Comparison

くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA vs Hyper Edohaku

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA

Learn to read historical Japanese cursive script (kuzushiji) with this educational app. It offers character learning, contextual reading practice with classic texts, and a community forum for asking questions and connecting with other learners.

Highlights
  • Learn hentaigana and cursive kanji
  • Over 3000 character images
  • Contextual reading practice with Edo period texts
  • Progress tracking with review tests
  • Community message board for questions
  • Connect with other learners
Features
Read full description

Have you ever wanted to read what it says in old Japanese paintings? How about books that describe swords from the Edo period? Reading books from the Edo period or earlier requires the ability to read “kuzushiji” – characters written in a style not used today. KuLA, the Kuzushiji Learning Application, was developed to help people learn kuzushiji effectively on a smartphone or tablet. Using the test and social-media functions in KuLA will make learning difficult characters easy and fun. KuLA has three main sections: -Learn This section is for learning how to read hentaigana (hiragana that are no longer used today) and cursive-style kanji, using over 3000 images of individual characters. Progress can be checked using the review tests. -Read Remembering only the characters isn’t enough for reading actual texts. In this section, kuzushiji can be practiced in context using images taken from books published in the Edo period. This version currently includes Hojoki (An Account of My Hut), Shinpan Nazonazo Sugoroku (New Edition Riddle Sugoroku [an illustrated board game]), and Aramimei Zukushi Koshu (New Sword Inscriptions, Continued). -Connect Did you find characters you can’t read? Why not ask other users?! The Connect section features social-media tools which allow communication with other kuzushiji learners over the internet, such as by posting a question to the message board with attached pictures of difficult characters. Let’s enter the world of classical Japanese literature and documents with KuLA! KuLA was primarily developed in the Graduate Faculty of Letters, Osaka University for the research project “Developing an International Educational Program Related to Japanese Classical books” (Project leader: Professor Iikura Yoichi) and was supported by the JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (2015).

About

Hyper Edohaku

Features
Read full description

The Tokyo Metropolitan Edo-Tokyo Museum’s smartphone app is finally here. What creativities and delights did the lives of Edo’s townspeople have? Journey into the hustle and bustle of Edo and discover originalities that can lead to insights for the present-day! - Find Them: One hundred from the Edo-Tokyo Museum Collection Ryōgoku-Hirokōji is Edo’s entertainment district, which the app has had recreated in 3D based on the Edo-Tokyo Museum’s model of the area to the west of Ryōgokubashi Bridge. This augmented rendition includes the Ryōgokubashi Bridge in the summer, squares on both ends of the Bridge, and the Sumida River. Scattered among this 3D rendering, overflowing with diverse people and commodities, are one hundred items selected from the Edo-Tokyo Museum’s collection for you to find. - The Four Areas: From the nagaya to Ryōgokubashi Bridge, and to Ekōin Temple and the Sumida River Your journey as an Edo teenager begins in a busy morning in the nagaya. Stroll through to collect the area-themed items to open doors into the following areas, where, finally, you will enjoy a cool evening on a riverboat on the final Sumida River area. - The Sumida River Opening Thriving with Events The Ryōgokubashi Bridge carries many of Edo’s townspeople back-and-forth their destinations where countless incidents and events happen on the daily: performances of freak/animal shows (misemono), fires, and even street fights. The firework display at Sumida River and the sumo wrestling at Ekōin Temple are also two out of many of these events unique to Edo, items of which you can find and collect. Throughout your discovery, you might also encounter famous figures such as Katsushika Hokusai and Gennai Hiraga.

Screenshots

くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA4 screens
Hyper Edohaku4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Hyper Edohaku at every 2 months against くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA's every 9 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA ships an update every 9 months, Hyper Edohaku every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA versus Hyper Edohaku: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterくずし字学習支援アプリKuLAHyper Edohaku
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (13 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews61.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings13 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB114 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYuta HashimotoTokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture

In-app purchases

None

くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA

No in-app purchases

None

Hyper Edohaku

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA free?
くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hyper Edohaku free?
Hyper Edohaku is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA or Hyper Edohaku have ads?
Neither くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA nor Hyper Edohaku shows ads.
Which is updated more often, くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA or Hyper Edohaku?
くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA ships an update every 9 months, and Hyper Edohaku every 2 months. Most recently, くずし字学習支援アプリKuLA was updated on October 21, 2026 and Hyper Edohaku on October 7, 2026.

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