Learning Japanese is a perfect idea for those who want to explore Japanese culture. It is the national language of Japan and the 3rd most spoken language on the internet. Moreover, learning a less common language can set a person apart from the crowd. Fortunately, there are plenty of paid and free online courses and certifications available that can help individuals learn Japanese. These courses have a flexible timeline and offer certifications. Here we have provided some of the best online Japanese courses that you can check out.
This Blog Includes:
About Japanese Language
Japanese is the native language of Japan and belongs to the Japanese-Ryukyuan language family. The language is divided into 3 scripts: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. The Hiragana script refers to the basic Japanese alphabet that consists of 46 characters. It is used to write functional words. On the other hand, the Katakana script is similar to the Hiragana but is used to write foreign languages. The third script, Kanj, is meant to write native Chinese characters or Japanese words. Kanji has a total of 200 characters.
Benefits of Online Japanese Courses
There are plenty of reasons why a student should check out the best online Japanese courses. These reasons are mentioned below:
- Being able to communicate with more than 125 million Japanese people
- Get to know the Japanese culture including the music, movies, automobile industry, and cuisines
- Get to work as a Japanese translator or interpreter. It is also possible to work as a language instructor after mastering the Japanese language.
Check the Best Foreign Language to Learn
6 Best Online Japanese Courses (Paid)
The best online Japanese courses (paid) charge a minimal amount of money to offer certifications. Here we have listed some of the best online Japanese courses that a student can apply for.
Complete Japanese Course: Learn Japanese for Beginners (Udemy)
The complete Japanese course by Udemy is one of the best online Japanese courses for beginners. The course is for those who do not have any prior knowledge of Japanese. After completing this course, students will learn the proper Japanese pronunciation, how to put basic sentences together, order food and drinks, how to go around public transportation, and more.
Course Duration | 50 hours on-demand video |
Prior Knowledge Required | No |
Certification | Yes |
Price | INR 2899 |
Course Requirement | Desire to learn Japanese |
WasedaX: Japanese Pronunciation for Communication by EdX
The Japanese Pronunciation for Communication is one of the best online Japanese courses provided by Waseda University. Waseda University ranks 199th in the world (QS World Ranking 2024). However, one of the main problems that non-native speakers face is the Japanese language pronunciation. The course helps students to excel in their Japanese pronunciation skills.
Course Duration | 5 weeks |
Prior Knowledge Requirement | Yes |
Certification | Yes |
Price | INR 10,739 |
Course Requirement | Basic level of Japanese:Ability to read Hiragana and Katakana. |
Learn Japanese by Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone is one of the best online Japanese course platforms. They offer a 3-day free trial for Japanese learners. The program uses an intuitive learning system to help students learn the subject. The course is meant for beginners and helps the learner to learn the Japanese alphabet, pronounce words, read, and write in Japanese.
Course Duration | NA |
Prior Knowledge Requirement | No |
Certification | Yes |
Price | Billed every 3 months or annually |
Check Study in Japan for Indian Students – Complete Guide 2024
Online Japanese N5 Course(All 15 lessons) by Udemy
The Online Japanese N5 Course is one of the best online Japanese courses for students taking the JLPT N5 test. Even beginners can take this course! Students can learn to master the Japanese vocabulary, use basic greetings, and learn to comprehend hiragana and katakana and read common phrases in N5-level Kanji.
Course Duration | 21 hours on-demand video |
Prior Knowledge Requirement | Yes |
Certification | Yes |
Price | INR 3,199 |
Course Requirement | Pronunciation and writing of Japanese hiragana and katakana |
Learn Japanese by NihongoShark
Nihongo Shark Japanese course is one of the best online Japanese courses. The course is meant for those who want to learn Japanese in an entertaining way. More than 1,000 detailed Japanese lessons are available that can prepare students for JLPT. The course is meant for absolute beginners, intermediate, and advanced Japanese learners as well. Nihongo Shark makes difficult concepts easy to understand. A free trial is available.
Course Duration | Varies |
Prior Knowledge Requirement | No |
Certification | No |
Price | $29.99/month |
Course Requirement | Interest in Japanese |
Rocket Japanese by Rocket Languages
Rocket Japanese by Rocket Languages is one of the best online Japanese courses for audio learners. The course is available for beginners, intermediate, and advanced levels. Students can learn 3 scripting languages ( hiragana, katakana, and kanji), and gain the essential vocabulary required to live in Japan. The course equally emphasizes the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills of the learner.
