HajimeNow vs Kanji Widget

HajimeNow is a focused, distraction-free Japanese study app designed around the JLPT curriculum — from your very first hiragana stroke to advanced N1 kanji. WHAT YOU'LL STUDY • Hiragana & Katakana — learn every kana with mnemonics, stroke order, and audio pronunciation • Kanji — N5 through N1 characters with meanings, readings, stroke order animations, and spaced repetition • Vocabulary — thousands of JLPT-graded words with example sentences and native audio • Grammar — structured grammar points for every JLPT level with clear explanations and examples • Reading — graded reading passages with comprehension questions • Listening & Dictation — train your ear with native Japanese text-to-speech • Writing Practice — trace and free-draw characters on a canvas with adjustable brush thickness and ink color; supports Apple Pencil HOW IT WORKS HajimeNow uses a built-in spaced repetition system (SRS) that surfaces the cards you need to review most — so your study time is always efficient. Your streak and progress are tracked automatically, and your data syncs seamlessly across all your Apple devices via iCloud. TRACK YOUR JLPT JOURNEY Choose your target JLPT level (N5–N1) and the app counts down to the next exam date. Every module shows your completion percentage so you always know where you stand. BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED Inspired by Japanese washi paper and traditional ink aesthetics. Supports dark mode, adjustable font size, furigana toggle, and TTS audio speed control. Designed for portrait use — clean, focused, and easy to navigate one-handed. NO SUBSCRIPTIONS. NO ACCOUNTS. Everything is included. No paywalls, no sign-in required. Your progress is yours.

Learn Japanese without opening an app — one character at a time, right on your home screen. Kanji Widget puts hiragana, katakana, or a JLPT kanji character directly on your iOS home screen. Every time you unlock your phone, you see one character with its reading and meaning — a free repetition, dozens of times a day, with zero extra effort. FEATURES • 1,600+ characters: hiragana, katakana, and JLPT kanji N5 through N1 • 7 study sets, downloaded independently — start with kana or jump to the level you're studying • Onyomi, kunyomi, and English meanings for every kanji • Common example words with readings for context • Tap the widget to move to the next or previous character • Small and medium widget sizes • Customize the widget's theme (system, light, or dark), background opacity, and text size, with a live preview as you adjust WHY A WIDGET Apps you have to open compete with everything else on your phone. A widget doesn't — it's already there. Kanji Widget turns the moments you check your phone into study moments, without a streak to keep or a lesson to finish. PRIVACY No account required. No tracking. Your progress stays on your device. Once a study set is downloaded, the widget works completely offline.