Learning Japanese

Have a look at the Toyama handbook page on Learning Japanese. There are loads of great ideas and also information on tutors in the ken.

Best link EVER.

• Hiragana-izer Yes, I just made that word up. This awesome site puts hiragana (furigana) above the kanji on Japanese websites. I'm in love!

Online lessons and tests

• Smart.fm Free Interactive Courses Smart.fm offers a variety of in-browser step-based Japanese courses from Beginner (Hiragana/Katakana memorization) to Advanced, with everything in between. The learning system incorporates 10-word vocabulary quizzes, model sentences, listening reinforcement and spelling practice to test your learning day-by-day. Free iPhone/SmartPhone applications from Smart.fm are available for study on the go.
• Japanese verbs Linea recommends this page if you're looking for good explanations of Japanese verbs
• Meguro Language Centre A good site which has lots of resources if you're studying for the JLPT
• The Japanese Page Lots of resources for learning and a fun kanji page
• Rikai(English to Japanese) (Japanese to English) A page for more advanced learners with handy rollover English-Japanese (and vice versa) translations.
• JGram A page focusing on Japanese grammar
• Kanji Step Japanese Language Resouce Center Weekly kanji tests and other learning resources
• JTest Another site offering profficiency tests
• Kanji-gold Free downloadable program to help you master kanji!
• Japanese for beginners@about.com Basic lessons to get you started
• 500 Kanji Flashcards

Help to learn the 500 most common Kanji

• The Kanji Site Good for Level 4 and 3 of the JLPT.
• Manythings - Japanese Amanda K recommends this site of free online study materials.
• JapaneseKanji-com Another site to help you learn Kanji.
• Lang-8 A nifty website where you can keep a journal in Japanese, which native speakers can then read and correct for you.

Online/other dictionaries

• Tensai A free downloadable Japanese dictionary for Mac OSX.
• JEDict A free Japanese/kanji dictionary for PC/Mac.
• Rikai-chan If you use Firefox then you must download this plugin. If you put your mouse over Japanese text it will give you readings and meanings right away.
• The Japan Shop A website selling lots of electronic dictionaries and books for learning Japanese.
• BabelFish A translation site which allows you to translate text segments or full web pages. The results will probably need interpretation on your end, but it's a start.
• Goo.ne.jp dictionary A Japanese language online dictionary. It has J-E and E-J, but the real draw is the extensive J-J dictionary for those obscure phrases that you just can't find elsewhere.
• Jim Breen's WWWJDIC Japanese-English Dictionary Server A decent, free online dictionary for J-E and E-J with kanji lookup by radical.

Japanese Language Schools/Courses

• Yamasa Institute The Yamasa Institute in Aichi Ken
• Kai Japanese School In Shinjuku
• AMICA Language School Another school in Tokyo
• Sapporo Nihongo Gakko Go to Hokkaido and learn Japanese!
• Genki Japanese School Run by an ex-ALT and offers intensive courses+homestay in Fukuoka.
• Suzuka International University One-year intermediate Japanese language course in Mie-ken; highly recommended by former ToyamaJETs