Michi · iPhone & iPad

Learn Japanese on one clear path.

Michi (道, “the path”) takes you from your first あ to JLPT N1 in 113 units. Every unit trains listening, speaking, reading and writing, then puts them to work in a real conversation.

Free to start · no account · works offline

113units, Starter to N1
2,700+words with audio
500+grammar points
499kanji to read and write
116conversation scenarios
11languages to learn in

The path

Six stages, like stepping stones

You always know where you are and what comes next. Each stage is marked with its seal: 始 for the beginning, then the JLPT level counted down from five to one.

Every unit starts from something you will be able to do, such as “I can order food and drinks, ask about a dish, and pay.” Finish it and the unit is stamped 済, done.

Already know some Japanese? A placement check starts you further along.

Starter
Sounds, kana and survival phrases
8 units · 8 conversations
Free
N5
Everyday basics
25 units · 28 conversations
JLPT N5
N4
Everyday independence
20 units · 20 conversations
JLPT N4
N3
Life and work in Japan
20 units · 20 conversations
JLPT N3
N2
Professional and social fluency
20 units · 20 conversations
JLPT N2
N1
Nuance and expertise
20 units · 20 conversations
JLPT N1

Inside every unit

Four skills, every time

Learn the words and the grammar, then practise them four ways. Each skill has its own seal and colour, so you can see at a glance which ones a unit still owes you.

Listen

Natural-sounding audio for every word and sentence, built in and available offline. Hear it at natural speed, or slower whenever you need it.

Speak

Shadow a sentence out loud and see your score, then play your own recording back against the model.

Read

Short passages from day one. Tap any word for its reading and meaning, and switch furigana off when you are ready.

Write

Trace kana and kanji stroke by stroke and have every stroke checked, then build and write your own sentences.

Try it · Read

Tap a word

にとへ。

Tap a word to look it up.

From “Mia’s weekend”, the reading in N5 unit 5.

Try it · Write

道 · road, way

みち · ドウ · 12 strokes · N5. Stroke data © KanjiVG, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Then use it

Japanese you can put to work

Each unit ends with a real-life task and a conversation, from ordering in a café to chairing a meeting.

116 conversations

Greet a neighbour, order lunch, run a meeting. Every scenario works as a guided dialogue. On devices with Apple Intelligence, the tutor can also talk freely, on your device.

Say it, see your score

Shadow the model sentence and Michi shows what it heard and how close you were. There is no account to sign in to and nothing is sent to us.

Kanji that finally stick

499 kanji, each with its readings, its stroke count and the words that use it. Trace one on screen and every stroke is checked.

Grammar in plain language

More than 500 grammar points, each a short note with real examples and the mistakes learners usually make.

Review that remembers for you

Spaced repetition brings each word back just before you would forget it. Reviewing what you have learned is always free.

Look anything up

Search finds any word, kanji or grammar point in the course, with its reading, meaning and examples.

A few minutes a day

Set a daily goal, keep a streak, and let one quiet reminder a day bring you back. The Me tab keeps your four skills in balance.

Time for Japanese A few minutes today keeps your streak going. 今日もがんばりましょう！

A look inside

Washi paper, indigo and a red seal

Warm paper surfaces, indigo-dyed cloth, vermilion stamps and Mincho type. Calm enough to study in every day.

Japanese from zero to JLPT N1: the Path tab with the next lesson and the Starter units

Four skills in every unit: learn, then listen, speak, read, write and try a real task

Grammar explained in plain English: short notes, real examples, common mistakes

Kanji that finally stick: readings, stroke counts and the words that use them

Write kanji stroke by stroke: tracing the kanji for electricity

Train your ear: natural-speed audio, slower whenever you need it

Read real Japanese from day one: tap any word for its reading and meaning

Practise real conversations: 116 everyday scenes, from cafés to the office

Build a habit that lasts: streaks, spaced review and four skills in balance

Your language

Learn Japanese in the language you think in

Explanations, translations and hints come in your language, not only the buttons. Switch at any time in Settings.

English
繁體中文
简体中文
한국어
ไทย
Tiếng Việt
Español
Français
Deutsch
Português (Brasil)
Bahasa Indonesia

Private by design

Your progress stays on your device

No account, no server. Progress is stored on your iPhone or iPad and nowhere else. Export it or reset it in Settings.
Speaking stays with you. Your voice is checked by Apple’s speech recognition, on the device wherever the device supports it, and never reaches KK Studio.
The tutor is on-device. Free conversation uses Apple Intelligence on your device. There is no AI server behind it.
Offline. Lessons and audio are built in. No ads, no tracking.

Read the privacy policy →

Free & Premium

Start free. Read kana before you pay anything.

The whole Starter stage is free: the sounds of Japanese, hiragana, katakana and survival phrases. Michi Premium opens the path from N5 to N1.

What Free and Premium include
Feature	Free	Premium
Starter: sounds, kana and survival phrases	Included	Included
Review of everything you have learned	Included	Included
N5 to N1: 105 more units	Not included	Included
108 more conversations	Not included	Included
Every word, kanji and grammar point in Search	Not included	Included

Premium comes monthly, yearly (with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers) or as a one-time lifetime purchase, all through the App Store. Cancel any time in your Apple Account settings.

The path starts with あ

Download Michi for iPhone and iPad and read your first Japanese word today. The Starter stage is free.