Kotowa
Read Japanese line by line
Free · Designed for iPad. Not verified for macOS.
Kotowa is a reader for people learning Japanese. Open a pack of Japanese text, comic pages or video subtitles and read it one line at a time.
Every line shows:
- the Japanese with furigana, which you can turn off
- a translation underneath, and a second language when the pack has one
- a word-by-word breakdown. Tap a word for its reading, meaning and the full dictionary entry from JMdict
Packs can also carry comic pages, and subtitles that follow a video you link from the Files app.
These packs come with the app:
- 蜘蛛の糸, a short story by 芥川龍之介 (public domain, from Aozora Bunko)
- ブラックジャックによろしく by 佐藤秀峰, a comic, used under the author's free-use terms
- 新種のSCPが怖すぎる件 by Kizuna AI (CC BY-SA 3.0), with Japanese audio. The pack holds the lines; you download the video from our site and link it from Files.
- Hello, Kotowa, a short set of greetings to try the reader on
Make your own packs. A pack is a folder or a zip. Add it from the Files app or from an address. The guide at kotowa.gellyfish.dev explains the format, and an AI assistant can follow it to turn a text, a subtitle file or a script into a pack. Packs you add are for your own use; you are responsible for having the right to use what is in them.
Private by design. No account, no ads, no analytics. Your packs, progress and settings stay on your device and nothing is sent to us.
Kotowa works offline once a pack is on your device. Dictionary data: JMdict, © the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, used under its licence.
Ratings & Reviews
- This app hasn’t received enough ratings or reviews to display an overview.
A guided introduction on first launch, and a Help section in About.
A redesigned Library, scene list, reader and word sheet, with reading progress and a Continue card.
Shorter lines in 蜘蛛の糸, so each line fits on screen.
Built-in packs are now English only.
The pack guide and the website open inside the app.
The developer, ALBERT DONAIRE ESCRIGAS, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- ALBERT DONAIRE ESCRIGAS
- Size
- 47.7 MB
- Category
- Education
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 16.4 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 16.4 or later. - iPad
Requires iPadOS 16.4 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 12.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English
- Age Rating
9+
- 9+
- Infrequent
Cartoon or Fantasy Violence
Horror/Fear Themes
- Copyright
- © 2026 Albert Donaire Escrigas