The journal

Calm guides to learning Japanese.

Beginner-first walkthroughs for kana, kanji, grammar, and the road to JLPT N5. Clear, honest, and free to read.

A busy Tokyo street, the kind of place reading Japanese starts to pay off
Getting started · Beginner

How long does it take to learn Japanese? An honest timeline

How long does it take to learn Japanese? Read kana in a week, reach JLPT N5 in a few months, and hold a conversation within a year. An honest, calm timeline.

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Mount Fuji at dawn, calm and clear
Behind the app · Beginner

Why we built HeyShima

We are three half-Japanese siblings who couldn't find a Japanese app that met us where we were, so we built one. Here is what we're making, and why.

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