Free tool
Hiragana and katakana quiz
Fast multiple-choice drills for both scripts. Add the voiced sounds (が), p-sounds (ぱ) and contracted sounds (きゃ) when you're ready. The characters you miss come back first, and your progress stays on this device.
46 characters in play
Why it matters
Kana speed is free points on the JFT-Basic
Every section uses it
Questions, options, notices and chat messages are written in Japanese script. Slow kana reading eats into the single 60-minute clock you share across all four sections.
Kanji Reading asks for kana
In Script and Vocabulary you pick the hiragana reading of a kanji word. Options often differ by one mark: でんしゃ, てんしゃ, でんしや. Dakuten and small ゃ・ゅ・ょ have to be automatic.
Katakana is everywhere in daily life
Menus, shop signs, product labels and loanwords like コンビニ or シフト are written in katakana, and daily-life texts are what the test is built on.
How to use it
From zero to automatic
Start with basic hiragana
The 46 basic characters, kana to romaji. Aim for a streak of 20 before adding anything.
Add dakuten and handakuten
Two small strokes (゛) make a voiced sound: か ka → が ga. A small circle (゜) on the h-row makes p: は ha → ぱ pa.
Add yōon
An i-sound plus a small ゃ, ゅ or ょ makes one syllable: き + ゃ = きゃ kya. Watch the size: きや is two syllables, ki-ya.
Repeat with katakana, then mix
Switch to katakana, then to both scripts and mixed questions. Use "Practise only my mistakes" at the end of each session.
Romaji here follows Hepburn, the system used on passports and in the Japan Foundation's Irodori course: し shi, ち chi, つ tsu, ふ fu, じ ji, ん n. を is shown as wo but is pronounced o. ぢ and づ sound the same as じ and ず, so they only appear as kana → romaji questions.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- JFT-Basic vocabulary and kanjiThe words, kanji and set phrases that come up again and again, grouped by daily-life topic.
- JFT-Basic sample questionsOriginal example questions for every section, each with the answer and why it is right.
- Free JFT-Basic practice test12 original questions across all four sections in 15 minutes, with an instant band estimate. No sign-up.
- JFT-Basic study planA week-by-week plan from kana to test day, built around the free Irodori coursebook.
Step 1 · 15 minutes
Kana fast? Try real JFT-Basic questions.
The free practice test has 12 questions across all four sections, with audio and a band estimate.
Free. No account needed. Your result stays on this device.