF Japanese e-Learning Minato offers a comprehensive online platform for anyone interested in learning Japanese, regardless of their current skill level. You can easily find a course that meets you goals, whether it’s learning vocabulary or mastering the writing systems.
One of the main features is the Marugoto course, designed for a well-rounded development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. This structured program allows you to immerse yourself in the Japanese language and culture, building practical communication abilities.
For learners with particular interests, Minato has thematic courses like Anime & Manga or Shodoo (Calligraphy) and Kadoo (Flower Arrangement). These courses combine language learning with cultural exploration, making the process even more engaging.
What I like about JF Japanese e-Learning Minato:
- Comprehensive courses tackling listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills
- Offers both self-study and tutor-led courses
- Integrates cultural insights into courses
15. Duolingo
Of course, a list of free Japanese learning resources has to include Duolingo. This popular app offers a course for learning Japanese, aimed at English and Chinese speakers. The course uses bite-sized, interactive lessons that gamify the learning process, making it feel more like playing a game than studying.
One of the strengths of the Duolingo Japanese course is its focus on building reading skills. It introduces learners to Hiragana first, which is the phonetic alphabet used for grammatical particles and common phrases. This helps solidify pronunciation while laying the foundation for recognizing more complex characters later.
The course also incorporates Katakana, another phonetic alphabet used for foreign words, and even introduces Kanji, the intricate character system that forms the backbone of written Japanese. That said, Duolingo doesn’t go deep into grammar explanations or speaking practice. It’s fine for newbies but you’ll have to find other resources to build a strong foundation.
What I like about Duolingo:
- Teaches Japanese in fun and manageable chunks
- Ideal for learning how to write and read Japanese characters
- Gamified way of learning Japanese vocabulary
Best Japanese online courses for speaking practice with native speakers
16. Preply
Find Japanese tutors on Preply
Preply offers one-on-one tutoring with native Japanese speakers to boost your speaking confidence and get personalized coaching. With tutors ranging from $5 to $98 per hour, you can find someone who fits your budget and learning style.
Preply is particularly suited for learners who are serious about making progress. A dedicated tutor can tailor lessons to your specific goals, whether you want to hold basic conversations, travel to Japan, or delve into reading manga. They can also answer your questions and guide you through the intricacies of the Japanese language, including its writing systems.
And if you ever feel your current tutor isn’t the right fit, Preply offers the flexibility to switch. This ensures you find someone you connect with and who makes learning Japanese enjoyable.
What I like about Preply:
- Wide pool of native-speaking Japanese tutors
- Offers flexible schedules and budget
- Lessons customized to your goals
Pricing: $10/hour on average. Get 50% off on your trial lesson here.
17. italki
Find Japanese tutors on italki
Another platform that lets you learn Japanese from native speakers is italki.
italki allows you to connect with native Japanese tutors for personalized lessons. This means you can tailor your learning to your specific goals, whether you crave conversation practice, want to delve into intricate grammar points, or aim to master.
Unlike group classes, italki tutors can adjust the pace and content to perfectly suit your needs and learning style. You get personalized feedback too!
The best part about italki is that it offers incredible flexibility. You can choose lesson frequency and duration that fit your schedule and budget. There are even options for one-off trial lessons to help you find the perfect tutor. And yes, you get
What I like about italki:
- Provides real-time speaking practice and personalized feedback
- Expert teachers who are native speakers
- Caters to your schedule and budget
Pricing: Varies per tutor. You can find tutors for as low as $5/session. Check out italki discounts here.
18. Live Lingua
Find Japanese tutors on Live Lingua
Learning Japanese with Live Lingua tutors is a solid way to boost your fluency and gain confidence in speaking. It offers personalized lessons with certified Japanese tutors, giving you the undivided attention and interaction you’d experience in a physical classroom.
Live Lingua’s class coordinators match you with a “language learning guide” based on your goals and learning style. This ensures you get the most out of your lessons, focusing on areas that need the most improvement.
Unlike some online resources that focus on memorization, Live Lingua puts an emphasis on real-time conversation. Additionally, your tutor can answer your questions on grammar and cultural nuances in real-time, providing a well-rounded learning experience.
It’s also worth noting that Live Lingua also has free resources available. It provides access to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) Japanese courses, which include ebooks, audio lessons, and a pronunciation recorder.
What I like about Live Lingua:
- Initial evaluation matches you with the right tutor
- Focus on building conversational skills
- Incorporates cultural info while teaching the essentials
Pricing: Standard Japanese lessons start from $38/hour while Exam Prep sessions begin at $54/hour. Costs go lower when you sign up for more hours. Try it for FREE!
Bonus
Coursera
Coursera offers a few options for learning Japanese, but they cater to different goals. If you’re interested in a general introduction to the Japanese education system and daily life in Japan, the course Studying at Japanese Universities might be a good starting point. It’s not strictly a language learning course, but it can give you some cultural context to fuel your motivation.
For those focused on building reading comprehension, the Let’s Read! Learning Japanese through Science & Technology courses are unique options. This two-part series uses science and engineering research from the University of Tokyo as its theme, and are exclusively taught in Japanese.
While the main focus is reading, the courses do incorporate listening and speaking exercises through videos and interviews. It’s important to remember though, that these courses are ideal for those specifically interested in scientific Japanese.
What I like about Coursera:
- Learning vocabulary and grammar through thematic content
- Courses offered by prestigious universities
- On-demand video lectures that you can watch at your preferred time
Pricing: Free, with the option to pay for the certificates. Learn more about Coursera here.
Conclusion
Whether you’re a complete beginner wanting to impress your friends with a konnichiwa (hello!), or a seasoned anime fan looking to finally understand those tricky subtitles, there’s a Japanese online course out there waiting to be your sensei (teacher).
With their flexibility, affordability, and engaging formats, these courses will help you achieve fluency and understand Japanese culture better. Pair any of these courses with apps, Japanese learning books (vocabulary books, grammar books, textbooks, workbooks, and more!), and other Japanese resources for a holistic learning journey. Happy studying!