Comparison

FirstKaruta vs 百人一首

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

Head to head
About

FirstKaruta

This app helps children memorize the Hyakunin Isshu by breaking down the 100 poems into smaller groups. It offers various menus, including practice modes, a cat character opponent, and a quick memorization tool, all with furigana and child-friendly explanations.

Highlights
  • Memorize poems in small groups
  • Furigana for all text
  • Child-friendly explanations of poem meanings
  • Audio readings by a professional voice actor
  • Practice modes and opponent battles
  • Quick memorization tool for fixed phrases
  • Includes 101 poems, including competitive karuta intro songs
Features
Read full description

Begin your child's first steps into Hyakunin Isshu with Chamame the cat. This Japanese karuta learning app helps children from age 3 enjoy and memorize all 100 classic poems, gently and at their own pace. Every screen includes furigana, with clear narration by a trained vocalist. "100 poems is far too many." "The old words make no sense." These are the two walls that trip children up, and Hajimete Karuta was built to break down both. ◆ Learn alongside Chamame the cat With a charming companion by their side, children keep going. Winning and losing at karuta makes them naturally want to learn more. ◆ 100 poems, a little at a time The full set is split into small groups and practiced in a steady cycle — letters, meaning, sound, key syllables (kimariji), and a final challenge — so it sinks in without feeling overwhelming. ◆ Furigana on everything, so even young children can play alone From the reading cards to the poem explanations, every screen includes furigana. Any child who can read hiragana can focus and play on their own. ◆ When the meaning clicks, the poems stop being a mystery Even the love and quiet sadness in the poems are retold in short, gentle words, so each one feels close and familiar. ◆ Easy-to-hear narration by a real voice Recorded by a trained vocalist with the warm, gentle tone of a mother — clear, correctly pronounced Japanese. ◆ Learn the key syllables naturally The kimariji, the opening syllables that decide a card, make all the difference in karuta. Children pick them up through play. ◆ More to explore, a full set of modes - Kimariji speed memorization: sort the cards you know from the ones you don't, and repeat just the tricky ones - Recitation: 101 poems recorded, including the joka opening verse used in competitive karuta, so you can play real karuta with your own cards - Card sweep: check the key syllables from the second half of each poem, great for competitive karuta practice A great first step toward competitive karuta, too. For ages 3 to adult — your child's Hyakunin Isshu debut, right at home. - Recommended age: 3 and up - Save data: up to 3 players per device (great for siblings) - Universal app for iPhone and iPad

About

百人一首

Features
Read full description

百人一首を、絵と意味でやさしく覚えるための学習アプリです。 広告なし・課金なしで、どなたでも安心して学習できます。 上の句・下の句をカード形式で確認しながら、現代語訳、ことばの意味、作者、鑑賞、覚えるポイントをまとめて学べます。 1グループ5首ずつなので、いきなり100首を覚えるのが大変な人でも、少しずつ無理なく進められます。 各首には内容をイメージしやすいイラストを用意。 歌の情景を思い浮かべながら覚えられるので、丸暗記が苦手な人にもおすすめです。 苦手な首には旗を付けて、あとからまとめて復習できます。 覚えた首もリストで確認できるので、自分の進み具合がわかりやすくなっています。 下の句を選ぶゲームモードでは、上の句を見て正しい下の句を選ぶ練習ができます。 かるたのように札を選びながら、楽しく暗記を進められます。 【主な機能】 ・百人一首100首を収録 ・5首ずつ20グループで学習 ・上の句/下の句カード表示 ・現代語訳 ・ことばの意味 ・作者の説明 ・鑑賞文 ・覚えるポイント ・決まり字表示 ・苦手リスト ・覚えたリスト ・下の句ゲーム ・ひらがな表示切り替え ・広告なし ・課金なし 百人一首をこれから覚えたい方、学校の学習や小テスト対策をしたい方、古典和歌を楽しく読みたい方におすすめです。

Screenshots

FirstKaruta4 screens
百人一首4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: 百人一首 at Free against FirstKaruta's $3.99. 百人一首 also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

百人一首 is free to download; FirstKaruta costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FirstKaruta ships an update fortnightly, 百人一首 every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
FirstKaruta versus 百人一首: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirstKaruta百人一首
Price$3.99Free — better
Positive reviews70.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size149 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developerpolygondrill co.,Ltd.Kenichi Nakagawa

In-app purchases

None

FirstKaruta

No in-app purchases

None

百人一首

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FirstKaruta free?
FirstKaruta costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is 百人一首 free?
百人一首 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FirstKaruta or 百人一首 have ads?
Neither FirstKaruta nor 百人一首 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FirstKaruta or 百人一首?
FirstKaruta ships an update fortnightly, and 百人一首 every 4 days. Most recently, FirstKaruta was updated on October 9, 2026 and 百人一首 on September 24, 2026.

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