Using Reddit to Learn Japanese

Are you trying to immerse in Japanese but find yourself using the English side of reddit everyday?

Have you already reached a high level of Japanese and want to expand your cultural knowledge?

Are you a beginner of Japanese, looking to dive straight into native content to speed up your learning?

Whatever your situation I highly recommend you make use of the Japanese threads that are available on reddit.

These subreddits are on a variety of different topics and they can give you a real insight into normal everyday Japanese and “internet Japanese”.

One thing to note though, Japanese don’t tend to use Reddit as much as the English side of the internet do.

In fact, reddit is pretty much dead in Japan. But even if it’s dead, you can still learn a lot from old posts in these subreddits.

This post is a great resource though as you will find a massive variety of Japanese sites that you would never have known about before, so I definitely recommend going through and taking a look at some of the subreddits here.

If you want a similar experience to reddit then the Japanese have a similar site, which is incredibly popular, called 2ちゃんねる which I also suggest checking out.

What is Reddit?

From wikipedia: “Reddit is an American social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website. Reddit’s registered community members can submit content such as text posts or direct links. Registered users can then vote submissions up or down that determines their position on the page.”

It is essentially a massive forum that contains content for just about an topic you can think of. Food, pets, books, games, meditation, literally anything!

It is an incredibly popular site that contains a lot of amazing high quality content, but most of it is in English and it is pretty difficult to find “subreddits” that are in another language besides English unless you already speak that language.

So today I have gathered as many subreddits that are written in (native) Japanese for you Japanese learners out there looking for native content to get your teeth immersed into.

I started writing this post ages ago and forgot about it. Some of the translations may not be accurate as I suck at translating between the two languages and because I translated a lot of this way before I reached fluency. I got the original list from some link I found on the Japanese side of the internet somewhere which I’ve since lost track of.

Please also note that I haven’t checked every single link either. There maybe some content in this list that you might not want to look at in front of your family members or at work, you have been warned. I’ve tried to remove most of the NSFW threads from the original list as possible but if you find any please tell me and I’ll remove them.

So without further ado, here’s the list.

The Ultimate List of Japanese Subreddits (SFW)

Technology

/r/Android_JP Android /r/hackintosh_ja Hackintosh /r/Linux_jp Linux /r/windowsphonejp Windows Phone Japan /r/hardware_ja Hardware /r/jisakupc Homemade PC’s /r/raspberry_pi_ja Raspberry Pi

Reddit

/r/RedditsHistory_ja History of Reddit /r/chiebukuro Reddit’s bag of wisdom /r/ja Japanese version of reddit /r/modclubhouse_ja A place for Moderator’s to gather /r/nsrarchive_jp Reddit archives /r/Reddit_Beginners How to use reddit /r/portal_ja Reddit Japan Portal

SciFi

/r/ScienceFiction_ja Science Fiction

Social Media

/r/Twetch9 Tweeting Channel 9

Anime and Manga

/r/anikyar_ja Individual anime characters /r/anison_jp Anime songs /r/chaos_dragon Chaos Dragon /r/charactorvoice Voice Actors /r/Charsenyou Sub reddit dedicated to “Char” /r/denpasong Denpa songs /r/fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuJP Rage Comic /r/GJbu GJ Club /r/ja_manga Manga /r/japan_anime Anime /r/lovelive_ja Love live /r/lovelive_sunshine_ja Love live sunshine /r/mylittlepony_ja My little pony /r/old_anime_jp Nostalgic anime /r/Pripara_Ja Puripara /r/Robotanime Robot Anime /r/vablog_ja Voice actor blog updates /r/wakeupgirls_jp Wake Up, Girls! /r/webcomic_ja Place to post manga

Internet

/r/asciiart_jp ASCII art /r/bookmarks_ja URL Dumping Ground /r/browsergame_jp Browser Games /r/css_ja CSS Japanese /r/netkaiko_jp Nostalgic Net /r/OnlineStorage_ja Online Storage /r/security_ja Security /r/PolandballJapanese Japanese versions of the Polandball meme

