Learning Japanese After You Arrive: Classes, Apps and Free Options
Updated: 2026-08-23
Quick answer
Hi, I'm Miya. Once you're settled in Japan, you have three main routes to learn the language: ward-run and volunteer classes (often low-cost or even free), private language schools (structured and faster-paced), and study apps you carry in your pocket. Most people mix them — a weekly class for structure, an app for daily practice, and real conversations to glue it together.
One practical note before anything else: nearly every class enrolls through an app or an online form, class schedules and locations live on ward websites, and your study tools all run on your phone. So being connected comes first — with data and a Japanese number, signing up and studying both become easy. Let me walk you through the routes, then a beginner plan that actually sticks.
Ward-run and volunteer classes: the friendly, low-cost route
Your first stop should be your local ward or city office, or its international exchange association. Many municipalities run Japanese classes for residents, and volunteer groups hold sessions in community centers, libraries and public halls. These are usually low-cost or free — sometimes just a small materials fee — because the goal is helping residents settle, not turning a profit.
The pace is gentle and the atmosphere is warm, which makes them ideal for absolute beginners and for meeting neighbors. To find them, check your ward's website or its international association page, ask at the counter when you register your address, or look for flyers at the community center. Schedules and sign-up forms are usually online, so having your phone connected makes joining the first session painless.
Private language schools: structure and speed
If you want a faster, more systematic path — or you're studying toward a goal like the JLPT, university entry or a job — a private language school is worth considering. These offer graded courses, trained teachers, textbooks, regular tests and a clear progression from beginner to advanced. Formats range from intensive full-time programs to a few evening or weekend lessons a week, plus online options if you'd rather study from home.
Because private schools cost more than volunteer classes, it's smart to shop around: many let you sit in on a trial lesson or offer a short taster course before you commit. Look at the class size, the level of your classmates, how much speaking practice you'll actually get, and whether the timetable fits your work or study life. Booking a trial is almost always done through the school's website or a form.
Study apps: daily practice in your pocket
Apps are the glue between your classes. There are apps for learning the kana scripts, spaced-repetition flashcard apps for vocabulary and kanji, dictionary apps that let you look up a word by drawing the character or pointing your camera at signs, and conversation or tutor apps for speaking practice. A translation app is also invaluable in your first weeks, for menus, forms and unexpected conversations.
The trick is little and often: ten focused minutes a day beats a rushed hour once a week. Turn small pockets of dead time — the train ride, a queue, waiting for a friend — into review sessions. Because these tools sync your progress and often use audio, keep your phone on a reliable data plan so a spotty connection never becomes an excuse to skip a day.
A realistic beginner plan
Start with the kana. Learn hiragana first, then katakana — together they're about 90-odd characters, and most beginners get comfortable within a couple of weeks of daily practice. Being able to read kana unlocks pronunciation, menus, signs and beginner textbooks, so it pays off faster than anything else you could start with.
Next, layer on the survival phrases you'll use every day — greetings, numbers, 'how much is this?', 'where is the station?', asking for help — and pick up kanji gradually, starting with the common ones you see on signs and forms. Set a small, steady routine rather than a heroic one: a weekly class, a daily app streak, and one real conversation whenever you can. Say things out loud, don't fear mistakes, and let living in Japan do half the teaching.
Get connected first, then get learning
Here's the thread that runs through all of this, from me, Miya. Finding a class, filling in the sign-up form, checking a timetable, drilling kana, looking up a word mid-conversation — every single one of these runs on your phone and a data connection. Getting online early isn't a side task; it's what makes learning Japanese practical from day one.
You can't contract a Japanese SIM before you land, because a domestic number is tied to the residence card you receive on arrival. But once you have that card, getting connected is quick: Rakuten Mobile, for instance, can be applied for online with just your residence card, and an eSIM can be issued the same day — around five to ten minutes, no store visit needed. Get the card, get connected, then let the studying begin.
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