開拓 Kaitaku Get notified
Kaitaku · Learn Japanese

A path you'll actually finish.

The spaced-repetition power of Anki with the ease of Duolingo — one structured daily path from zero to JLPT N5, without the ad assault or the resource-juggling burnout.

Coming to theApp Store N5 free forever. No ads · no account · works offline

Not out yet — email hello@kaitaku.app and we'll tell you the day it ships.

The path

Twenty-six steps. Then N5 is yours.

This is the actual map from the app — it flows left to right, from your first あ to every N5 word. Each step unlocks the next; the glowing one is where you are today.

Scroll the path sideways — it keeps going, and so will you. →

Structure

One path, not seventeen apps

Most people don't quit Japanese because it's hard — they burn out juggling a kanji app, a deck app, a grammar site, and a YouTube playlist. Kaitaku is one structured daily path: kana → kanji → vocabulary → particles → verb forms, each step unlocking the next, with a map that shows exactly where you are and what's left. Finishable, on purpose.

26path steps to N5
1app to open each day
Handwriting

Write it, don't just recognize it

Guided handwriting practice with real stroke order for 927 glyphs — every kana, plus all 785 kanji you'll meet across N5 and N4 vocabulary — traced on screen, scored stroke by stroke, and tracked toward mastery. Writing is the memory trick flashcards can't give you: your hand learns the character your eyes keep forgetting.

927glyphs with stroke data
142kana
785kanji
Memory

Spaced repetition like Anki — without the deck-building

Every review in Kaitaku is scheduled by FSRS, the modern spaced-repetition algorithm Anki power users install by hand. The difference: there are no decks to download, no card templates to debug, no settings rabbit hole. Every new row, topic, and pack opens with a teach sheet — words in context, one idea at a time, never a wall of information crammed onto one card — and then FSRS brings each item back right before you'd forget it.

Kindness

A streak that forgives

Miss a day and Kaitaku quietly covers for you — automatic streak grace, free, always. No guilt-trip notifications, no crying mascot, no paid streak repair. The streak exists to make showing up feel good, not to make leaving feel expensive. Study apps should be on your side.

Pricing

Free where you start. One purchase if you keep going.

No subscription, ever. Nothing you buy is ever taken back.

JLPT N5
Free forever
  • The complete N5 path — kana, kanji, vocabulary, particles, verb forms
  • Guided handwriting practice, scored stroke by stroke
  • FSRS spaced-repetition reviews
  • The kind streak, grace included
  • No ads, no account, works offline
Everything past N5
$9.99 one-time · yours forever
Launch special
  • The full N4 course: 16 path steps, 62 grammar points, 195 kanji, 668 words
  • Every future level, included in the same unlock
  • Family Sharing — one purchase covers your household
  • Not a subscription. It never renews, and never expires.

An honest comparison

People find Kaitaku searching for a free Duolingo alternative for Japanese, or an Anki alternative that doesn't need deck-building. Here's the truthful version — including what the others do better.

App Genuinely best at Where Kaitaku differs
Duolingo A fun, gamified habit across dozens of languages; unbeatable at making day one easy. Kaitaku is Japanese-only and JLPT-structured — a path with an end, no ads, no energy system, no paid streak repair.
Anki Total control for power users — any subject, any card design, endless community decks. Kaitaku runs the same FSRS scheduling with zero setup: no deck hunting, and every item is taught before you're quizzed on it.
WaniKani Deep kanji mnemonics and a devoted community for the long haul to N1-level kanji. Kaitaku covers kanji inside a complete beginner path — kana, vocabulary, grammar, handwriting — for a one-time purchase instead of a subscription.
Kaitaku The finishable beginner path: N5 free forever, FSRS reviews, real handwriting practice, everything on your phone. If you outgrow it into 10,000-card territory, we'll wave as you leave for Anki.

Why "Kaitaku"?

開拓 means pioneering — breaking new ground, clearing land you intend to stay on. That's what learning a language actually is: not a streak-defending sprint, but ground you clear once and keep.

Kaitaku is built by one developer who got tired of the choice between a cheerful app that never gets you to Japanese, and a powerful tool that demands a second hobby in deck maintenance. Every word, reading, and example sentence is anchored to trusted open sources — JMdict, KANJIDIC2, Tatoeba, KanjiVG — because a study app should be as careful with the language as you are.

Questions, answered

Is Kaitaku really free?

The complete JLPT N5 course is free forever — every deck, the full path, handwriting practice, and FSRS reviews, with no ads and no account. One optional one-time purchase ($9.99, launch special) unlocks everything past N5. There is no subscription.

Is Kaitaku a good Duolingo alternative for Japanese?

If you want a free, ad-free app focused only on Japanese with a structured JLPT path — yes, that's exactly what Kaitaku is. Duolingo is broader and more gamified; Kaitaku trades the game layer for a path that actually ends at N5, real handwriting practice, and a streak that never guilt-trips you.

How is it different from Anki?

Kaitaku uses FSRS, the same modern spaced-repetition algorithm Anki's power users rely on — but with no deck-building, no card templates, and no settings to tune. Content is curated, introduced with teach sheets, and scheduled automatically. Anki is more flexible; Kaitaku is ready on the day you install it.

Does it work offline?

Completely. Everything — the dictionary data, the scheduler, handwriting scoring — runs on your phone. No account, no server, no data collected. Airplane mode is a fully supported study environment.

Does it teach writing, or just recognition?

Both. Kaitaku includes guided handwriting practice with correct stroke order for 927 glyphs — all kana, plus every kanji that appears in N5 and N4 vocabulary — scored as you trace and tracked toward mastery alongside your reviews.

What happens to my purchase if prices change?

Nothing. The unlock is one-time and permanent — it never renews, never expires, and is never revoked. It also supports Family Sharing, so one purchase covers your household.

Privacy policy

Kaitaku collects no data. No analytics, no tracking, no account, no servers. Your study history lives only on your device and in your own device backups, where we can't see it. Deleting the app deletes everything — there is nothing to request a copy of and nothing for us to erase. Purchases are processed by Apple through the App Store; we receive no personal information from them. Read the full privacy policy →

Support

Found a bug, a wrong reading, or a feature you wish existed? Email support@kaitaku.app — you'll get the developer, not a ticket robot. Corrections to the Japanese are especially welcome and credited. Full support page →