Resources for studying Japanese
Language learning
ECRIT (kanji, grammar, vocabulary)
Japan activator
URL: http://www.japan-activator.com/fr/
Summary: Site devoted to Japanese language and culture. Registration is free but compulsory in order to benefit from the resources made available: vocabulary, grammar, Japanese conversation guide, etc.
Kanji link
URL: http://www.kanji-link.com/fr/
Summary: French-language site for reviewing the 2136 kanji, learning Japanese grammar in a fun way through videos and original resources. A must download: a vocabulary list in Excel format is provided for nouns, verbs, adjectives and pronominal adjectives, conjunctions, adverbs, pronouns, determiners, particles, auxiliaries, prefixes, suffixes and interjections.
Mikado, Learn or revise basic Japanese vocabulary with fun - Level 1
Author: Olivier Magnani, Editions Ellipses, ISBN 9782729819811
Summary: Fun revision of basic Japanese vocabulary, through illustrated thematic cards and self-correcting fun activities. Over 2650 words and phrases from everyday language. Enables non-Japanese speakers to express themselves simply during a trip to Japan.
Kana town
URL: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fr.koridev.kanatown&hl=fr
Summary: Smartphone application for revising katakana and vocabulary. Exists in a free version, but the vocabulary modules are chargeable. Writing, pronunciation, color-coded according to your performance (black if you haven't yet learned a character, red if you've given an incorrect answer, green if you've given a correct answer and/or answered correctly several times).
Kanjibox
URL: https://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/kanjibox/id322311303?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo=4
Summary: English-language app (iOS) for learning and reviewing Japanese in a fun way. It teaches vocabulary and kanji for JLPT (1-4). Its smartphone version is a good app if you're preparing for the JLPT. Progress in kanji knowledge (over 6,000 presented) can be measured with detailed statistics, online scores and bonuses, to keep you motivated. Flashcards, quizzes, game center, personalized revision sheets and MCQs make it easy to revise your kanji very effectively. Paid additions: KanaDraw and KanjiDraw for learning to draw on an iPhone or iPad touchscreen. Six training levels: the "Sensei" level is added to the 5 JLPT levels. 34,000 vocabulary words.
Japanese Nemo
URL: https://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/japonais-apprendre-avec-nemo/id48707833…
URL: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nemoapps.android.japa…
Summary: French-language smartphone app for iOS and Android. Presents the most essential words and expressions of the language with, each time, audio from a native speaker. All audio is downloaded to the device, making it accessible offline. Allows you to reinforce your Japanese basics and make effective progress in pronunciation, oral expression, progressive learning and memorization of the most common words and expressions. Everyday themes (travel, orientation, food, shopping...)
Obenkyo
URL: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Obenkyo&hl=fr
URL: http://www.appliandroid.fr/apps/204-obenkyo.php
Summary: Application for learning Japanese, available for Android and iOS. It allows you to learn kana, kanji (over 2300 covering JLPT levels 1 to 5) and vocabulary (over 12500 words) and contains a Japanese grammar guide. Plot check and MCQ tests.
Lang-8
URL: https://lang-8.com/
Summary: Language exchange community. Allows you to submit texts to native speakers who correct them and whom you in turn help to learn your language. Registration required. Also available as an app for iOS and Android: HiNative.
ORAL
Tandem
URL: https://www.tandem.net/fr/entrainez-vous-parler-japonais/
Summary: one of the many tandem learning sites, which lets you find a free partner in the language you want to learn (including Japanese), who is also keen to make progress in yours: this learning is done in tandem.
"Gentle Japanese" by NHK World
URL: https://www.nhk.or.jp/lesson/french/howto.html
Summary: NHK World Radio Japan distributes the audio lessons of the "Le japonais en douceur" method by podcast. This method consists of 48 lessons designed for beginners. Each lesson includes audio files to listen to, grammatical explanations and pronunciation exercises.
Erin's challenges / エリンが挑戦！にほんごできます。
URL: https://www.erin.jpf.go.jp/
Summary: Japan Foundation website featuring didactic videos revolving around the daily life of a Japanese high school girl. The videos are themed (greetings, asking for a prize, asking for directions, etc.) and are accompanied by in-depth content (vocabulary, cultural insights, manga version, etc.).
DICTIONARIES
Lexilogos
URL: http://www.lexilogos.com/japonais_langue_dictionnaires.htm
Summary: Free online Japanese-French and French-Japanese dictionary.
Imiwa?
URL: https://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/imiwa-dictionnaire-japonais/id288499125…
Summary: rich multilingual (English, French, Russian, German) Japanese dictionary app for iOS that works offline. It is the fruit of research by the JMDict project, initiated by the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group.
Shirabe jisho
URL: https://apps.apple.com/app/shirabe-jisho/id1005203380
Summary: very comprehensive Japanese-English dictionary app for iOS, with lots of example sentences. It also contains a comprehensive kanji dictionary with a high-performance hand-drawn character recognition engine. The application is free and fully accessible offline.
Japanese English Dictionary + Translator
URL: https://itunes.apple.com/fr/app/japanese-english-dictionary/id493794484…
Summary: English-Japanese dictionary and automatic translator smartphone app for iOS.
Japanese keyboard
Lexilogos
URL: http://www.lexilogos.com/clavier/nihongo.php
Summary: A very practical site for those who don't dare install Japanese on their computer, offering a keyboard for entering hiragana as well as katakana or kanji.
Japanese media
NHK News Web Easy
URL: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/
Summary: News written in simple Japanese and with furigana. Very accessible!
Asahi shinbun 朝日新聞
URL: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/
Summary: Asahi Shimbun in Japanese, English and Chinese
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Mainichi shimbun 毎日新聞
URL: https://mainichi.jp/
Summary: Mainichi Shimbun in Japanese and English
Yomiuri Shimbun 読売新聞
URL: http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/
Summary: Yomiuri Shimbun in Japanese
The Japan News
URL: http://the-japan-news.com/
Summary: English version of the Yomiuri Shimbun
The Japan Times
URL: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/
Summary: online version of Japan's largest general-interest daily newspaper in English.
ClickJapan
URL: http://www.clickjapan.org/partir_infos_utiles/Media.htm
Summary: List of Japanese press, radio and television outlets.
Institutions
Japan Foundation
URL: http://www.jpf.go.jp
Summary: independent Japanese public institution dedicated to enhancing international cultural exchanges with Japan, organizer of the JLPT exam. In Japanese and English.
Maison de la Culture du Japon à Paris
URL: http://www.mcjp.fr/
Summary: French-language site. Representing the Japan Foundation in France, the Maison de la Culture du Japon à Paris aims to promote Japanese culture and language. Thematic exhibitions and cultural dossiers.
JLPT
URL: http://www.jlpt.jp
Summary: Official site (in Japanese, but with an English version available) of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, a 4-level Japanese language test. The JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) is an examination offered twice a year, at the July and December sessions. The exam is in MCQ format and has 5 levels. The highest level is 1 and the lowest 5. Japanese universities and companies require level 2 as a minimum prerequisite.
[Page produced thanks to the work of Mme Vinh-Brahimi. Updated and completed by S. Terrail Lormel]