Card Games

Gravure

Ｇrotesque

/r/hitogashinu People dying /r/newsl News Lunatic

Games

/r/appligame_jp Mobile Games /r/AssassinsCreed_JA Assassins Creed /r/browsergame_jp Browser Games /r/chaos_dragon Chaos Dragon /r/citiesskylines_ja Cities: Skylines （Japanese） /r/consolegame Console Games /r/CubeLife_ja Cube Life WiiU /r/DarkSouls3_ja Dark Souls 3 /r/dq_oheya_ja Slime Room /r/dqx_jp Dragon Quest X /r/elona_jp Elona ~Little Sister Mansion~ /r/ffxiv_ja FINAL FANTASY XIV /r/FireEmblem_ja Fire Emblem /r/gamedev_ja Game Developing /r/gamemaker_ja GameMaker:Studio /r/gamemusic_jp Game Music /r/gamenews_ja Game News /r/gamerobo Robot Games /r/Gaming_Device Gaming Devices /r/granbluefantasy_ja Grand Blue Fantasy /r/GTAV_JP GTA V /r/gundambreaker2_jp Gundam Breaker Series /r/hortensia_saga Hortensia Saga: Blue Knights /r/imas_ja Idol Master /r/ingress_ja Ingress /r/iosgame_ja IOS games /r/Kakuge Fighting Games /r/kancolle_ja Kan Kore /r/LP_JA Collection of Game Let’s Play Videos /r/minecraft_jp Minecraft /r/MONOLITHSOFT_JP Monolith Soft /r/MonsterHunter_jp Monster Hunter /r/nintendo_jp Nintendo /r/otoge Music Games /r/pcgames_ja PC Games /r/pokemon_jp pokemon_jp /r/PSO2_jp Phantasy Star Online 2 /r/retrogamejp Retro Games /r/rocksmith_jp Rocksmith /r/RogueLikesLOS Roguelike /r/RolePaint Role Paint /r/Shenmue_jp Shenmue /r/skyrimmod_jp Skyrim MODs /r/smartphonegame_ja Games for Smart Phone /r/Smite_JP SMITE_JP /r/StarCraft_JP StarCraft_JP /r/steamr Steam /r/StreetFighter_JP Street Fighter /r/TableTopGames_ja Table Top Games /r/thelongdark_jp The Long Dark JP /r/touhou_jp Touhou Project /r/treeofsavior_jp Tree of Savior

Sports

/r/BayStars Yokohama Bay Stars /r/bicycle_ja Bicycles /r/Motorsports_ja Motorsports and Parts /r/nanJ Baseball /r/rugby_ja Rugby /r/soccer_jp Soccer /r/sumo_ja Sumo wrestiling

Smartphone Games

/r/ingress_ja Ingress /r/iosgame_ja ios games /r/PokemonGo_Ja Pokemon GO /r/PuzzleAndDragons_ja Puzzle and Dragons /r/Smite_JP SMITE /r/smartphonegame_ja Games for Smartphones

Software

/r/Android_JP Android /r/Blenderja Blender /r/CG_ja CG (Computer graphics) /r/Enhancement_ja Reddit Enhancement Suite (ja) /r/hackintosh_ja Hackintosh /r/pilgrim_android Pilgrim for Android /r/rv_dev RV dev /r/security_ja Security /r/software_ja Software /r/windowsphonejp Windows Phone Japan

TV/Radio

/r/TVCommentators_jp TV Commentators /r/tvdrama_jp TV Dramas /r/TV_ja TV JP

News

/r/BakaNewsJP Baka News /r/eiganews Movie news for Japanese cinema fans /r/energy_news_ja Energy News /r/GeinouNews Celebrity News /r/genpatu Nuclear Power /r/kawaraban Kawaraban /r/kenmou Breaking news /r/kokusaijyousei_ja International Affairs /r/neet4r Neet news, looks like a guy’s diary… /r/newsg NewsＧ (Genuine) /r/news_ja News /r/newsjoho News and information /r/newsl NewsL /r/newsoku Breaking news /r/newsokucontroversial Breaking news (controversal) /r/newsokuex Breaking news EX /r/newsokuexp Breaking news express /r/newsoku_jp Breaking news Japan /r/Newsoku_L Breaking news L /r/newsokuliberty Break news liberty /r/newsokur Breaking news R /r/newsokur_Backup Breaking news Ɍ backup /r/newsokurplus Breaking news R+ /r/newssokuf Breaking news F /r/NewsSokuhou_R Breaking news R /r/privacy_ja Privacy /r/quake_jp Earthquakes and disaster /r/renhou_ja Russia news /r/shikyo Market conditions /r/sky_ja Weather /r/sokur2 Break news 2: People with spare time /r/tikagenron Underground discussions /r/newsoku Breaking news /r/newsokuMoral Breaking news ethics/morals /r/newsokunomoral Breaking news ethics/morals /r/newsokur Breaking news reddit /r/newsokurev Breaking news rev /r/newsokuvip Breaking news VIP /r/newssokuf Breaking news F

