So, you want to learn Japanese. Great decision!

But where do you start? How do you get there? What do you do when the going gets rough?

I thought it might be useful to create something that I wish had existed when I started learning Japanese almost a decade ago, and this guide is the result. It’s a multi-tiered approach that will tell you what to do at every step of the way (from absolute beginner up to JLPT N1), with literacy as the primary goal.

I hope you find it useful.

Note: Be sure to read the additional sections below the guide. There’s lots of information that’s almost as important as the guide itself.

This guide may change over time as resources become newly available and/or outdated. Keep this page bookmarked!