Indeed, not everyone is fond of the taste, looks or odour of this slimey staple of Japanese cuisine, but you should definitely give it a try, as it might just happen to be one of the tastiest meals you’ve ever had. On top of that, nattō is incredibly healthy and cheap, so you could really hit the jackpot if you become a fan.

While there are countless ways to eat nattō, raw or cooked (heating it does reduce the health benefits but a toast with nattō & parmesan or mozzarella is too scrumptious to think about that), one of the more popular variations is mixed with raw egg & scallions, over white rice, seasoned with some soy sauce, mustard and nori.

This makes for a hearty, delicious breakfast which doesn’t cost much and is relatively easy to make.

Nattō with raw egg, scallion, nori seaweed & rice

Serves: 1-2
Cooking time: 25 min
Ingredients:
½ cup short-grain rice
1 egg
1 green onion
Garnish:
mustard, shōyu, chopped nori seaweed, sliced okra

Boil ½ cup Japanese short-grain rice. In the meantime, open one pack of your favourite brand of nattō and stir vigorously with chopsticks, at least 50 times.

Why stir nattō?
As you stir, Natto bacillus, a thread-forming aerobic bacteria, will get activated and form lots of sticky gossamer-like strings. The gooey nature of nattō is called nebaneba in Japanese, and increasing this quality, and thus improving the taste, is the goal of every nattō aficionado.

Other tips for increasing nebaneba include using a special bumpy stirring stick (nebabō), textured bowls, or poking a few holes in the foil covering the beans and leaving the package out of the fridge overnight.

In any case, try not to heat the nattō, or add shōyu before stirring it well, as that might reduce the nebaneba, and even kill the healthy bacterial colonies altogether.

Wash one raw egg, chop the scallions, and mix well with nattō. When the rice is cooked, put it in a bowl and pour the mixture on top of it. Season to taste with shōyu, mustard, chopped nori and okra.

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Photo by kozyndan

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan (西山温泉慶雲館) was founded in 705. It has been operated continuously since then, although it has changed hands over 50 times (reasonable when you consider that’s over 1,300 years). It’s located in the city of Hayakawa in Yamanashi Prefecture.

What the Earth’s oldest hotel offers

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is a completely natural onsen (温泉 – hot springs). All of its hot water is created deep in the bowels of the earth through natural processes and not artificially heated. It consists of six different types of baths that all treat different health conditions, in addition to just making you feel good.

Located in a mountainous area near Kyoto, the hotel provides views down into the mountain valleys. The Minobu River runs right behind the hotel and there are views of the river from many of its rooms.

Although it is a ryokan with traditional tatami mat-floored rooms, it’s mixed with elements of modern hotel design. Still, many parts of the hotel complex remain unchanged from its earliest days.

Photo by kozyndan

Then and now

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan was established by Fujiwara Mahito, son of Fujiwara Kamatari, who was an aid to Emperor Tenji in the seventh century. The hotel was built deep in the mountains near Kyoto and was used for centuries by Kyoto residents and visitors. It was especially popular among the military class and artists.

The hotel made its entrance into the Guinness Book of World Records in February 2011. It received lots of recognition but unfortunately didn’t get the crowds it was expecting. The Great Tohoku Earthquake of March 11th hurt tourism everywhere in Japan, and this included its oldest inn. Although there were a record number of phone calls inquiring about the hotel, there were also a record number of cancellations.

The owners are now trying to get back into the book for another record—the hot spring with the largest amount of water produced per minute. Several years ago, the hotel dug a hot spring that penetrated 888 meters into the earth. It now produces 1,630 liters of water per minute at a flesh-sizzling 52 degrees.

Photo by Cerebral Boinkfest

Japan also boasts the world’s second oldest hotel, Hoshi Ryokan, located in the Awazu Onsen area of Komatsu in Ishikawa Prefecture. Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan and Hoshi Ryokan are the two oldest companies on Earth. Japanese companies hold six spots in the list of top ten oldest continuously run companies in the world.

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It’s also known for its amazingly delicious culinary treats and no trip to Hokkaido would be complete without stuffing massive amounts of it down your throat. Here’s just a quick sampling of some of its best.

Seafood Straight from the Ocean

When Japanese folks think of Hokkaido, they think of seafood. It has some of the freshest seafood you’ll find anywhere—shrimp, squid, crab, scallops, sea urchin, salmon and tough-to-identify things with no English translation that seem kind of half-alive still.

The highlights for me are salmon and squid. Salmon is served up in thick, chunky steaks that are naturally salty and juicy. Squid is eaten in more ways than you can imagine and my personal favorite is ika-shiokara (イカ塩辛). I know this sounds gross, but it’s strips of squid fermented in its own guts. Shio (塩) means salt and kara (辛) is from karai (辛い), which means spicy. Trust me, it’s good.

One of the legendary stories of my wife’s extended family in Hokkaido is that sometimes when they’re drinking and run out of otsumame (乙豆 – snacks to be eaten while drinking), they would take their nets down to the wharf and get something to eat straight out of the ocean. Now, that’s fresh.