Comedic Material

/r/antixmas_ja Anti Christmas /r/apocalypse_jp End of the world/gathering for the apocalypse /r/dam_jp Rivers, lakes and dams /r/Fuee Fuee /r/H2GR Reddit hitchhiking guide /r/hitomozi_ja 1 letter/word/kanji /r/inbou_ja Plotting time /r/manhole_jp A sub thread for manhole covers (yup, you read that correctly) /r/nfja 404 Not Found /r/nununununu Nu /r/Ohmae_Kenichi Kenichi Ohmae /r/oraora Ora Ora /r/pseudoChinese Pseudo Chinese (funny when you know kanji) /r/washlet_jp Sinks, showers and toilets… /r/yajirushi Arrows?!

Internet

/r/netservice_ja Internet service

Online Games

/r/Eve_ja EVE Online /r/Fallout4_ja Fallout 4 /r/GlobalOffensive_ja Counter-Strike: Global Offensive /r/heroesofthestorm_ja Heroes of the Storm /r/League_of_Legends_JP League of Legends /r/mmorpg_ja MMORPG /r/PSO2_jp Phantasy Star Online 2 /r/starcitizen_ja Star Citizen /r/StarCraft_JP StarCraft /r/WoWs_ja World of Warships & WW II movie collections

Internet short stories

/r/NetNovel_ja Internet short stories

Programming

/r/sicp_ja SICP ja

Horror

/r/ScaryStory_JP Horror stories

Mascot characters

/r/MascotCharacter_ja Mascot characters

Mystery

Media

/r/Editorial_jp Editorial /r/TUSOSS Sankei Newspaper Fabrications

Lifestyle

/r/100kin 100 yen goods /r/CreditCard_jp Credit cards /r/dam_jp Rivers, lakes, dams /r/deai_konkatsu_jp Dating/marriage partner site reviews /r/Gakusei_ja School kids /r/hage The bald sub reddit /r/interpretation_ja Translation and interpretation /r/kaigai_seikatsu Living abroad /r/karada Body and health /r/kojiki Crazy deals for poor people /r/kokoro Body and soul /r/koya_ja Sheds /r/qualification_jp Qualifications and licenses /r/souji_ja Cleaning /r/stationery_jp Stationery /r/Togoiryou_jp Let’s support integrative medicine! /r/yarou Let’s do it!

Radio

Personal

/r/doraiso Doraiso (some dude’s personal reddit)

Photos

/r/jinjya Japanese Shrines /r/kaleidoscope_ja Kaleidoscopes

International

/r/cis_ja Former Soviet Union /r/kokusaijyousei_ja International situation

Entertainment

Studying

/r/butsurigaku Physics /r/eigo English /r/linguistics_ja Linguistics /r/philo_jp Philosphy /r/sugaku Mathematics /r/WriteJPN_EigoDeKakou Write Japanese/Write English

History

/r/Jpn_History Japanese History

Religion

Commentary

/r/japan_anime Anime /r/J_SFX Special Effects /r/LP_JA Let’s play video gamers /r/Motorsports_ja Motor sports /r/Radio_ja Radio /r/sumo_ja Sumo wrestling /r/TVCommentators_jp TV commentators /r/tvdrama_jp TV drama /r/TV_ja TV

Home Electrical Products

/r/Android_JP Android /r/apple_jp Apple products /r/digitalcamera_jp Digital cameras /r/kaden_ja Home electrical products /r/PortableAV_JP Portable chargers

Reddit Browsers

/r/pilgrim_android Reddit browser for android /r/Reddiest Reddit browser for android

Technology/Engineering

/r/cryptocurrency_ja Crypto-currency /r/eizo Video production /r/lisp_ja LISP ja /r/MachineLearning_JP Machine learning /r/OnlineStorage_ja Online storage /r/p18s p18s /r/programming_jp Programming /r/security_ja Security

