# Hiragana and Katakana-Japanese > Learn Japanese hiragana and katakana with flashcards, quizzes, and audio. (iPhone/iPad app by Kotoba, Inc.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiragana-and-katakana-japanese/id385817288 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Kotoba, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/303488131) - Category: Education, Reference - Price: Free - Rating: 4.69/5 from 35 App Store ratings · 20 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 8.0 · 67 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2010-08-20 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiragana-and-katakana-japanese/id385817288/reviews.md ## What is Hiragana and Katakana? This app is ad-supported and completely FREE! You can remove the ads through an in-app purchase, but we have tried to make them as unobtrusive as possible. Thank you! Quickly master both Hiragana AND Katakana in one app. Purchase once and learn on your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad for no extra charge. Ever wanted to learn Japanese but didn't know where to begin? Learning hiragana first is often suggested by Japanese teachers and many textbooks (Genki, Japanese for Busy People Kana version, etc) virtually require it. This app will help you master both syllabaries* quickly and painlessly. This app has over 250 sound files featuring all the main hiragana and katakana characters (we will be adding all of the combination characters soon as a free update!) and about 150 example words using characters learned. - Universal app: iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad - Learn using Study cards with all information on a single card or with Flashcards to flip to see answers - Quiz yourself after studying each section and review any missed answers - Search all hiragana, katakana, and example words - Random function: tap if you are feeling lucky -- great for reviewing all hiragana and katakana - Lessons -- an additional way to study all hiragana and katakana - (on iPad) view random hiragana on the front page If you are sure you want to learn Japanese, you may want to grab our "Japanese Phrases & Lessons" app instead (or you can click on our "TheJapanesePage.com" link at the top to see all our apps). This includes most (but not all) of what is here for hiragana and katakana AND also includes kanji and grammar lessons plus almost 3,000 sound files of common words and phrases. If you have ANY questions or comments, please don't hesitate to contact us. * Although often called "alphabets," Hiragana and Katakana are more properly called "syllabaries" since each character more or less represents a syllable. ## Key features - Master Hiragana and Katakana - Study cards and flashcards - Self-quizzes - Over 250 sound files - Searchable vocabulary - Universal app support ## Recent user reviews (10 of 20) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiragana-and-katakana-japanese/id385817288/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Good app *2019-09-28* It is a good app, but it the letters that represent the sound ( a, e, u ,o, i, ke, ko, ki, etc...) could be bigger, and easier to click on. Good app tho ### 1/5 — Annoying app *2019-05-25* From the initial, unskippable pop-up that directs you to their website, all the way through their uninformative, text-only “lessons,” this app proved useless from minute one. One of my few near-immediate uninstalls. ### 5/5 — Best app for learning hirigana and katakana!!!!! *2018-07-26* I cannot express how thankful I am. This is by far the best app to improve your hirigana and katakana skills, and I have tried A LOT of apps. Although this app has some ads that and sometimes there’s one ad that always pops up when you enter, it still works grrreat. 10/10 ### 5/5 — Great! *2018-07-06* This app is extremely helpful😁 ### 4/5 — Love it! *2018-01-07* It’s so helpful. I especially love the tips to help you remember what’s what. ### 5/5 — Fantastic way to learn hiragana/katanaka *2017-10-24* It's free! You can't beat that! Easy way to learn section by section but quizzes and flash cards. Love it! ### 5/5 — Sugoi desu! *2017-10-14* I started a Japanese course and was placed in a class much more advanced than I could handle, and had to learn Hiragana and Katakana fast--very fast. This app enabled me to have decent command in two weeks! Awesome! ### 5/5 — Excellent *2017-10-06* I'm using this to help me learn hiragana and katakana. I can easily isolate and focus on specific groups of characters and quiz myself so I can get faster with recognizing what characters make which sounds. Love this app❤️ ### 5/5 — I CAN READ KANA FLUENTLY NOW *2017-06-22* I wanted to learn japanese a few years ago and downloaded around 15 apps and only this one worked, i learned both full japanese alphabets only using this app and it has changed my life. After this showed me how easy it was to learn an alphabet i started learning others because it only takes like 2 days to memorize most alphabets once you get used to it. I can now read 10+ alphabets and can put almost any language into google translate. Japanese is one of the harder ones but one of the easiest to remember once you learn it with this app, ive recommended this to countless people. If you want to read japanese, or just english written in kana (there is a lot of english in japanese) then get this app. You'll love it. ### 4/5 — Good app, a few things would make it great *2015-06-17* Overall I like this app. I have two suggestions. The first is to have a page each for hiragana and katakana where you have a table and can click on each symbol to hear the pronunciation. Ok, you might want a second page for combinations, but the idea is to make it easy to find the pronunciation while you are practicing your handwriting. This would be best seen on an iPad version, but you could be creative and lay it out on the phone. The other suggestion is to link the pages together so that you don't have to go back to the main page in order to move on to the next thing. Otherwise, thank you for this nice app. ## Frequently asked questions about Hiragana and Katakana ### How does Hiragana and Katakana-Japanese help me learn? Hiragana and Katakana-Japanese uses study cards, flashcards, and quizzes to reinforce learning. It includes over 250 sound files for pronunciation and approximately 150 example words to help you master both syllabaries. ### Is Hiragana and Katakana-Japanese free to use? Yes, the app is free to download and use. It is ad-supported, but you have the option to remove ads through an in-app purchase. ### What devices does Hiragana and Katakana-Japanese support? This is a universal app, meaning it is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad devices. ### How often is Hiragana and Katakana-Japanese updated? The app was last updated on March 2, 2020, with version 1.10. Future updates are planned to include combination characters for free. ### What is the age rating for Hiragana and Katakana-Japanese? The app has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of learners. ### Can I learn Japanese characters beyond hiragana and katakana with this app? This app focuses specifically on mastering hiragana and katakana. For a more comprehensive Japanese learning experience including kanji and grammar, you may consider their 'Japanese Phrases & Lessons' app. ### What is the user sentiment for Hiragana and Katakana-Japanese? The app has a strong user rating of 4.7 stars based on 35 ratings, indicating a positive user experience. ### Does Hiragana and Katakana-Japanese offer offline access? The app description does not explicitly mention offline access, but its core features like study cards and quizzes are likely available without an internet connection once downloaded. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.10 — 2020-03-02 bug fix ### 1.9 — 2019-12-21 Fix screen misallignment ### 1.8 — 2019-11-26 Bugfix ### 1.6 — 2017-09-09 bugx fixed convert the app to 64bit ### 1.5 — 2015-08-18 updated for iOS 8 ## More apps by Kotoba, Inc - [Learn Japanese Phrases Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-japanese-phrases-lite/id303734644) - [Hiragana & Katakana - Basic](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiragana-and-katakana-basic/id377666512) - [Makoto+ Learn Japanese](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/makoto-plus-learn-japanese/id1515257628) - [Makoto Japanese Explorer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/makoto-japanese-explorer/id6752566623) All apps by Kotoba, Inc: https://appshunter.io/developer/303488131 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-10.*