Photo by Ronald HN Tan

Barbecued Sheep, Mongol-Style

Another Hokkaido tradition is jingisu-kan (ジンギスカン – Genghis Khan). Named after the founder of history’s longest-running empire, this is a type of Mongolian barbecue where cuts of mutton and lamb are grilled and dipped in tare (タレ – sauce for dipping made of soy sauce, vinegar, mirin and dashi). Whether it really has anything to do with Mongolian food or not, I don’t know, but it’s yummy.

The way to eat jingisu-kan is to keep barbecuing and gorging yourself until you feel like you can hardly move and wash it all down with copious amounts of beer.

A Hearty Bowl of Ramen

Sapporo is famous for its own style of ramen that uses miso (味噌 – fermented soybeans) instead of the usual soy sauce-based soup. This hearty ramen is great for the cold weather and it has put Sapporo on the map as one of Japan’s three ramen cities (the others are Hakata in Fukuoka Prefecture and Kitakata in Fukushima Prefecture). There are over a thousand ramen shops in Hokkaido and even a ramen-yokochou (ラーメン横丁- ramen alley) that’s famous for it in Sapporo.

Photo by msnaut

Hokkaido Sweets

Hokkaido is also known for its sweets. The northern island is where much of Japan’s dairy comes from and they use it to make all kinds of sweet snack foods. Favorite omiyage (お土産 – souvenirs, usually food) staples include the brands Shiroi Koibito, which makes a variety of cookies and similar snacks, and Royce Chocolates.

There are other things to do in Hokkaido besides eating, I’m sure, but I don’t usually get around to them when I visit.

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But it’s not just physically different. Hokkaido has only had a significantly large Japanese population for a little over a century. Before that, it was Japan’s wild frontier. In many ways it still feels like that, with news stories of hikers getting lost in the mountains each year and bear attacks. A trip to Hokkaido is definitely a unique Japan experience.

Getting to Hokkaido

Of course, you can fly to Hokkaido and land at Shin-Chitose Kuukou (新千歳空港 – New Chitose Airport) near Sapporo. But if you’re a real adventurer, I recommend going by land and taking one of the ferries that cross the Tsugaru Kaikyou (津軽海峡 – Tsugaru Strait) from Aomori Prefecture. There’s also the JR Tsugaru-Kaikyou train line that goes from Aomori Station to Hakodate Station by bridge.

What to Do in Hokkaido

Most people head up to the snowy north to ski or snowboard. During its long winter, Hokkaido gets pounded with dry powder snow that makes it Japan’s premier spot for winter sports.

Camping is another of Hokkaido’s attractions. There are pristine areas that are seemingly untouched by humankind, including its northeastern area of Okhotsk (オホーツク), named after the Okhotsk Sea which it faces. This area has plains full of wildflowers and forests to get lost in, as well as the wonders of the seaside with its clear, blue water and occasional drifting ice. The area includes Shiretoko National Park, one of Japan’s most remote areas. The name Shiretoko comes from the Ainu word sir etok, which means ‘end of the Earth.’

Believe it or not, there is also nightlife to be enjoyed, at least in the capital city of Sapporo. Sapporo has an area called Susukino that’s as lively as Shinjuku (okay, that’s what locals say) with lots of bars, restaurants and clubs.

The Seaside Village of Shiofuki

When I visited recently, I stayed away from the big city lights and the bears as well. I stayed with family in a tiny seaside village called Shiofuki (潮吹). I wouldn’t bother looking for it on a map, but if you decide to, it’s located on the western edge of Hokkaido near a thriving metropolis called Kami-no-Kuni (上ノ国) which might be on your map.

The town consists of a couple of streets, a couple of shops, a post office, lots of houses (many abandoned) and a giant wharf. That’s where all the action is. Fishermen are out there at all hours of the day pulling delicious creatures out of the sea.

The coastline is rocky, with cliffs rising high above the calm rolling waves. Like much of Japan’s habitable space, Shiofuki is a narrow strip of almost flat land that faces the ocean, the only possible place where a settlement could be made. Many of the families that live in this town have been here since the early days of Hokkaido’s Japanese settlement. A massive cemetery in nearby Kami-no-Kuni attests to this.

Hokkaido is really unique and if you have a chance to visit a place like Shiofuki, there’s no better way to see real Japanese life. But one word of warning—Japanese fishermen in remote areas speak a dialect that’s harder to understand than kansai-ben (関西弁 – Kansai dialect, the dialect spoken in southern areas like Osaka and Kobe).

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Photo by Australian Customs

The conflicting information that an individual receives through the many blog posts, news reports, and research articles on the topic can be confusing and overwhelming. This article attempts to remain neutral and provide some background knowledge about whaling in Japan so in order to facilitate you to own opinions on the issue.

History/ Background Information

1946

During the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling, 15 countries signed an agreement to help protect the whale population from being over hunted. However, the convention recognized that scientific research sometimes requires the capturing of a whale; therefore, it authorized countries to issue permits for whale hunting—if it is necessary for scientific research.

The permits are to be reviewed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which is made up of 120 scientists who examine the goals and methodology, scientific value, and potential impact on the whale population that the study might cause. The IWC’s review is only advisory however, and each country still retains the power to issue these permits.

