Free Japanese learning for real life in Japan. Yokoso adapts around what you know, teaches signs, prices and grammar in context, imports WaniKani progress, works offline, and has no ads, streaks or locked lessons.
Framer AI AgentsDesign and publish professional sites with AI
Promoted
Maker
π
Hi Product Hunt, Iβm James, the person behind Yokoso.
I started building it after moving to northern Japan and realizing that most beginner apps were teaching Japanese in an order that had very little to do with the life happening around me. I needed to read signs, understand prices, recognize counters, and make sense of the grammar inside useful phrases. I also did not want to start over every time I tried a new tool.
Yokoso opens directly into learning and adapts around what you already know. New material arrives as a lightweight probe. When you know it, the app skips the lesson. When you do not, it teaches the answer and explains why. It can also import WaniKani and Bunpro progress so those learners keep the work they have already done.
The app is free forever, with no ads, streaks, lives, paywalls, or locked lessons. Optional supporter contributions unlock nothing.
I would especially value feedback on two things:
1. Does the first five minutes make it clear why Yokoso is different?
2. Which real-life Japanese situation should the app teach better next?
The web app works offline and without an account, and the iOS app is live. Thanks for taking a look.
@james_ketolaΒ Hi James, kudos on making a practical language learning product! Though I am not studying Japanese, I used to study Chinese (and a few other languages). I remember the frustration over books and apps NOT being adapted to everyday practical speech. I am pretty sure the app is very useful, the fact you built it to match your own situation (living in Japan) and that the app adapts to your level says it all for me ^__^ Good luck on the launch, hope Yokoso gets noticed by learners of Japanese!
Report
Congratulations on the launch, James! π
I'm Japanese, born and raised, and I just want to say β seeing someone move to northern Japan and build something this thoughtful for learners made me really happy. The name made me smile too (γγγγ!).
What resonated most with me is the philosophy: no streaks, no lives, no paywalls, and respecting what learners already know. That's rare. And as a native speaker, I can confirm that counters, prices, and signs are exactly the things textbooks skip but real life throws at you on day one.
For your second question β a few situations I'd love to see Yokoso teach, because they trip up every foreign friend I've helped:
The pharmacy / clinic: describing symptoms and understanding dosage instructions (ι£εΎ, 1ζ₯3ε, etc.)
City hall paperwork: δ½ζ°η₯¨, δΏιΊ, εΉ΄ι β the vocabulary is brutal but unavoidable
Garbage separation rules: ηγγγ΄γ vs θ³ζΊγ΄γ, and the collection-day signage
Train delay announcements: ι ε»Ά, ιθ»’θ¦εγγ, ζ―ζΏθΌΈι β these are stressful even to half-understand
Rooting for you from Japan. εΏζ΄γγ¦γγΎγ!
I've been learning Japanese for 6 years so far, and I've been satisfied with how my sensei teaches, but I must admit I'm still afraid to use the language in everyday situations. And I think it's mostly because I try to speak it the European way; I'm still not good at aizuchi, so all my conversations feel a bit stiff, like taken straight from a workbook. Watching anime doesn't help at all, maybe because seiyuu are doing a great job articulating... Reading the launch desc, I feel like Yokoso may be the help I need, so I'll definitely give it a try ;)
Report
the "no streaks, no lives, no locked lessons" line is what got me, most language apps are optimized to keep you opening the app rather than to make you actually capable in the country. one situation I'd add to the pharmacy/city hall/garbage list already here: phone calls for redelivery when you miss a parcel. it comes up constantly, it's pure listening under pressure with no visual context, and almost every learner I know just avoids answering the phone entirely instead of dealing with it.
Alconost Localization Lab
@james_ketolaΒ Hi James, kudos on making a practical language learning product! Though I am not studying Japanese, I used to study Chinese (and a few other languages). I remember the frustration over books and apps NOT being adapted to everyday practical speech. I am pretty sure the app is very useful, the fact you built it to match your own situation (living in Japan) and that the app adapts to your level says it all for me ^__^
Good luck on the launch, hope Yokoso gets noticed by learners of Japanese!
Congratulations on the launch, James! π
I'm Japanese, born and raised, and I just want to say β seeing someone move to northern Japan and build something this thoughtful for learners made me really happy. The name made me smile too (γγγγ!).
What resonated most with me is the philosophy: no streaks, no lives, no paywalls, and respecting what learners already know. That's rare. And as a native speaker, I can confirm that counters, prices, and signs are exactly the things textbooks skip but real life throws at you on day one.
For your second question β a few situations I'd love to see Yokoso teach, because they trip up every foreign friend I've helped:
The pharmacy / clinic: describing symptoms and understanding dosage instructions (ι£εΎ, 1ζ₯3ε, etc.)
City hall paperwork: δ½ζ°η₯¨, δΏιΊ, εΉ΄ι β the vocabulary is brutal but unavoidable
Garbage separation rules: ηγγγ΄γ vs θ³ζΊγ΄γ, and the collection-day signage
Train delay announcements: ι ε»Ά, ιθ»’θ¦εγγ, ζ―ζΏθΌΈι β these are stressful even to half-understand
Rooting for you from Japan. εΏζ΄γγ¦γγΎγ!
TimeCamp
Congratulations on the launch!
I've been learning Japanese for 6 years so far, and I've been satisfied with how my sensei teaches, but I must admit I'm still afraid to use the language in everyday situations. And I think it's mostly because I try to speak it the European way; I'm still not good at aizuchi, so all my conversations feel a bit stiff, like taken straight from a workbook. Watching anime doesn't help at all, maybe because seiyuu are doing a great job articulating... Reading the launch desc, I feel like Yokoso may be the help I need, so I'll definitely give it a try ;)
the "no streaks, no lives, no locked lessons" line is what got me, most language apps are optimized to keep you opening the app rather than to make you actually capable in the country. one situation I'd add to the pharmacy/city hall/garbage list already here: phone calls for redelivery when you miss a parcel. it comes up constantly, it's pure listening under pressure with no visual context, and almost every learner I know just avoids answering the phone entirely instead of dealing with it.