# Kaku: Japanese Study Notebook — Dictionary, Translator & OCR

> Japanese language learning app with translation, conjugation, and study tools. (iPhone/iPad app by Dittman Shum.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaku-japanese-study-notebook/id1515101339 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Dittman Shum](https://appshunter.io/developer/1492526802)
- Category: Education, Utilities
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 26.0 · 161 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2020-06-11
- Data updated: 2026-08-25
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaku-japanese-study-notebook/id1515101339/reviews.md

## What is Kaku?

Kaku is a Japanese notebook designed for beginner-to-intermediate learners. Instead of jumping back and forth between a notes app, a dictionary, and a translator, you write in Japanese and all tools appear right where you're working:
- Instant dictionary - highlight any word and matching entries appear above the keyboard, with readings, word types, and real example sentences. Powered by an offline dictionary, lookups are instant and work anywhere.
- Write with training wheels - stuck on a word? Highlight the English word and insert the Japanese one in one tap, including the conjugated form you need.
- Translate your notes - check your sentence structure by translating a whole note into your native language. 20 languages supported.
- Read Aloud - Kaku reads your note out loud, highlighting each word as it's spoken, so you can shadow along. Choose from the best Japanese voices on your device.
- Scan text with your camera - turn textbook pages, signs, and handwritten notes into editable text using built-in OCR.
- Made for focus - a clean, paper-inspired design, folders to organize your study notes, and adjustable text size for comfortable reading.
- Private by design - your notes live on your device.

Kaku feels at home on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

## Key features

- Live feedback sentence translator
- Word lookup via Jisho.org
- Verb, noun, and adjective conjugation
- Audio playback with text highlighting
- Synced notes across devices
- Auto-translate clipboard

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Annual Subscription | $4.99 | per year |
| Premium Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium Weekly Subscription | $0.99 | per 7 days |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |
| Modest Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $99.00 | one-time |
| No Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (10 of 10)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaku-japanese-study-notebook/id1515101339/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Broked

*2026-04-25*

This app is broken

### 5/5 — That’s great

*2021-03-27*

I was needed exactly this! This app have a big variety of words, and a dictionary and translate acopled indo this. 私は研究を頑張る！

**Developer response:** I'm glad you find this useful for your Japanese studies! Feel free to reach out if you want a promo code to try out all the premium features (if you're not already using premium).

### 4/5 — Fascinating!

*2021-01-25*

This app definitely lessens the waste of paper! But I found I was focusing more on trying to get the translation correct instead of writing! Well-developed regardless!! The Word Bank widget seems right up my alley for an everyday review of words I tend to forget, so I’ll absolutely be trying this new feature!

**Developer response:** Thanks for your feedback. I find an effective way to use the translator is to only translate when you are not sure if your sentence is structured correctly rather than at the end of every sentence.

I’m glad you like the widget, it took a lot of effort to work out how to implement them. But now that I have figured it out, I look forward to creating more. 🙂

### 5/5 — great little app for writing in japanese!

*2021-01-22*

i've been using this app a lot during my language exchanges, and i have to say its quite the lifesaver!! the grammar tab is really helpful for when you don't know how to formulate something.

### 1/5 — Don’t Waste Your Time

*2021-01-12*

Fancy design but that’s about all it has going for it. Ads are everywhere which I normally would be fine with but every useful feature of the app is paywalled. The paywall, of course, is also subscription base with the lifetime purchase being $25, a ridiculous value. I can’t even use the app to decide whether or not it’s worth $25, I get berated by a pop up telling me I need to spend $25 to even see what else is in the app. 

I honestly never leave reviews but this was so appalling I had to. I understand the app is in a niche market but there are other ways to monetize your app.

EDIT:

Received an email from developer stating that they could provide a code to test out the app for a limited time by checking out their Twitter. Upon looking at their Twitter, I see a post by them calling me an entitled scum, how I don’t deserve to use their app, and soliciting people to report my review.  Not a great look. 

As you can’t even scroll down on some tabs of the app without being told to cough up some cash I’m not sure how the developer expects someone to buy their app without even being able to access 75% of it. I hope everyone that looks at this app sincerely reconsiders their choice and looks elsewhere.

### 5/5 — Awesome premium features

*2020-11-30*

I use this app on my iPad in my class all the time and really recommend upgrading to premium to access the text-to-speech, better translations/dictionary and reader mode. 

With so many language learning apps out there, this app is a hidden gem.