1987

Forty-two years later, the IWC set a zero quota for commercial whaling (called the moratorium). At first, Japan fought the moratorium but eventually accepted the terms in 1987. In that same year, Japan created the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR), whose purpose was to provide the IWC with whale data to support Japan’s reason for capturing whales. The institute is comprised of 35 scientist, technicians, and support staff.

The ICR’s goal for research was to improve estimates of the Minke Whale population parameters (weight, age, sex, stomach contents, etc) for whale population management, and unfortunately, the only way to obtain some this data is by killing the whale. Japan argues that through learning about the current state of the Minke Whale population, in the future, we will be able to preserve marine life and better gauge resource management for safe harvest.

Photo by Martin Cathrae

2000

The ICR was operating with a budget of $73 Million USD. The research institute gains slightly 50% of their budget through whale meat sales and the balance is paid mostly through the government.

The ICR gained international attention when they announced that they wanted to expand their research program to include Brydes and Sperm Whales, in addition to their research on Minke Whales. Since 1987, the group managed to hunt and capture 400 Minke in the Antarctic and 100 North Pacific Minke between 1994 -1999.

2005

Since 1987, Japan’s total of whales killed for research is as follows: 7,900 Minke, 243 Bryde, 140 Sei, and 38 Sperm. Interestingly between 1954-1986 (before moratorium) only 840 whales globally were killed for research by Japan.

The ICR also stated that they plan to expand their research by incorporating additional whale species during the second phase of their research in late 2006. The second phase’s main hypothesis is based on the claim that whales are competing directly for limited resources and the species populations are out of balance. For example, the recovery of the population of the Blue Whales will be negatively affected by the increase of population of Humpback, Fin, and Minke Whales.

The competing arguments

New arguments/counter arguments are constantly being made from both sides of the spectrum. Here are summaries on three key points of clash.

Reasons for Research

Research Quality

Economics

However, Japan countered this argument in February 2010 when they claimed that they are unable to successfully sell their entire whale meat stock, despite the price drop in 2005. At that time, Japan’s whale meat stock had more than doubled since March 2004 from 1614 tons to 3981 tons. They state the reason for this is the high popularity of fish, pork, and chicken; all of which can be sold at a cheaper price than whale meat.

Conclusion

I hope you are able to see how complicated this issue can get. Some even claim that the anti-whaling support groups’ attempts are actually working against their cause. Radicals that are attacking Japanese ships cause some Japanese to not necessarily become “Pro-Whalers,” but more “Anti-Anti-Whalers.” I’ve only scratched the very surface of this debate. There are a lot more articles on this issue and each piece of information seems to counter any argument from a previous article. One reason that this problem is difficult to manage is because of the different perspectives (ethically, scientifically, culturally) that can be implemented to approach this problem.

What do you think of the whaling issue in Japan? When leaving comments please remember to be respectful to each other’s views.

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Photo by Silentmind8

Why is this? If you’ve lived for any length of time in Japan, you know that it’s all about the diet. The Japanese diet has changed in recent years, but it’s still among the healthiest in the world.

Low Cholesterol

There’s no chicken-fried steak in Japan, which is either fortunate or unfortunate depending on how you look at it. From the health point of view, it’s a good thing. Japanese people traditionally eat little red meat and almost no foods that contain saturated fats (the ‘bad’ fats). There are dramatically fewer deaths from heart disease and they also add lots of ginger to many dishes, which helps to lower cholesterol.

Less Cancer

There is also less cancer in Japan and the reasons aren’t fully known for this, but it’s believed that green tea may help lower your risk. It comes from camellia sinsensis, the same plant as black tea, but it’s unfermented. Because of this it contains a high level of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols, which fight the free radicals that can lead to the abnormal cell growth of cancer.

Weeds from the Sea

Photo by mdid

Japan has always had scant resources, and this undoubtedly led the ancient Japanese to grab whatever stuff they could out of the ocean to eat. The result is the tasty and healthful seaweed that you see everywhere today. Seaweed contains high levels of minerals (especially iodine) and microelements. It’s also chock full of protein and vitamins A, C, and B12.

Omega 3

Many people in Japan eat fish daily. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are all the rage now in natural health products because they do so much for your body. Health benefits include improved brain functioning, help with growth and development, and most likely preventing serious health conditions like heart disease, arthritis and cancer.

Filling up on Rice

White rice, and especially white rice of the short-grain Japanese variety, is high in nutrients. It’s also fairly high in calories and I’ve always wondered how Japanese people can eat massive amounts of rice and not put on weight. The key is that the okazu (おかず – side dish to the rice) is usually very low in calories. You end up filling up on rice rather than potatoes, meat or bread.

The Joys of Soy

Photo by Lil’ Dee

You can find soy as a prominent part of nearly all traditional Japanese meals. It makes an appearance as tofu, edamame (枝豆 – green soybeans), shoyu (醤油 – soy sauce), natto (納豆 – fermented soybeans) and miso (味噌 – bean paste). Soy is high in protein, low in fat and offers all kinds of health benefits. Many people believe that it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure.

