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Learn Katakana & Hiragana Online — Free
Study Katakana is a free interactive tool for learning Japanese Katakana and Hiragana. Practice writing each character with correct stroke order using guided tracing, freehand handwriting recognition, and spaced repetition. Whether you're a complete beginner or brushing up on your Japanese writing skills, our step-by-step approach helps you master all characters quickly. When you're ready to go beyond individual characters, build custom vocabulary decks: write each word's kana on the canvas, self-rate Hard / Medium / Easy, and a SuperMemo-inspired SRS schedules the next review.
How It Works
- Practice writing — Draw directly on the canvas to practice stroke order — no guides, just you and the character.
- Play — Press Play to watch each character's stroke order animated step by step.
- Trace — Follow visible touchpoints to learn the correct stroke path.
- Free Hand — Draw characters freehand with real-time stroke-order detection — the system flags off-path cells as you draw.
- Recall — Write characters from memory with no visible guides. A spaced-repetition engine schedules each character based on your per-stroke confidence, and a live "X attempts to advance" counter shows exactly how many clean attempts you need before moving on — so you always know where you stand.
- Hint — Stuck on a stroke? Press Hint to see the next stroke animated for you.
- Games — Reinforce reading + writing through Swipe (read & match), Free Fall (write to capture), Prefectures (write the kana names of Japan's 47 prefectures on an interactive map), Kana Slot Car Racing, Kana Solitaire, and the Nihon Grand Prix.
Flashcards & Printable Resources
Practice on the go with our free interactive Katakana flashcards — flip cards to test your knowledge of each character. Need printable resources? Download our Katakana practice sheets for stroke order tracing, or print cut-out Katakana flashcards for offline study.
Build Custom Vocabulary Decks with Handwriting SRS
Move beyond individual characters by building custom vocabulary decks of Japanese words. Pick from over 5,800 indexed words — search by kana, romaji, or meaning — and tap "+" to add to a deck. Each card shows the meaning and an empty canvas where you write the kana reading from memory; when you're done, rate yourself Hard, Medium, or Easy to advance. A SuperMemo-inspired spaced repetition algorithm uses your ratings to schedule the next review — minutes for Hard, days or weeks for Easy — with 12 tunable parameters so you can dial in your own learning curve. Per-deck progress lives on a Schedule tab showing due-now, due-today, and learning counts.
All Katakana Characters
Master every Katakana family: ア イ ウ エ オ (A I U E O), カ キ ク ケ コ (Ka Ki Ku Ke Ko), サ シ ス セ ソ (Sa Shi Su Se So), タ チ ツ テ ト (Ta Chi Tsu Te To), ナ ニ ヌ ネ ノ (Na Ni Nu Ne No), ハ ヒ フ ヘ ホ (Ha Hi Fu He Ho), マ ミ ム メ モ (Ma Mi Mu Me Mo), ヤ ユ ヨ (Ya Yu Yo), ラ リ ル レ ロ (Ra Ri Ru Re Ro), and ワ ヲ ン (Wa Wo N).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Katakana characters are there?
There are 46 basic Katakana characters in Japanese. They are organized into families based on consonant sounds: A-I-U-E-O, Ka-Ki-Ku-Ke-Ko, Sa-Shi-Su-Se-So, and so on. Each character represents one syllable.
What is the correct stroke order for Katakana?
Each Katakana character has a specific stroke order — generally left to right, top to bottom. Correct stroke order improves readability, writing speed, and is essential for proper Japanese handwriting. Study Katakana teaches you the exact stroke order for every character.
What is the difference between Hiragana and Katakana?
Both are phonetic writing systems with 46 characters representing the same sounds. Hiragana is used for native Japanese words and grammar. Katakana is used for foreign loanwords and emphasis. Both are essential for reading and writing Japanese.
How long does it take to learn Katakana?
Most students learn to recognize all 46 characters in 1-2 weeks with daily practice. Mastering stroke order and writing from memory takes 2-4 weeks. Spaced repetition tools like Study Katakana speed up the process significantly.
Is Study Katakana free?
Yes, completely free. No account needed. Interactive animations, tracing, handwriting recognition, and mini-games — all at no cost.
How does the spaced repetition algorithm work?
Study Katakana uses a SuperMemo-inspired SRS that tracks each card's easiness, performance history, and forgetting index. After every review you rate the card Hard / Medium / Easy, and the algorithm picks the next review interval — from a few minutes for "Hard" up to several months for well-mastered cards. Twelve parameters (memory strength impact, time growth rate, success-streak boost, and more) live under the Settings tab on every deck, so advanced users can tune the spacing curve to their own retention rate.
Can I build my own vocabulary decks?
Yes. Open Vocabulary mode, search the 5,800-word library for any word — search matches kana, romaji, or English meaning — and click the "+" button to add it to a deck. You can create as many decks as you want (e.g., "JLPT N5 verbs", "kitchen words", "travel phrases"). Each card shows the meaning and an empty canvas where you write the kana reading from memory, then you self-rate Hard / Medium / Easy to advance. Your rating drives the SRS schedule: Hard cards come back in minutes, Easy cards in days or weeks. Cards you grade Hard re-appear once more in the same session; Medium and Easy graduate immediately.