Politics and Economics

/r/giin Members of parliament /r/I_am_not_Abe I am not Abe /r/keizai Economics /r/kokkai National Diet (legislative assembly of Japan) /r/NMR_R The peoples reformist movement /r/ombudsman_ja Ombudsman /r/OtakuNetouyoStudies Otakus and online right-wingers /r/PanamaPapers_jp Panama papers /r/Politics_ja Politics /r/senkyo Elections /r/shikyo Market conditions

Literature

/r/Cthulhu_ja Cthulhu Mythos ​ /r/dokusyo_syoseki_r Reading books /r/jisaku_poem Creating poems /r/narou Let’s become an author /r/relaynovel_ja Relay novels /r/Zartan_branch Zartan

Travel

Film

/r/eiganews movie news for Japanese cinema fans /r/GuessTheEiga Guess the film /r/movie_ja Films



Morning soap opera

Combat Sport

History

/r/Jomon Jomon period /r/Jpn_History History of Japan /r/Sangokushi Age of the Three_Kingdoms multi-lingual /r/sengoku Warring States period /r/whistory_ja History of the western world

Law

/r/AskReddit_law_jp AskReddit Law

/r/Law_ja Law

Animals

Images

/r/gazou Images /r/GirlsLove_ja Good looking girls (SFW)

Society

/r/employee_jp A subreddit for Japanese salary men /r/hellowork Hello Work Jobs /r/lgbt_ja LGBT Japan /r/PanamaPapers_jp Panama Papers /r/Startup_ja Startups /r/yoronchosa Public opinion polls

Science

Jobs

/r/mushoku_jp Unemployed Japan

The Arts

/r/bijutsu Fine arts



Questions

/r/AskReddit_ja Ask reddit! /r/IAmA_ja IAmA(Japan) – Professionals answer questions

Hobbies

/r/airsoft_jp Airsoft /r/AnimeFigures_ja Anime figures /r/Aquariums_ja Aquariums /r/craft_ja Crafts /r/darts_ja Darts /r/dolls_ja Dolls /r/engei Gardening /r/GuitarBass_JA Guitar and Bass /r/keiba Horse racing /r/knives_ja Knives /r/MILITARY_JP Army/Millitary /r/motorcycle_ja Motorbikes /r/nuigurumi Teddies /r/occult_ja Occult /r/oogiri Oogiri /r/pachinko_slot Pachinko and slot machines /r/petdaisuki Pet lovers /r/Photograph_ja Photography /r/plasticmodel_ja Plastic models /r/ruins_jp Ruins /r/shogiR Shogi (Japanese chess) /r/tobacco_ja Smoking /r/toys_ja Toys /r/UnusualSurvival_ja Survival

Other

/r/daimajin Daimajin /r/Fuee Fuee /r/kusosure A poop thread?! /r/lowlevelaware Low level aware /r/ryuseigai The back of leaflets /r/ryuuseigai_ja It’s ryuuseigai! /r/sayjaaaaaaap Say J aaaaaaa p

/r/todayilearned_jp Today I Learned

Chatting

/r/ahotalk Idiot talk /r/BackOfLeaflet_ja Back Of Leaflet /r/BakaNewsJP Baka news /r/bzvermillion B’z /r/complaint_jp Complaining /r/darenruisu darenruisu /r/futuu Normal /r/Giron Discussion /r/guchi Moaning /r/kansou_jp Reactions /r/nsrsurvey_jp Surveys /r/rakugakicho Sketchbook /r/zatsudan Chatting

Music

/r/BABYMETAL_japan Baby Metal /r/denpasong Denpa song /r/METAL_jp Metal /r/musicmakers_ja Making music /r/ongakur All types of music /r/progre_jp Progressive /r/singing_ja Singing /r/VOCALOID_UTAU_jp Vocaloid



Food and Drink

/r/cooking_ja Cooking /r/CupNoodles_ja Cup noodles /r/drpepper_ja Dr pepper /r/drunk_ja Alcohol /r/FastFood_ja Fast food /r/FoodPorn_ja Food porn /r/garigarikun Crunching-kun /r/Geko_jp Subreddit for people who don’t drink /r/kinoko_jp Mushrooms /r/lowpricegourmet_tokyo Low price food in Tokyo /r/nikujaga Meat and potato stew /r/okashi_ja Sweets /r/okome Rice

All in all I think there could be some gems in here that will be very useful to some of you. I haven’t checked all the threads myself though so if any are inactive or have content that isn’t appropriate then please tell me and I will remove them from this list.

Hopefully you found this post useful and as always,

Thanks for reading!