Another reason for the healthiness of Japanese people is expressed in the proverb hara-hachibun-me (腹八分目 – a stomach that’s 80% full). This proverb is a yoji-jukugo (四字熟語 – 4-kanji character proverb) that basically means if you eat until you’re 100% full, you’re overdoing it; eat less and you’ll live longer.

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You will need to be able to read hiragana to make good use of the sheet. If you can’t, do head over to Kana101 (it’s free!) and master it in just two weeks.

Feel free to print, share and use this cheat sheet as much as you please. We don’t ask any money for it, we only ask that you put it to good use, and use it to boost your Japanese studies.

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If you think that the cheat sheet has been useful, please share it with your friends!

If you have any suggestions as to future cheat sheets that we could create, please let us know in the comments! Also, please check out our Japanese body parts, Japanese colour names and hiragana & katakana cheat sheets.

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Photo by zcopley

Over the last year, a number of different robots have been used for monitoring, collecting data and cleaning up. The situation is far from stable and they’re still being used today. PackBots, which look a little like Johnny 5 from the movie Short Circuit, were sent in to measure radiation levels and take pictures. Warriors were sent in to clean and decontaminate. Monirobos (short for monitoring robot) went in to get samples and monitor temperature and humidity levels.

The Quince rescue robot

Lately, they’re using the Quince rescue robot. Developed by Eiji Koyanagi of Chiba Institute of Technology, Quince 1 was first sent into the plant in June 2011 as a surveyor. One of the advantages of this robot is that it can be controlled remotely from up to a mile and a half away.

Quince has a flat chassis and rotating caterpillar tracks that let it climb stairs. On top of its chassis is mounted a variety of gadgets for monitoring that includes a camera. It also has an arm that can be used to remove debris or obstacles and the body is waterproof.

The demise of Quince 1

Robots can be adversely affected by radiation just like humans and researchers weren’t sure how it would fare the first time it was sent in. Quince can only function for a few hours while exposed to the high radiation levels inside the plant. This makes it tough for them to get the samples and take the readings they need.

Initially, Quince made it in and out with no trouble. Unfortunately, while roaming around somewhere on the third floor of the reactor in October 2011, it disappeared. All contact was lost. It turns out that the robot worked exactly as it was designed to but it was stopped by a faulty cord.

Photo by resonsejp

This led to the development of Quince 2 and 3, which were sent into the reactor in February 2012. They’re both improved versions of Quince 1. Quince 2 is equipped with a dust sampler and Quince 3 has a 3D scanner. One of the biggest improvements is that they operate on the buddy system. If one of them disappears, the other will automatically go to its aid and supply the power it needs to get moving again.

The Fukushima robot today

In late March 2012, one of the Quince robots was sent in to check on an unusual thermal reading in a certain area of the reactor. While inside, they checked the radiation levels as well.

According to an article in the Japan Times, radiation levels were much higher inside the plant than previously assumed. With the help of Quince, it’s much easier for Tepco officials to understand what’s going on in the stricken plant.

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We hate it when companies don’t treat their existing customers as well as new ones. This is why we will always focus our efforts on making our product better, and making our users happy rather than devoting all of our time to marketing. Our sales are few and far inbetween, so we like to make them special :)

We also hate the feeling when you buy something in a sale, only to find that it becomes further reduced a day or two later. Shouldn’t you be rewarded for acting quickly? For this reason, we’re going to do the opposite of most companies, and structure our Golden Week sale in reverse. After all, 「早起きの鳥は虫を捕らえる」 right?

So, starting this Sunday, we will be holding our Grand Golden Week sale. Those who get there first will benefit from a sweet 40% discount on our Japanese yearly package. This takes the price down to the equivalent of just $13 a month—less than half the usual monthly amount. We will never offer a reduction like this again.

Then, we will reduce the discount by 5% every day until the end of Golden week (May 5th), when there will be a 10% reduction, a saving of $26.10 on the asking price. Still a nice little saving, but obviously not as substantial as you could get at the start of the week…

Please note that the change of date is measured according to GMT+1

Coupon codes

Until 29th April: 40% off

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Until 30th April: 35% off

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Until 1st May: 30% off

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Until 2nd May: 25% off

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Until 3rd May: 20% off

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Until 4th May: 15% off

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Until 5th May: 10% off

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Just use any of the codes during subscription to get a discount of your choosing. If you have got there in time, by all means go for the biggest discount possible! There’s a little box on the payment page saying ‘got a coupon?’. Type it in there, apply, and it’ll let you know if the coupon has expired. If so, just jump to the next best saving!

You can sign up at any point during your free trial, so there is nothing stopping you from signing up to the free trial right now, seeing if LinguaLift is right for you, and then applying the discount when you’re ready.

If you’re not quite ready to commit to a full year of LinguaLift, you may also use the code golden-5 on a monthly subscription. This will give you 5% off the usual $29 charge for the lifetime of your subscription. This means that for as long as you are learning Japanese, you’ll always benefit from the Golden Week sun shining :)

So, get ready to save big on LinguaLift this Sunday! Click here to head to LinguaLift now and kick-start your Japanese learning today!

