# Learning Japanese with Anki: what to do first

> Anki is the most powerful vocabulary tool, as long as you don't start with it. Kana first, then a deck like Kaishi 1.5k, and a few settings that change everything.

- Page: https://www.darumoji.com/en/guide/start-japanese-with-anki
- Content written by Darumoji: https://www.darumoji.com
- Published 2026-07-15

Everyone will tell you to use Anki for Japanese, and everyone is right. But opening Anki on day one is the best way to quit within two weeks. Here's the order that works.

**Anki memorizes, it doesn't teach.** Unbeatable at retaining vocabulary, terrible at teaching you to read. Kana first, Anki second.

## Why not Anki from day one

Serious vocabulary decks, Kaishi 1.5k first among them, are written in real Japanese: no rōmaji on the cards. Without kana, you literally can't read the front side. And learning the kana themselves inside Anki is a detour: a syllabary takes a few weeks of tracing, sound and quizzing. You don't need a long-term scheduler for that.

## The roadmap

1. **Hiragana first.** Plan on one to two weeks of short daily sessions, stroke order included. It's the syllabary of grammar and native words.
2. **Katakana next.** Same sounds, different shapes. Faster, since the logic is already in place.
3. **Only now, Anki.** Install the app and a beginner vocabulary deck: you can read the cards, and every word reinforces your kana.
4. **Grammar in parallel.** Particles and sentence structure don't live in a deck: read a guide, then check against real sentences.

- [Learning hiragana: the micro-session method](https://www.darumoji.com/en/guide/apprendre-hiragana.md)

- [Hiragana vs katakana: the difference in 2 minutes](https://www.darumoji.com/en/guide/hiragana-vs-katakana.md)

## Which deck to pick

Today's community consensus is clear: **Kaishi 1.5k**. A modern deck of around 1,500 high-frequency words, every card with an example sentence, native audio and furigana on the back.

- **Kaishi 1.5k**: Today's go-to for beginners: 1,500 words, example sentences, audio. Built to start right after kana.
- **Core 2k/6k**: The historic classic. Still usable, but the vocabulary has aged and the cards are rougher.
- **Tango N5 / N4**: The JLPT-oriented alternative, with full sentences from the start. A good pick if you're aiming for the exam.

Setup takes three moves: install Anki from [apps.ankiweb.net](https://apps.ankiweb.net), grab the deck from its [AnkiWeb page](https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/1196762551), then import the `.apkg` file (double-click or File → Import). The deck shows up in your list, ready to review.

## The settings that save you

- **10 to 15 new cards a day, max.** Doing 50 on day one comes back three weeks later as a review avalanche.
- **Turn on FSRS.** Anki's modern algorithm (built in since 2024) spaces reviews better than the old default.
- **No missed days beats big sessions.** Ten minutes every day beats an hour on Sunday: consistency is what the algorithm rewards.
- **On price**: Anki is free on desktop and Android (AnkiDroid); the official iPhone app (AnkiMobile) is a one-time purchase of about $25 that funds the project.

> **Remember** **Kana first, Anki second.** Hiragana then katakana in a few weeks, then Kaishi 1.5k at 10-15 cards a day with FSRS on, and grammar in parallel with the guides. The one non-negotiable rule: open the app every day.

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## Learn hiragana and katakana here: charts, animated stroke order, quizzes and built-in flashcards.

- [Start with kana](https://www.darumoji.com/en/kana)
- [The hiragana method](https://www.darumoji.com/en/guide/apprendre-hiragana)