Learn Hiragana & Katakana Free Online — Moji Ninja
Moji Ninja is a free, interactive web app for learning and practising all Japanese Hiragana and Katakana — including the 46 basic characters in each set, plus dakuten (voiced), handakuten (semi-voiced), combination kana (yōon), and extended Katakana for foreign sounds. No sign-up required — start practising immediately in your browser.
Why Use Moji Ninja to Learn Kana?
Whether you are a complete beginner or brushing up before a JLPT exam, Moji Ninja covers every kana character you need — from basic gojūon through dakuten, handakuten, yōon combinations, and modern extended Katakana. Learn through active recall and spaced repetition — the two most effective study techniques backed by cognitive science.
Practice Modes
- Multiple-choice quiz — see a Hiragana or Katakana character and pick the correct romaji reading from four options.
- Reverse quiz — see a romaji reading and choose the correct kana character. Great for learning to recognise kana in context.
- Typing mode — type the romaji reading from memory with no hints. The best way to test true recall of Hiragana and Katakana.
- Stroke-order drawing — practise writing each kana with correct stroke order. Essential for learning to handwrite Japanese.
- Challenge mode — answer as many kana questions as you can in 30 seconds. Perfect for building speed and fluency.
- Survival mode — keep your streak alive with a 5-second timer per question. Tests kana recognition under pressure.
Spaced Repetition & Progress Tracking
Moji Ninja uses a smart spaced-repetition algorithm to track which Hiragana and Katakana characters you know well and which ones need more practice. Characters you struggle with appear more frequently, so you spend your study time efficiently.
Hiragana Chart (ひらがな) — Basic Gojūon
Hiragana is the foundational Japanese syllabary. Every Japanese learner should start here with the 46 basic characters.
| Vowels | あ a, い i, う u, え e, お o |
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| K-row | か ka, き ki, く ku, け ke, こ ko |
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| S-row | さ sa, し shi, す su, せ se, そ so |
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| T-row | た ta, ち chi, つ tsu, て te, と to |
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| N-row | な na, に ni, ぬ nu, ね ne, の no |
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| H-row | は ha, ひ hi, ふ fu, へ he, ほ ho |
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| M-row | ま ma, み mi, む mu, め me, も mo |
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| Y-row | や ya, ゆ yu, よ yo |
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| R-row | ら ra, り ri, る ru, れ re, ろ ro |
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| W-row | わ wa, を wo |
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| N | ん n |
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Hiragana Dakuten & Handakuten (Voiced & Semi-Voiced)
Dakuten (゛) marks voiced consonants, and handakuten (゜) marks the p-sounds. These are essential for reading real Japanese.
| G-row (dakuten) | が ga, ぎ gi, ぐ gu, げ ge, ご go |
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| Z-row (dakuten) | ざ za, じ ji, ず zu, ぜ ze, ぞ zo |
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| D-row (dakuten) | だ da, ぢ di, づ du, で de, ど do |
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| B-row (dakuten) | ば ba, び bi, ぶ bu, べ be, ぼ bo |
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| P-row (handakuten) | ぱ pa, ぴ pi, ぷ pu, ぺ pe, ぽ po |
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Hiragana Combination Kana (Yōon / 拗音)
Combination characters pair a consonant kana with a small や, ゆ, or よ to create new sounds. These are critical for proper Japanese pronunciation.
| KY | きゃ kya, きゅ kyu, きょ kyo |
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| SH | しゃ sha, しゅ shu, しょ sho |
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| CH | ちゃ cha, ちゅ chu, ちょ cho |
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| NY | にゃ nya, にゅ nyu, にょ nyo |
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| HY | ひゃ hya, ひゅ hyu, ひょ hyo |
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| MY | みゃ mya, みゅ myu, みょ myo |
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| RY | りゃ rya, りゅ ryu, りょ ryo |
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| GY | ぎゃ gya, ぎゅ gyu, ぎょ gyo |
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| JA | じゃ ja, じゅ ju, じょ jo |
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| BY | びゃ bya, びゅ byu, びょ byo |
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| PY | ぴゃ pya, ぴゅ pyu, ぴょ pyo |
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Katakana Chart (カタカナ) — Basic Gojūon
Katakana is used for foreign loanwords, onomatopoeia, and emphasis in Japanese writing.