If any existing subscriber wants to take advantage of this offer, and extend their subscription by a year, then do drop us an email and we’ll be happy to sort you out.

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We find ourselves often giving recommendations of products to learn Japanese with, and we thought it’d be useful to compile a list for your reference.

We have included a number of our own products, only where we are convinced that they are deserving of their place in the list, and we have included paid and free resources without discrimination.

The list is broken up by category and each item is clearly marked as to what JLPT level it targets. Everything on this list deserves your attention, but resources we’re particularly fond of, the kind we’d use ourselves, are additionally marked with a little star.

1. Japanese textbooks
2. Reviewing vocab & kanji
3. Serious games
4. Grammar reference
5. Dictionaries
6. Practice & radio
7. Podcasts & audio lessons
8. Vodcasts & video blogs
9. Cheat sheets
10. Other

Japanese textbooks

Our very own textbook. Not written in a ‘hold your hand’ style that many require, but clear and comprehensive, covering all that is needed to prepare for the JLPT exams and most day-to-day situations. Those who prefer romaji should look elsewhere, but the native audio, interactive elements and assessments makes it a perfect study and revision tool.

Probably the most popular Japanese textbook, published by The Japan Times, is well worth its reputation. Everything is well laid out, with clear grammar explanations, engaging dialogues, and helpful exercises. Best used with a teacher, working towards taking the JLPT.

You can think of this textbook as Genki III. Same publisher, similar presentation and structure—definitely one of the best intermediate-advanced paper textbooks on the market.

Another good intermediate-advanced textbook. Pretty much all of the content, including grammar explanations, is in Japanese so be prepared to brush up your kanji and vocabulary before your begin.

Our free 14-day hiragana & katakana course. We strongly believe that you should avoid romaji and learn kana as soon as possible, and this course will make sure you stick to it and succeed.

Probably the only Japanese textbook distributed as a desktop application has recently also become available on all kinds of mobile devices. Well organized lessons with engaging cultural notes and native pronunciation audio, but it doesn’t go beyond the very basics.

Professional, fun and practical videos, helpful games & exercises, a unique user interface and engaging social features if you’re into that kind of thing. Erin won’t teach you everything, but you’ll learn a lot, and you’ll enjoy the ride.

Textfugu is a good choice for a total beginner who needs the basics broken down into extremely manageable chunks. The language taught can be a little contrived, and the approach to kanji learning is unorthodox, but the creators are friendly and happy to help if you encounter difficulties.

As long as you get the kana-version, this can be a pretty good textbook. The title is somewhat misleading though as the textbook is best used in classroom setting and alternatives such as Genki or our Japanese E-Textbook are much better adapted for sporadic one-point learning.

Quite a good textbook, especially in classroom setting. The content is very comprehensive but the book focuses more on examples than explanations, and there is no English throughout unless you buy the Translation and Grammar Notes volume separately, which can be daunting if you are a complete beginner.

This textbook is more dense than the others and goes at a much faster pace than for example Genki. If you’re a diligent and motivated learner and other textbooks feel too slow for you, this might be a better choice.

This series of text and workbooks uses manga to illustrate what you’re learning, and it does work surprisingly well, especially if you’re into Japanese comics. Give it a try—it might be just what you’re looking for.

We’re not fans of its extensive use of romaji in early chapters, and its slow, progressive introduction of hiragana and katakana, but it is otherwise a decent beginner textbook, worth taking into consideration.

With a hefty price tag, mediocre grammar explanations and boring content this is not a good textbook for self-learners, but good organization and decent activities make it a viable choice in classroom setting.

Reviewing vocabulary & kanji

Online

In this kanji learning & reviewing tool we’re trying to avoid rote-learning obscure characters and readings, instead teaching them in context, through useful compounds, example sentences with audio pronunciation, and mnemonics. The application comes with a handy, colourful kanji grid & look up feature providing an quick overview of your progress.

An SRS vocabulary learning web app full of useful compounds, accompanied with native pronunciation audio and nifty stroke order animations, and tested in a variety of different ways.

Formerly smart.fm, this site has pretty interface and a very well done spaced repetition quiz with high quality curated lists of Japanese vocabulary. It’s not particularly well adapted for reviewing kanji, but its vocabulary-learning features more than make up for it.

Skritter does one thing, and it does it well—it is the only online offering that lets you actually write the Chinese characters using a table or your your mouse, and then assesses your speed and stroke order.

If you’re following Heisig’s Remember the Kanji methodology (not that we’re particularly big fans of it), this is the site for you. It has lots of creative community-sourced mnemonic devices which will help you remember the most complicated of kanji, and a simple but functional SRS quiz using an algorithm similar to that in our Kanji Academy.

One of the first online kanji reviewing tools. Very streamlined and featuring an aesthetically pleasing user interface but somewhat repetitive and limited in question types.

A recent arrival to the kanji reviewing market, Kanji Plus tries to handle the problem in a slightly different manner by asking you to complete the blanks in Japanese compounds, and it does work pretty well indeed.

Desktop

if you’re an dedicated learner and have the time and determination to spend time perfecting your reviewing habits and environment, Anki—one of the leading SRS applications—might be the product for you.

