This is a site for learners of Japanese as well as Japanese children to practice kana in a game setting, developed by Purdue University, USA.

• It is designed step-by-step to make it easy to learn the shapes and pronunciation of letters and practice reading, writing, and vocabulary.
• Have fun making sure you know the kana you just learned in a game-like manner.
• You can download writing practice sheets and flashcards.
• Chrome is the recommended browser.

How to...

This is the main page.

Let's look at Hiragana, for example.
In STEP 1: Learn how to read hiragana, you can download a program to help you memorize hiragana by clicking Download KanaExercise.zip.
As stated on the site, this only runs on Windows.

To go back to the main page, click Go back to Main on the top left corner.

In the Hiragana letter recognition game to help you remember hiragana, you have a choice of Gojuon (Japanese alphabetical) order or Random order.

This is the game in Gojuon order.

The green flag in the center is the start button.
Click the red button at the top left, if you want to stop part way through. Click the green flag to start over again.

In STEP 2: Increase speed of reading, you can practice reading the displayed kana.
You can select the speed to improve recognition speed, or choose to practice with audio feedback.

In STEP 3: Exercise spelling, you can practice spelling.
Choose the range you want to practice.

In STEP 4: Practice writing, you can download a hiragana writing practice grid.
This section also introduces a mobile app for good hiragana penmanship.

In this practice, you listen to the audio and arrange the letters in the right order.

In STEP 5: Exercise reading words, you can use vocabulary to practice reading kana.

Select level of difficulty.

Learning material in the katakana section is offered in the same manner.

Katakana STEP 3

Katakana STEP 3

Katakana STEP 4

Katakana STEP 4

Katakana STEP 4

There is substantial content for learning both hiragana and katakana.
After you have learned them one step at a time, why not try practicing a mixture of hiragana and katakana for a sense of accomplishment?

This site was introduced on the eな Information Station.