Kana no Mado – Learn to Read Japanese

Kana no Mado (“The Kana Window”) is a calm, distraction-free app that helps you learn to read Japanese kana – the hiragana and katakana characters used in everyday written Japanese.

Focused purely on reading, this free version lets you recognize, hear, and read kana using structured lessons and quizzes. No writing, grammar, or distractions – just the reading practice you need to get started.

Perfect for beginners and beyond

From complete beginners to those who just want to brush up, Kana no Mado makes it easy to learn or review kana reading, your way.

Each kana is introduced with sound, supported by examples and reading quizzes you can replay at your own pace.

Get used to how kana really look

Kana in the real world don’t always look like textbook characters. In Kana no Mado, each character can be displayed in three fonts – a clear print style, a handwritten variant, and a Mincho-style font used in books and signs.

What’s included for free

LEARN

• Hiragana – The Basics

  Learn to read basic hiragana characters with native audio.

• Katakana – The Basics

  Learn to read basic katakana characters with native audio.

• Hiragana Variants & Katakana Variants

  Practice voiced and combined kana, with instant feedback.

PRACTICE

• Hiragana Quiz – Beginner

  Drill beginner hiragana at your own pace.

• Katakana Quiz – Beginner

  Test beginner katakana with no pressure.

• Listening Quiz – Kana

  Train your ear with simple kana sounds.

Available in multiple languages

English, French, Spanish, German, Simplified Chinese

Want to go further?

All the core kana content is free. But if you want to practice with real words, track your progress, and unlock new learning and quiz modes, the Kana no Mado Plus DLC has even more to offer.