Makoto Japanese Explorer
Learn Japanese through Stories
Only for iPhone
Free · In‑App Purchases · Designed for iPhone
iPhone
Makoto Japanese Explorer
Read. Listen. Learn.
Learn Japanese the natural way through real stories, real sentences, and real context. Created by Japanese language instructors with over 25 years of experience.
Download it and start learning for free.
While Makoto+ Shogun members get access to the full library and all new content (including our monthly Makoto magazine), free members still get a generous amount of stories, quizzes, courses, and learning tools to make real progress. You can install the app, start reading, and make real progress without paying or entering a credit card.
So give it a try. Download the app, explore at your own pace, and see how it works for you. No pressure, no commitment.
Makoto Japanese Explorer is designed for learners who want to move beyond isolated flashcards and actually read Japanese. Build vocabulary, grammar, and confidence one sentence at a time, supported by audio, quizzes, and smart learning tools.
Total beginner? No problem. The app includes guided beginner courses in Introduction to Japanese, Hiragana, and Katakana, so you can start from zero and naturally grow into reading.
What You’ll Get
• Interactive Story Mode – Read Japanese stories one sentence at a time with furigana, progress tracking, and completion checkmarks.
• Haiku Mode – Learn Japanese through classic and modern haiku with guided reading support.
• Professional Audio – Mostly native human recordings, plus some high-quality TTS, at normal and slow speed for every line.
• Vocabulary Tools – Tap any word to see definitions, grammar notes, kanji breakdowns, and JLPT levels.
• Word Bank – Save vocabulary as you read, now with folders to organize your words.
• Flashcards – Daily sessions, Cram mode, Study Again, and JLPT N5 kanji flashcards (more levels coming).
• Quizzes – Vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension quizzes based on stories you’ve read.
• Journey of Words (ことばの旅) – A daily deep dive into one fun Japanese word, slang term, or idiom, with a clear explanation, multiple example sentences, and audio.
• Courses – Introduction to Japanese, Hiragana, and Katakana, with more courses coming.
• Progress Tracking – Daily streaks with grace periods, learning stats, and visible progress bars on stories.
• Customization – Rearrange or hide home screen sections, global furigana settings, dark mode, and font size options.
• Offline Access – Download stories and study anywhere, anytime.
Membership Tiers
• Guest – Try a selection of stories with no sign-in required.
• Free – Sign up with no credit card for many stories, quizzes, courses, and saved progress.
• Samurai – Unlock many additional stories and learning tools.
• Shogun – Full access to the entire library and all new content as it’s released.
Perfect For
• Total beginners who want a guided start and a clear path into real Japanese reading.
• Beginner to intermediate learners, especially JLPT N5–N3.
• JLPT students (N5–N1) seeking sentence-based practice.
• Learners who prefer understanding Japanese through context instead of memorization alone.
Download Makoto Japanese Explorer and experience how reading, listening, and learning come together, one story and one sentence at a time.
Read. Listen. Learn.
Terms of Use
https://makotoplus.com/terms-of-use/
Privacy Policy
https://makotoplus.com/privacy-policy/
読めば読むほど、楽しくなる。 The more you read, the more fun it becomes!
- NEW! JLPT N4 Kanji
- NEW! Enhanced 縦書き (vertical) reading with improved layout for long text and proper column flow
- NEW! Character illustrations now appear alongside vertical text
- NEW! Traditional haiku display with authentic right-to-left vertical layout
- NEW! “About the Poet” section with biography, dates, images, and audio
- NEW! Unified vocabulary display with cleaner layout and improved furigana
- Improved haiku browsing with unlocked content shown first
- Major performance improvements for smoother scrolling
- Fixed subscription access display issues after app updates
- Fixed various text, layout, and furigana display bugs
The developer, TheJapanesePage.com, 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
- Usage Data
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- Kotoba, Inc
- Size
- 30 MB
- Category
- Education
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 16.0 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 16.0 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 13.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
- Languages
- English
- Age Rating
4+
- 4+
- In-App Purchases
Yes
- Shogun Monthly $9.99
- Samurai Monthly $4.99
- Shogun Annual $99.99
- Samurai Annual $49.99
- Copyright
- © 2026
