YomiKamo

Free during beta

Learn to read Japanese — with pacing you can sustain.

YomiKamo teaches kanji and vocabulary in the order that unlocks the most readable text. Each level builds real reading ability — not just recognition — with short review sessions that keep the workload manageable.

Start learning freeSee how it works
Inside the app: focused reviews, clear levels, and progress you can feel in your reading.
69
levels
83
components
2,743
kanji
10,301
vocabulary

How it works

Components build into characters. Characters build into words. Words build into reading.

Step 1

Learn

Short lessons introduce new items in the order that builds reading ability fastest.

Step 2

Review

Spaced repetition keeps everything fresh. Audio and near-miss feedback reduce repeat mistakes.

Step 3

Stay consistent

Short, batched review sessions keep the workload predictable. Miss a few days? A comeback screen eases you back in.

Read about how the curriculum is built for reading →

Pricing

Beta
Free
No credit card required. Full access during beta.
  • Full curriculum access
  • Lessons, reviews, stats, achievements
  • Optional email reminders (you control them)

What’s inside

Dashboard that doesn’t nag

See your next action, plus what’s coming up, without being hijacked into a session.

Mobile-first

Installable as a home-screen app. Designed for phone-sized review sessions.

Built-in resilience

Flaky connection? Review answers can queue locally and sync when you’re back online.

Privacy-respecting

No ad trackers. Error monitoring is optional and configured to avoid sending personal profile details by default.

Accessible by design

Keyboard-first flows, focus management, and clearer semantics across core screens.

Your data, always yours

Full CSV and APKG export anytime. No lock-in. If the service ever changes, you get advance notice and your complete study history.

Coming from WaniKani? See how your progress transfers →

Explore the curriculum

Hover to reveal meanings. Start with the most frequent kanji in Japanese.

乙Second九Nine刀Sword夕Evening広Wide庶Common御Honorable惚Admire敢Daring毛Fur甘Sweet相Inter-綺Figured cloth耳Ear舛Dancing radical (no. 136)行To perform館Building兆Portent刈Reap力Power

See how the curriculum is structured →

Questions

How many kanji do I need to know to read Japanese?
Around 2,000 kanji covers roughly 95% of the characters you'll encounter in everyday Japanese — newspapers, websites, books. The Japanese government's Joyo list defines 2,136 kanji as the standard for general literacy. YomiKamo teaches every Joyo kanji plus the additional kanji you need for JLPT preparation and real-world reading — menus, signs, place names, and common vocabulary.
How long does it take to learn to read Japanese?
With 15–20 minutes of daily practice, most learners can read simple graded material within a year and recognize common kanji in everyday contexts within a few months. Reading general native-level text comfortably — novels, news articles — takes most people 2–3 years of consistent study. YomiKamo doesn't shorten that timeline, but a structured curriculum prevents the burnout and restarts that make the journey take much longer for most learners.
What's the difference between kanji and vocabulary?
Kanji are individual characters, each with a meaning and one or more readings (人, 日, 水). Vocabulary is words — often two or more kanji combined: 人間 means "human being," 日本語 means "Japanese language." Knowing a kanji's meaning doesn't automatically tell you how to read it in a compound, because readings change depending on the word. YomiKamo teaches kanji as building blocks, then vocabulary in context so you see how they combine.
Do I need to know hiragana and katakana before starting?
Yes. YomiKamo teaches kanji and vocabulary — not the Japanese phonetic scripts. You'll need to know both hiragana and katakana before you begin. Most people pick them up in one to two weeks using a free resource.
Is YomiKamo free?
Yes. YomiKamo is fully free during beta — no credit card required, no trial limitations. You get full curriculum access from day one. Pricing will be introduced when the app leaves beta, with advance notice to everyone who signs up now.

Ready to start?

Start learning freeSign in