Kleio is a recently launched competitor to Anki, and while it’s still very young and lacks some of the more advanced features, the app is actively developed and can be found on platforms where Anki is not available. Unfortunately there aren’t many good Japanese decks just yet, so you’re best off creating your own.

Print

The famous White Rabbit Press kana and kanji flashcards are well worth the price if you prefer learning away from your computer but don’t have the time to create your own set flashcards.

A huge, beautiful, laminated wall poster of all jōyō kanji categorized by JLPT level. If you’re following Heisig’s Remember the Kanji method, check out the other Kanji Poster instead.

Games

One of the few kana games that doesn’t bore the death out of you. Practice your IME skills and reinforce your kana knowledge. Expert level is particularly challenging—even for natives.

The only resource on the internet that targets Japanese synonyms. The highest difficulty level can be challenging even to proficient speakers, and can be especially helpful as a review tool for higher levels of the JLPT.

For all fans of RPG games out there. Learn hiragana, katakana, vocabulary kanji. Kill some monsters and save a princess while you’re at it. There’s unfortunately no sound, and the graphics are somewhat lacking, but useful mnemonics make up for it.

Grammar reference

Print

Indispensable for any serious Japanese learner, this book consists of three volumes covering almost every aspect of the Japanese grammar from the very basics up to truly advanced concepts in a clear and concise manner. If you buy just one book, this is the one to go for.

This handy book covers over 100 particles in alphabetical order, explaining them with sample sentences for each meaning, illustrations and exercises for those who wish to test their knowledge of particle usage.

Not so much a grammar reference as an overview of grammar patterns in the English language and how they relate to Japanese. If you’re having trouble getting your head around Japanese grammar, this reverse approach may be the solution.

Online

The new addition to the excellent Stack Exchange network, Japanese Language and Usage is the place to ask your intermediate-advanced grammar questions. Don’t forget to do a quick search first, as much has been answered in great detail already.

We’re trying our best to make the LinguaLift E-textbook not only a place to learn the language, but also a handy reference tools. Each chapter is divided into sections dedicated to different grammar points, and all are easily searchable both in Japanese and in English.

This site features extremely thorough and fairly well organized lessons covering all kinds of Japanese grammar topics from the very basics up to advanced and colloquial concepts and expressions, and is extremely culturally sympathetic.

Part grammar reference, part Japanese textbook, Tae Kim’s website is a classic. The grammar guide is not the easiest to navigate, but it covers most beginner-intermediate grammar including colloquial variations and is available in many different formats and languages.

J-gram tried to be the Wikipedia of Japanese grammar, but the result is wanting. The site does have a very extensive grammar database but it can be difficult to find what you need, and errors and inconsistencies can easily lead you off track. Make use only when necessary and make sure to read the discussion in the comments.

If all else fails, Wikipedia generally comes to the rescue, especially if you’re ready to wander into its Japanese language territory. You can find many Japanese grammar points discussed at least in some detail, as well as use it to check how a certain construction is used by searching it in Japanese articles.

About.com has pretty good articles on virtually every topic, and Japanese language is no exception. Their grammar explanations are particularly helpful and generally explain things in simple language without unnecessarily going into too much detail.

Dictionaries

Desktop

Tagaini is an open source application based on the EDICT database by Jim Breen from Monash University which is also used by most online dictionaries. While the content itself is in no way special, the software is very well done with some unique features, especially in the kanji search department.

Babylon is an application that sits in the tray and allows you to translate anything by clicking it and pressing a keyboard shortcut at the same time. What is available for free is nothing special, but what makes it unique, is the immense amount of premium dictionaries which can be loaded into it, including gems such as Genius Unabridged and Meikyo listed below.

Online

This site started as a leading Chinese dictionary but later expanded into Japanese. Unique features include kanji handwriting input, autocomplete, pronunciation audio, example dialogues and a thematic picture dictionary. Unfortunately, the site tends to be very slow.

The best online EDICT dictionary with tons of unique features and a functional user interface. Search kanji by radicals, filter through the results with utmost precision, look up example sentences, create exportable vocab lists and more.

Whether it’s for its simple domain name, or some of the unique features it has under the hood, Jisho.org is by far the most popular EDICT-based dictionary outside of Japan.

This site is all in Japanese, but the UI is simple enough to navigate even if you don’t understand all of the labels. This is the dictionary for intermediate-advanced learners, especially valuable due to its accurate definitions, many example sentences, and synonyms look-up (類語).

Another good Japanese dictionary, but only really useful for advanced learners. The content is crowd-sourced and targeted at translators so lots of definitions are too intricate, confusing, or quite simply wrong.

This is by far the most comprehensive Japanese kanji etymology dictionary on the internet. Search by character, reading or English definition to find out more about historical origins of Chinese characters, including illustrations of related pictographs and cultural tidbits.

There can’t be a list without Jim Breen’s WWWJDIC, the original EDICT dictionary which spawned countless, including most dictionaries on this list. The user interface is slightly dated, but the recent addition of pronunciation audio make it at least worth checking out.

