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日本語 · Japanese at your level

Learn Japanese from the videos you'd watch anyway.

Real YouTube videos, podcasts and anime-style content picked for your JLPT level. Tap any word in the transcript to see what it means and keep it.

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How it works

Three steps to your first video

  1. Step 1

    Tell us your level

    Pick N5 to N1 (or "not sure") and what you like: anime, travel, music, news…

  2. Step 2

    Watch today's picks

    Fresh videos matched to your level and interests, every day.

  3. Step 3

    Tap any word and keep it

    See what it means, ask why, and turn it into a flashcard.

Real videos at every level

Content made by Japanese creators, picked for you

Every video is tagged with a JLPT level, so you're always watching something you can mostly follow, with just enough new to learn.

N5 · Beginner

N4 · Elementary

N3 · Intermediate

N2 · Upper Intermediate

N1 · Advanced

Explore every level

Features

Everything you need between “what did they say?” and “I get it”

Transcript

Tap any word in the transcript

The transcript follows along as you watch. Tap a word to see its reading and meaning, and save it in one tap.

AI explanations

Ask why, not just what

Stuck on a line? Ask for an explanation: the grammar, the nuance, and whether it's polite, casual or something you shouldn't say to your boss.

Flashcards

Remember it with spaced repetition

Words you save become flashcards with their original sentence. Reviews come back just before you'd forget them, so ten minutes a day goes a long way.

Already use Anki? Import your decks in the mobile app.

Kana board

See your kana come together

Mark each hiragana and katakana as you learn it: yellow when you somewhat know it, green when you've got it. Try it here.

Try it: tap a kana

Somewhat knowKnowNot yet

Progress

Streaks that keep you coming back

Track your streak, videos watched, words learned and reviews done. Small, steady days add up.

See all features

Meet your character

Pick a character on day one

They're with you on every screen.

  • NekoCurious cat
  • KitsuneClever fox
  • ShibaLoyal pup
  • TanukiPlayful trickster
  • PandaCalm and steady
  • UsagiQuick learner
  • KumaBig-hearted bear
  • KappaRiver spirit
  • OniFriendly ogre
  • NinjaSilent studier
  • DarumaNever gives up
  • OnigiriSnack-sized hero

Levels at a glance

From your first あ to native speed

Not sure? Start at N5 and change any time.

Pricing

Free while in beta

Free

Everything in HitaruJP today, with no card required.

  • Daily video picks at your level
  • Tappable transcripts
  • Flashcards and the kana board
  • AI explanations

Premium

Coming later. When it arrives, the free plan stays, and we'll be clear about what's in each.

How pricing will work

FAQ

Questions, answered

Something else? Read the full FAQ or get in touch .

Is HitaruJP free?

Yes. You can sign up, pick your level and start watching for free. We’re in beta, so everything is free for now. If we add a paid Premium plan later, the free plan stays, and we’ll say clearly what’s in each before anything changes.

Do I need to know any Japanese to start?

No. Choose N5 (Beginner) and you’ll get slow, clear videos made for people who are just starting. Learning hiragana alongside helps a lot, and the kana board in the app lets you track it.

What are N5 to N1?

They’re the five levels of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). N5 is the easiest and N1 the hardest. HitaruJP uses them to match videos to you. You don’t need to be studying for the test. See all levels.

Where do the videos come from?

They’re real YouTube videos, podcasts and other content made by Japanese creators and teachers. We hand-pick them, tag each with a level, and play them through YouTube’s own player. The videos belong to their creators.

Can I use it on my phone and on the web?

Yes. HitaruJP runs in your browser today, and the Android and iOS apps are on the way. Your account, vocabulary and flashcards are the same everywhere. A few features differ: Anki import is mobile-only, and YouTube search and transcripts are more limited on the web.

How do the AI explanations work?

Tap a word or line and ask HitaruJP to explain it. You’ll get the meaning, the grammar and the nuance (is it polite? casual? rude?). The text you ask about is sent to Google’s Gemini model to produce the explanation. Like any AI, it can be wrong now and then, so treat it as a helpful tutor rather than a dictionary.

Your first video is waiting.

Pick your level, choose a character and start watching. It takes about a minute.

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