Kotoyokai: Learn Japanese Kana
Hiragana, Katakana & Kanji
Free · In‑App Purchases
Learn hiragana, katakana and kanji from zero, then use them in real conversations with yokai — the spirits and shapeshifters of Japanese folklore.
Start with kana, move on to words, numbers, sentences and kanji, and build up to JLPT N5 one step at a time. Then chat with characters who answer in Japanese, read your words back with furigana, and gently fix your mistakes.
KANA: HIRAGANA & KATAKANA
• A full chart of hiragana and katakana, including combined sounds like きゃ, with every sound read aloud.
• Practice writing each kana in the right stroke order.
WORDS, NUMBERS & SENTENCES
• Everyday words in kana, like family and days of the week, read aloud.
• Numbers the way you meet them in Japan: dates, times, counting, age, prices and units.
• Read whole sentences in kana: where each word ends, and how は, を and へ are read.
KANJI
• Collect the kanji you know, from N5 to N1, and see how many words you can read with them.
• Watch each kanji's stroke order and see example words. For some kanji, watch the character turn into a picture of what it means.
PHRASES FOR YOUR TRIP
• Phrases you'll use in Japan, grouped by place: café, restaurant, convenience store, train, airport, hotel and more. Read them with furigana and listen.
• Search for what you want to say, like asking for the bill.
• Hear a price in Japanese and pay it with yen bills and coins.
REVIEW
• Add what you learned to Review. Cards come back on the days you need them, and you recall the answer before you see it.
CHAT WITH YOKAI
• Each character has a personality, a voice and a level, from a fellow beginner to a strict teacher.
• Short lessons: role-plays with a mission to complete in Japanese.
• Type or speak in Japanese or English. Every reply comes with furigana, an English translation, and a gentle correction when your Japanese needs one.
• Hear every reply in the character's own voice.
• Tap any word for its meaning and examples, and save it to your word list.
Also: short manga starring the yokai, in English or Japanese.
Kana, words, numbers, sentences, kanji, phrases and review are free. Chat uses daily points that come back every day. The optional Premium Pass (30 days, does not renew) adds more chat points, unlimited saved words, premium chat backgrounds, and extra outfits for every character.
All characters are AI, not real people.
Ratings & Reviews
- This app hasn’t received enough ratings or reviews to display an overview.
Mameta and Okon have new Premium outfits: Emperor and Thief, each with their own moves.
Your buddy now moves its mouth as it talks, and shows the feeling of each reply, even when you replay it with the speaker button.
You can change your buddy from the chat header or the "…" menu in your buddy's window.
On iPad, the chat now looks the same as on iPhone, centered on the screen.
The Yukata and Miko outfits are no longer available.
Bug fixes and improvements.
The developer, Masaaki Ota, 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 Linked to You
The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
- Purchases
- Contact Info
- User Content
- Identifiers
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
- Search History
- Diagnostics
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- Masaaki Ota
- Size
- 23 MB
- Category
- Education
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 15.0 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 15.0 or later. - iPad
Requires iPadOS 15.0 or later. - iPod touch
Requires iOS 15.0 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English
- Age Rating
13+
- 13+
- In-App Purchases
Yes
- Review Unlimited $19.99
- Premium Pass (30 days) $9.99
- Copyright
- © 2026 Kotoyokai