Print

A new Japanese dictionary that came on the market in 2002. With information regarding usage of honorific words, typical misusages, Kanji conjugations, nuances between the different words and expressions, new Katakana words and grammatical do’s and don’ts this dictionary is a must-have for intermediate-advanced learners.

One of the most popular dictionaries among beginner-intermediate learners, and for a reason. The dictionary contains detailed explanations of Japanese words, there are lots of example sentences, and most importantly, all kanji have furigana (small kana above the characters to show their pronunciation).

At 2508 pages, this is the largest and most detailed English-Japanese dictionary on the market, without sacrificing the quality and good organization for which the Genius brand of dictionaries has always been known in Japan. Unfortunately, it is not an easy book to get a hand on outside of Japan.

With its unique System of Kanji Indexing by Patterns (SKIP), an indexing system that enables the user to locate characters as quickly and as accurately as in alphabetical dictionaries, this book answers the urgent need for an easy-to-use kanji dictionary compact enough to be easily carried around, yet detailed enough to satisfy the practical needs of the beginning and intermediate learner.

One of the oldest (first published in 1928) and certainly the most authoritative Japanese↔English dictionary. Considered to be the reference book for scholars and translators, with over 260,000 entries this dictionary is intended for those who already have some knowledge of kanji, looking to expand their word usage out of the common and everyday.

A complete dictionary for finding words related to food in other languages. Since food is such an international subject, the dictionary contains food-related words in English, French, Italian and Chinese. Need to look up words in a Japanese bento book? This dictionary of food words will help a lot.

Practice & radio

Write Japanese, get corrected by native speakers, help others in return. One of the first, and certainly the most successful site of this kind. Try to write regularly and take the time to understand the corrections and your writing ability will improve in no time.

Another, younger site similar to Lang-8. It’s more focused on Japanese language corrections with a streamlined user interface and fewer social features than its older sibling. It’s easier to get into the habit of ABCLooping as you’re expected to write less than a Lang-8 entry, so it’s a good starting point.

The notorious AJATT will show you how to immerse yourself entirely into the Japanese language. We’re not into this kind of stuff, but if you have the time and money, you should give it a try. Those who claim success using the system are quite messianic in their reverence for the system and its creator.

Graded readers are a great way to practice your Japanese. Each book has a collection of engaging texts using kanji and vocabulary at your level. No need to wade through the dictionary every sentence, looking up words and kanji you might never see again in your life.

Reading Japanese novels is an engaging experience and a great way to learn, but it can be a daunting task, especially if kanji are not your forte. This books presents well known works with furigana on the first occurrence of the kanji, translations, helpful explanations and downloadable audio recordings.

Another great source of real, contemporary Japanese stories with translations and detailed explanations of nuance, usage, grammar, and culture. The book includes a free CD with the texts recorded by professional narrators.

Quite a few texts on all kinds of topics, at all the different levels. The texts are in PDF format, well formatted and followed by vocabulary lists.

Aesop’s fables are well known all over the word and thus it comes as no surprise that his writings were also translated into Japanese. An entire year of daily reading material with an intuitive interface, beautiful illustrations, and mp3 recording of most of the texts.

Free audio recordings of engaging Japanese and bilingual bedtime stories with PDF transcripts. New ones are added several times a year.

Wonderful stories by NTT, professionally narrated and accompanied with lovely illustrations. Some are also available as subtitled videos with a voiceover, as well as mobile applications.

A list of free audio books, in Japanese, with transcripts and occasionally English translations. These are famous works from both Japanese and world writers and so the content is fairly advanced.

An extensive database of Japanese texts compiled by University of Virginia and easily searchable by author, title and chronological period. There’s even a hand handy option to display the text vertically or display furigana.

Japanese radio shows on all kinds of topics, from market trends, through horse racing, all the way to podcasts on being an ecological mother and news from Russia. Natural speed but clear and professional which makes them easier to follow than most amateur broadcasts.

Podcasts & audio lessons

Probably the best Japanese language podcast. Great grammar lessons at all difficulty levels, interesting cultural tidbits, and more.

Another great podcast. It’s not particularly well organized, and all the intro sounds and marketing messages do get annoying over time, but some of the lessons are really good.

This is in no case the fastest way to learn the language, but what you will learn you’ll probably remember forever. Fairly enjoyable, well thought out lessons, but beware of the hefty price tag.

Very professional, free Japanese audio lessons. Each starts with a simple dialogue around one or several useful expressions and then goes on to discuss every word and sentence in more detail.

Vodcasts & video blogs

Victor aka Gimmeabreakman’s videos are full of helpful tips on learning Japanese and lessons on all kinds of topics at all difficulty and politeness levels. Especially check out his Japanese for Morons series.

One of the few Japanese video bloggers. She’ll speak Japanese, and teach you some every once in a while too.

If you like Japanese food, this is the channel for you. Bobby Judo will show you how to cook, and teach some handy vocabulary at the same time.

Hikosaemon speaks in fluent Japanese on all kinds of topics from current events to random thoughts. If you’re beginner or intermediate, check out his Genki Japan videos which might be closer to your proficiency level.