Course Duration | Lessons available for lifetime |
Prior Knowledge Requirement | No |
Certification | No |
Price | One time payment for Level 1,2,3 ($259.90) |
Course Requirement | Interest in Japanese |
5 Best Online Japanese Courses (Free)
There are plenty of Japanese Courses that are available for free. However, these courses may not offer certifications. However, these courses are best for students who simply want to learn the language and strengthen their knowledge of the subject. Here are the 5 best online Japanese courses available for free.
Learn Japanese by Linguti
This is one of the best online Japanese courses in terms of gamification. The lessons in this course would feel more like a game. Hence, as a person progresses through the course, they can earn diamonds and use them to buy power-ups. The course is best suited for beginners and allows the learners to re-do the lessons as many times as they want.
Course Type | Gamification |
Prior Knowledge Requirement | No |
Certification | No |
Price | Free |
Japanese Lessons by WaniKani
WaniKani aims to teach learners 2,000 kanji and 6,000 vocabulary words within a year. The course is mainly targeted towards beginners and uses mnemonics and spaced repetition to help students learn Japanese fast. It is also possible to practice learned items via reviews. Moreover, the course is available for free. However, after level 4 learners have to purchase for further learning.
Course Type | Mnemonics |
Prior Knowledge Requirement | No |
Certification | No |
Price | NA |
Check About Career in Foreign Language
Learn Japanese by Japanese Pod
Learn Japanese by Japanese Pod is one of the best online Japanese courses available. The course is meant for beginners and offers short audio, and video lessons for fast learning. Learners can make use of slideshows, and flashcards that re-quiz them. Moreover, one-on-one personalized guidance from a teacher is also available. The course is paid to unlock full features but free sessions are also available.
Course Type | Short audio and video lessons |
Prior Knowledge Requirement | No |
Certification | No |
Price | Free trial as long as the student wants |
Learn Japanese Online by Wasabi
The Learn Japanese Online by Wasabi offers the best online Japanese courses for self-learning. The platform is best for beginners looking for free online Japanese grammar lessons. That is, the course is structured as a grammar textbook and covers the basics, essentials, and advanced grammar topics. For example, Part of Speech, Key Sentence Patterns, and Advanced Sentence Patterns.
Course Type | Self learning |
Prior Knowledge Requirement | No |
Certification | No |
Price | Free |
Japanese Course by Loecsen
Loecsen offers a small Japanese course. It comes under the best online Japanese courses for free. It is an open platform where students can learn the basics- such as greetings. It is also possible to set notifications for the course. Aside from that, certification is available.
Course Type | Self learning |
Prior Knowledge Requirement | No |
Certification | Yes |
Price | Free |
3 Easy Tips to Learn Japanese Course
Here are some easy techniques that you can follow to ease the anxiety of learning Japanese. These tips will also help you enjoy your journey of learning! Follow these tips for learning the Japanese language as well.
Make a plan beforehand: Although it may seem apparent, not planning ahead can leave one in the dark at the last minute. Allow the necessary time to study the topics, depending on how many sections you need to go through.
Study in groups: Learning is always fun when we do it with company. Organize yourselves into small study groups. Pick friends or family who are at the same level as you in your learning process to encourage and challenge each other. For those learning the Japanese language, you could choose your study group partners from the same JLPT level to prepare for the Japanese Language Exams
Revision: Set aside time for revisions while creating your study schedule. The revision provides you with a better understanding of what we already know and where we still need to put in a little more effort. It also helps us organize our thoughts and tie up loose ends in our learning.
FAQs
There are several websites where a student can learn Japanese. For example, Rocket Japanese, EdX, Udemy, Duolingo, etc. However, the prices and the lessons differ depending on the website.
The best Japanese courses include WasedaX: Japanese Pronunciation for Communication by EdX, and Complete Japanese Course: Learn Japanese for Beginners (Udemy).
Yes. Online Japanese courses provide flexibility for learning. Besides, the student has the option to view the audio/video lessons as many times as they want. Moreover, some of the best online Japanese courses are available at a small fee. Certifications are also provided.
Hope this blog provides you with all the important details, for more information about such courses, visit our online courses page.
Related Articles