| Vowels | ア a, イ i, ウ u, エ e, オ o |
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| K-row | カ ka, キ ki, ク ku, ケ ke, コ ko |
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| S-row | サ sa, シ shi, ス su, セ se, ソ so |
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| T-row | タ ta, チ chi, ツ tsu, テ te, ト to |
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| N-row | ナ na, ニ ni, ヌ nu, ネ ne, ノ no |
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| H-row | ハ ha, ヒ hi, フ fu, ヘ he, ホ ho |
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| M-row | マ ma, ミ mi, ム mu, メ me, モ mo |
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| Y-row | ヤ ya, ユ yu, ヨ yo |
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| R-row | ラ ra, リ ri, ル ru, レ re, ロ ro |
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| W-row | ワ wa, ヲ wo |
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| N | ン n |
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Katakana Dakuten & Handakuten (Voiced & Semi-Voiced)
| G-row | ガ ga, ギ gi, グ gu, ゲ ge, ゴ go |
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| Z-row | ザ za, ジ ji, ズ zu, ゼ ze, ゾ zo |
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| D-row | ダ da, ヂ di, ヅ du, デ de, ド do |
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| B-row | バ ba, ビ bi, ブ bu, ベ be, ボ bo |
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| P-row | パ pa, ピ pi, プ pu, ペ pe, ポ po |
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Katakana Combination Kana (Yōon)
| KY | キャ kya, キュ kyu, キョ kyo |
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| SH | シャ sha, シュ shu, ショ sho |
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| CH | チャ cha, チュ chu, チョ cho |
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| NY | ニャ nya, ニュ nyu, ニョ nyo |
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| HY | ヒャ hya, ヒュ hyu, ヒョ hyo |
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| MY | ミャ mya, ミュ myu, ミョ myo |
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| RY | リャ rya, リュ ryu, リョ ryo |
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| GY | ギャ gya, ギュ gyu, ギョ gyo |
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| JA | ジャ ja, ジュ ju, ジョ jo |
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| BY | ビャ bya, ビュ byu, ビョ byo |
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| PY | ピャ pya, ピュ pyu, ピョ pyo |
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Extended Katakana for Foreign Sounds
Modern Japanese uses extended Katakana combinations to represent sounds from English and other foreign languages that don't exist in traditional kana.
| F-sounds | ファ fa, フィ fi, フェ fe, フォ fo, フュ fyu |
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| W-sounds | ウィ wi, ウェ we, ウォ wo |
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| V-sounds | ヴァ va, ヴィ vi, ヴ vu, ヴェ ve, ヴォ vo |
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| TS-sounds | ツァ tsa, ツィ tsi, ツェ tse, ツォ tso |
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| Other | チェ che, シェ she, ジェ je |
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| TI/DI-sounds | ティ ti, ディ di, デュ dyu, トゥ tu, ドゥ du |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hiragana?
Hiragana (ひらがな) is one of the two Japanese kana syllabaries. It has 46 basic characters plus dakuten (voiced) variants like ga, za, da, ba, handakuten (semi-voiced) variants like pa, and combination characters (yōon) like kya, sha, cha. Together these cover all the sounds used in native Japanese words.
What is Katakana?
Katakana (カタカナ) is the second Japanese kana syllabary with 46 basic characters, plus dakuten, handakuten, combination, and extended characters for foreign sounds like fa, fi, va, vi, ti, di, che, she. It is used to write foreign loanwords, onomatopoeia, scientific terms, and for emphasis.
How long does it take to learn Hiragana and Katakana?
Most learners can memorise the 46 basic Hiragana in 1–2 weeks and the 46 basic Katakana in another 1–2 weeks. Dakuten, handakuten, and combination kana are easier once you know the basics — typically another 1–2 weeks. Spaced repetition, quizzes, typing drills, and stroke-order drawing accelerate the entire process.
What is the best way to learn Kana?
The most effective approach combines recognition (quizzes), recall (typing the romaji from memory), and muscle memory (practising correct stroke order). Spaced repetition ensures you review characters just before you would forget them.
Is Moji Ninja free?
Yes, Moji Ninja is completely free with no sign-up required. It works in any modern browser, can be installed as a PWA for offline use, and has no ads or paywalls.
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