Beautiful videos on all aspects of the Japanese culture. Some are in Japanese with English subtitles, some in English with Japanese subtitles, all equally worth watching.

Koichi’s wonky videos on Japan and the Japanese language. Great for beginner learners if you like this kind of style.

Shady, annoying marketing tactics don’t do their content justice. If you manage to wade through the ads, intro animations and misleading claim, JapanesePod101 has some of the most professional video lessons out there.

Cheat sheets

The Japanese cheat sheet of all cheat sheets. Nihonshock managed to cover all the fundamental Japanese grammar into two compact, yet readable A4s. Print, laminate, and don’t let out of your sight.

Our Japanese colour names cheat sheet is beautiful and useful at the same time. Quickly lookup the right colour name for the occasion, as well as a bunch of other, related vocabulary.

If you’re going to visit a doctor in Japan, don’t leave your house without this cheat sheet labeling (almost) every part of the human body in Japanese.

If you’re having remembering all the many Japanese verbs forms, this conjugation cheat sheet is for you.

Similar to the verbs cheat sheet but this time covering the declension of Japanese adverbs and adjectives.

Whether you’re just beginning your Japanese learning journey, or simply can’t help but forget some of the kana characters every once in a while, check out our kana cheat sheet.

Other

Advanced expressions and grammar

Previously known as Gone Fishin’, this book is an American scholar’s attempt to convey his conviction that the Japanese language is not vague. Rubin explains how to find the subject in a subjectless sentence, explains a number of confusing expressions, and teaches how to properly read and analyze Japanese texts. Unfortunately, all examples are written in romaji.

This book provides basic information about expressions and usages that facilitate the flow of ideas and thoughts in written and spoken Japanese—from basic particles and sentence structure, through common connective expressions, all the way to common mistakes.

A great book on the most frequently used noun-and-verb and noun-and-adjective combinations categorized by topic and accompanied with example sentences and common usage errors. A must read for any serious student.

An excellent book for self-learners covering many important Japanese sentence patterns, arranged by difficulty, with lots of example sentences and exercises.

A unique book targeting students who already have a good knowledge of Japanese grammar, and want to learn how not to use given grammatical patterns. The book deals with those problems of Japanese that are either completely ignored or erroneously treated in conventional grammar books and shows what kinds of sentences one should check with native speakers to prove or disprove one’s initial hypothesis.

This is a quick and concise way to build difficult specialist vocabulary across many topics from law and politics, through business and science, all the way to philosophy and religion. Also helpful to better understand some of the more advanced kanji and how they‘re used in compounds.

Great book for intermediate-advanced level students who are still uncomfortable reading real-world texts. The first section teaches you how to scan Japanese texts, the second part teaches you to skim-read, the third combines the two and some longer challenging texts at the end give you something to practise on.

Another good book about particles. More simplistic than the Dictionary of Japanese Particles mentioned above, but easy to understand and with a large number of varied example sentences.

This book covers a great number of common Japanese words, idioms and phrases that are not explained satisfactorily in dictionaries or textbooks for they cannot be conveniently defined. Each explanation is accompanied with useful example sentences and dialogues.

Niche and dialectal language

A website dedicated to kansaiben, a major dialect of the Japanese language spoken primarily in and around Ōsaka. If you plan to live in the Kansai region, this site will be of great help to understand and communicate with the locals.

Thorough keigo (formal, humble Japanese) lessons with videos and assessment quizzes for advanced learners of the Japanese language.

Published by The Japan Times, this is the book if you’d like to learn the intricate art of e-mail correspondence in the Japanese language.

One of many well done websites by The Japan Foundation, in this case teaching all kinds of anime and manga vocabulary, kanji and expressions through interactive games and exercises.

This book will teach you over a hundred Japanese fixed expressions, crucial if you want to sound natural in your speech, and understand that of others. Each expression is accompanied with an illustration and natural example sentences.

Onomatopoeic and mimetic words are an integral part of the Japanese language, used more frequently and in a wider range of contexts than their English counterparts. This book, full of easy to understand explanations and many example dialogues will not only teach you what some of these words mean, but also show you how they are actually used.

Another great book covering onomatopoeia, and especially gitaigo, in great detail, with short and precise explanations, and amusing illustrations.

A fun book on colloquial Japanese which despite its title goes beyond romantic relationships, covering all aspects of Japanese slang and informal language. Be sure to check what you learn with a native as some of the content might be outdated or potentially offensive.

Another book on colloquial Japanese. From slang, through insults and swear words, all the way to explicit sex terms, Dirty Japanese teaches the casual expressions heard every day on the streets of Japan. Again, be sure to check what you learn with a native as some of the content might be outdated or potentially offensive.

Staying on the topic of emotions, good or bad, this book covers more than 400 phrases that are useful when talking about personal experience and nuances of feeling. The book includes loads of example sentences which will allow you to understand the material and start using it confidently in your own speech.

If you’re low on words, but still want to express your emotions, gestures are where it’s at, and this book is one of the more thorough and especially enjoyable resources on the topic.

This is a great book for those of you who’d like to expand your history and geography related vocabulary. The book is full of pictures and is made to be easy to understand, but it does require good knowledge of kanji.

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