**Developer response:** Thanks for your support, I’m glad you’re getting great value out of the premium upgrade!

### 5/5 — Essential for Learning Japanese

*2020-11-12*

I have only recently started learning Japanese, but I have found Kaku to be essential in keeping myself immersed in the language everyday. The grammar examples have helped me to understand and work with various conjugations and special word forms. The selected words make Kaku easy to use in quick situations.

A lot of love and care has gone into this app. If you have any inclinations in getting the app; do it! It is wonderful to use on a daily basis, and I know it will continue to help me in my language learning journey for a long time.

### 5/5 — Great help for learning Japanese

*2020-08-21*

This is a really useful tool for learning Japanese! The UI is very straightforward and easy to understand, and it has a lot of great, more advanced functionality too. I really recommend Kaku. Plus the icon is really cute on my home screen.

### 5/5 — My new favourite Japanese learning app!

*2020-08-19*

This app is very helpful as not only does it work as a great way to input your Japanese notes it also has a handy translation function that you can see in real time! There’s a grammar section and a helpful vocabulary section. I am so excited to see this app develop and grow! If you are hesitant about choosing an app I can only say Kaku is the one for you as it covers so much more that other apps leave behind! Keep up the great work 🥰

### 5/5 — Best notebook replacement

*2020-08-15*

I’ve just started learning Japanese and find this so useful to work through my Genki textbook with. 

The best part is the dictionary search on the words I highlight and the audio output so I can practice my speaking/listening too!

## Frequently asked questions about Kaku

### What is Kaku's primary function?

Kaku is designed to help users learn Japanese by providing tools for sentence translation, word lookup, and verb/noun/adjective conjugation. It aims to consolidate essential learning aids into a single application.

### Does Kaku offer offline functionality?

The provided data does not specify offline functionality for Kaku. However, features like synced sheets between iPhone and iPad suggest cloud-based synchronization.

### What are the subscription options for Kaku?

Kaku offers Premium Weekly ($0.99/P7D), Premium Monthly ($1.99/P1M with a 7-day free trial), and Premium Annual ($4.99/P1Y) subscriptions. These likely unlock advanced features or remove limitations.

### How often is Kaku updated?

Kaku was last updated on January 2nd, 2026, indicating a recent update. Users can report bugs or suggestions to the developer for future improvements.

### Is Kaku suitable for advanced Japanese learners?

Kaku is described as perfect for beginner to intermediate learners. While it offers useful tools, advanced learners might seek more specialized resources for complex grammar or nuanced vocabulary.

### What devices support Kaku?

Kaku is supported on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It also features synced sheets between iPhone and iPad for seamless access across Apple devices.

### Does Kaku have ads?

Yes, Kaku contains advertisements. This is indicated by the 'hasAds' flag being true in the application data.

### What is the age rating for Kaku?

Kaku has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users, including younger learners.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 7.40 — 2026-08-23

• New: Format study notes with bold, underline, and highlights.
• New: Read Aloud reads your notes, with precise word highlighting.
• Improved: TipKit helps you discover OCR, dictionary lookup, grammar insertion, and smoother text editing on macOS.

### 7.31 — 2026-08-11

Minor UI update

### 7.30 — 2026-08-01

- New: Copy Japanese text anywhere and Kaku will drop it into a new note the next time you open the app.

### 7.20 — 2026-07-31

- New: iCloud Sync keeps your notes up to date across iPhone, iPad, and Mac (Premium).
- New: Search the dictionary anytime from the main menu — no need to select a word first.
- Fixed an issue where the dictionary lookup button was unavailable without a text selection.

### 7.10 — 2026-07-24

- Word lookups from links now open full screen, so it feels more like flipping open a dictionary instead of a popup.
- The first line of a note is now bolded automatically, like a title.
- Fixed Read Aloud not producing any sound on Mac.

## More apps by Dittman Shum

- [Japanese Flashcards TokeiTango](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-flashcards-tokeitango/id1492526803)
- [Chinese Flashcards - Zungzi](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chinese-flashcards-zungzi/id1496948615)
- [Tsugi - Japanese Vocab Mining](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tsugi-japanese-vocab-mining/id1546470961)
- [Essenkombis](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essenkombis/id1587097268)
- [Imawa - Japanese Date/Time](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/imawa-japanese-datetime/id1640970833)

All apps by Dittman Shum: https://appshunter.io/developer/1492526802

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*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 2026-08-25.*