Learning Hiragana may seem to be a very daunting task, but with the correct method it is actually very easy.

If you spend a lot of time commuting we recommend using flash cards. Why not create your own - this will help the learning process and is also quite fun.

If you don't have the time or inclination to create your own then a very good set is produced by the 'White Rabbit Press' and available to buy on Amazon.

Alternatively there are many good books devoted to the subject, or you can use Anki if you have access to a computer.

To get you started here are ALL of the Hiragana in current use...

Type Number Comments
Gojūon 46 Main characters
Dakuten 18 Basic modifications
Handakuten 5
Yōon 21 Double characters
Yōon + Dakuten 9
Yōon + Handakuten 3
Total: 102  

Gojūon

Gojūon literally translates as '50 sounds', however there are actually only 46 of these main characters.

From these base characters all others are derived. Learn these first and the rest will be easy!

Hover over the characters to see animated stroke order.

あ い う え お
a i u e o
か き く け こ
ka ki ku ke ko
さ し す せ そ
sa shi su se so
た ち つ て と
ta chi tsu te to
な に ぬ ね の
na ni nu ne no
は ひ ふ へ ほ
ha hi fu he ho
ま み む め も
ma mi mu me mo
や ゆ よ
ya yu yo
ら り る れ ろ
ra ri ru re ro
わ を
wa wo
ん
n

Dakuten

By adding 'dakuten' (also known as 'ten-ten') to the top-right of some gojūon a further 18 characters/sounds are derived.

A dakuten looks like double quotes: ゛

The dakuten is written last. Because of the simple modification no stroke order animation is given.

が ぎ ぐ げ ご
ga gi gu ge go
ざ じ ず ぜ ぞ
za ji zu ze zo
だ     で ど
da     de do
ば び ぶ べ ぼ
ba bi bu be bo

Handakuten

By adding 'handakuten' (also known as 'maru' - circle) to the top-right of some gojūon a further 5 characters/sounds are derived.

A handakuten is a small circle: ゜

The handakuten is written last. Because of the simple modification no stroke order animation is given.

ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ
pa pi pu pe po

Yōon

By appending a small ya や, yu ゆ or yo よ to certain gojūon a further 21 characters/sounds are derived.

These are 'diagraphs', or more simply two characters combined to give a new one.

The small や, ゆ, or よ is written last. Because of the simple modification no stroke order animation is given.

きゃ   きゅ   きょ
kya   kyu   kyo
しゃ   しゅ   しょ
sha   shu   sho
ちゃ   ちゅ   ちょ
cha   chu   cho
にゃ   にゅ   にょ
nya   nyu   nyo
ひゃ   ひゅ   ひょ
hya   hyu   hyo
みゃ   みゅ   みょ
mya   myu   myo
りゃ   りゅ   りょ
rya   ryu   ryo

Yōon + Dakuten

By appending a small ya や, yu ゆ or yo よ to certain dakuten gojūon a further 9 characters/sounds are derived.

The small や, ゆ, or よ is written last. Because of the simple modification no stroke order animation is given.

ぎゃ   ぎゅ   ぎょ
gya   gyu   gyo
じゃ   じゅ   じょ
ja   ju   jo
びゃ   びゅ   びょ
bya   byu   byo

Yōon + Handakuten

By appending a small ya や, yu ゆ or yo よ to certain handakuten gojūon a final 3 characters/sounds are derived.

The small や, ゆ, or よ is written last. Because of the simple modification no stroke order animation is given.

ぴゃ   ぴゅ   ぴょ
pya   pyu   pyo

Summary

Gojūon   Yōon
あ い う え お            
か き く け こ   きゃ   きゅ   きょ
さ し す せ そ   しゃ   しゅ   しょ
た ち つ て と   ちゃ   ちゅ   ちょ
な に ぬ ね の   にゃ   にゅ   にょ
は ひ ふ へ ほ   ひゃ   ひゅ   ひょ
ま み む め も   みゃ   みゅ   みょ
や   ゆ   よ            
ら り る れ ろ   りゃ   りゅ   りょ
わ       を            
    ん                
Dakuten   Yōon + Dakuten
が ぎ ぐ げ ご   ぎゃ   ぎゅ   ぎょ
ざ じ ず ぜ ぞ   じゃ   じゅ   じょ
だ     で ど            
ば び ぶ べ ぼ   びゃ   びゅ   びょ
Handakuten   Yōon + Handakuten
ぱ ぴ ぷ ぺ ぽ   ぴゃ   ぴゅ   ぴょ