Best YouTube Channels to Learn Japanese
If you're on a journey to master the Japanese language, tapping into the best YouTube channels to learn Japanese is one of the smartest moves you can make. YouTube offers a range of free, accessible content created by native speakers, language teachers, and experienced learners. Whether you’re just starting out or brushing up for the JLPT, these curated channels can supercharge your learning.
In this article, we’ll highlight the top 10 YouTube channels to learn Japanese, covering everything from grammar and vocabulary to immersion-based learning. These channels are perfect for beginners and intermediate learners looking for engaging, structured, and native content.
Top 10 YouTube Channels for Beginner Japanese Learners
These YouTube channels cover basic Japanese vocabulary, grammar, writing systems, and key phrases. You’ll go from using survival Japanese, such as はじめまして!, to being able to use conditionals, express doubt and probability, and more. The channels in this section use clear and easy-to-understand explanations, and nearly always teach in English.
1.TLS- The Japanese Language School
https://www.youtube.com/@tlsjapaneselanguageschool
Whether you're just learning hiragana or brushing up after completing Genki II, you’ll find a structured, engaging, and supportive learning experience with TLS – The Japanese Language School’s YouTube channel. Designed by professional Japanese language educators, the content caters specifically to both absolute beginners and intermediate learners preparing for exams like the JLPT N5 and N4.
TLS has a thoughtfully organized playlist structure: "Basic Japanese Grammar for Beginners," "JLPT N5 Mastery," "Daily Vocabulary Practice," and “Conversational Japanese with Native Speakers.” These playlists build from the very basics—such as sentence patterns and particle usage—to more advanced listening and comprehension practice and Prepare for the JLPT exams.
What sets TLS apart is its classroom-style clarity blended with native usage. Videos often include structured grammar explanations, examples in both hiragana/katakana/kanji and romaji, with English translations presented in a clean, easy-to-read layout. TLS videos also incorporate interactive quizzes, mistake correction segments, and color-coded sentence breakdowns, helping learners develop both accuracy and intuition.
Instructors speak both English and Japanese throughout the videos, which not only helps clarify complex topics but also gives learners immersive exposure to natural Japanese speech patterns. It's a go-to channel if you're serious about stepping up your skills with methodical guidance and expert support.
Read More-: How Can I Say Husband in Japanese
2. Japanese Ammo With Misa
www.youtube.com/@JapaneseAmmowithMisa
Whether you’re an absolute beginner or finishing up Genki II, you’ll be in safe hands with this channel.
Misa has uploaded three playlists for absolute beginners: Japanese Characters, Grammar Lessons For Absolute Beginners, and New Absolute Beginner Japanese Lessons. Once you’re past the essentials, you can then try her JLPT N5 and N4 playlists, her listening practice activities, and her playlists about vocabulary and slang.
As well as being entertaining and in depth, Misa’s videos use a range of good teaching techniques, such as showing you incorrect Japanese and giving you time to identify the mistake(s). Important words and phrases are written in Japanese script and romaji with English translations beneath them, while colour coding draws attention to important parts of the phrase. She also speaks Japanese a lot in the videos, giving you extra listening practice.
Read More-: Japanese Dialects
3. Minori Education – N5・N4 日本語勉強チャンネル
www.youtube.com/@Minori-Education
This channel will take you through an N5 and N4 Japanese curriculum, teaching you grammar, vocabulary, and writing systems. The catch? It’s all in Japanese, although there are English, Vietnamese, and Japanese subtitles. If listening and pronunciation are a priority for you, then this is a great channel to start with.
You won’t run out of content any time soon, either. There are hundreds of videos, all organised by theme and level. Within each video, the tutorials also progress logically. For example, the video embedded above introduces vocabulary (the months and days of the month), then grammar structures, and then question phrases, before wrapping up with a practice section.
4. Miku Real Japanese
www.youtube.com/@mikurealjapanese
Get ready to learn Japanese grammar, vocabulary, and culture from the charismatic Miku. She will teach you natural, casual Japanese phrases in addition to the textbook ones.
Her videos also include lots of spoken, level-appropriate Japanese, whether it’s a funny sketch or a bunch of example sentences. You’ll practice your listening as well as learning Japanese grammar and vocabulary. Signing up to her Patreon will also grant you access to extra videos and Anki decks.
Miku also uploads intermediate-level content, including listening practice. However, most of her videos are targeted at beginners. She clearly signals the JLPT level in the video thumbnail or title, so don’t worry: you won’t find yourself suddenly overwhelmed by material that’s too challenging.
5. Learn Japanese
www.youtube.com/@learnjapanesebod
This YouTube channel has a bit of everything (and for nearly every level). Whether you’re struggling with a grammatical concept or looking for interesting anime-inspired materials, you’ll likely find something here.
There are dedicated playlists for each JLPT level, although as a beginner, the ones that will most interest you are The Writing Systems, Optional Pre-JLPT Studying (aka survival Japanese), N5 Level, and N4 Level.
The teacher gives comprehensive and clear explanations with plenty of examples. He’s also pretty active in responding to questions in the comments.
Read More-: How to Write Emails and Letters in Japanese
6. Sarah Moon
www.youtube.com/@PrettyTranslatorSarahMoon
Sarah Moon is a Japanese-to-English translator whose channel mixes Japanese lessons and tutorials with video essays on translation and anime. Oh, and she also adds a pinch of humour alongside lots of encouragement.
There are heaps of tutorials to watch, but as a beginner, you should start with her Japanese for Beginners (Genki vol, I) playlist. It takes you through the same themes as the popular beginner-level Genki textbooks but with different example sentences and phrases. This means it works well as supplementary materials or a stand-alone resource.
7.NihonGoal
Do you prefer the Minna no Nihongo textbooks to Genki? Try NihonGoal’s Minna no Nihongo playlists instead. Each textbook unit is broken down into three videos: one for vocabulary, one for grammar, and another for kanji. The lessons are well-structured and the teacher, Rose, speaks clearly, although she is not a native Japanese speaker.
If you’re tempted by the idea of learning Japanese in Japanese but don’t want to be too challenged, you might like Coto Academy’s more recent beginner-level videos. They’re short and sweet, and while they’re often in Japanese, the teachers use lots of repetition and pauses to help you out.
These videos are less in depth than some of the others on this list, but you’ve still got plenty of material to choose from. There are over 50 N5 tutorials and roughly as many for N4 learners, too. Plus, you’ll find assorted videos on vocabulary, kanji, natural phrases, and more. The quality of the older videos can vary, but most of the newer videos are pretty good.
8.Yuko Sensei
Not a fan of PowerPoint-style YouTube lessons? This channel might change your mind.
Yuko Sensei has been teaching Japanese for 20 years, and now offers free and paid-for online courses in addition to lessons on her YouTube channel. Nearly all her video lessons are on Japanese grammar, vocabulary, and scripts, with lots focused on particles and verbs. Color-coding is used to help you understand the sentence structure, while most videos have text in kana and romaji.
While Yuko Sensei has uploaded a small number of intermediate-level video lessons, most of them are targeted at beginners (N5 and N4). She often mentions which chapter of the popular Genki textbook the topic corresponds to as well.
Read More-: Common Japanese Idioms
9.JapanesePod101
www.youtube.com/@JapanesePod101
JapanesePod101 has hundreds of videos for you to watch; in fact, the hardest challenge might be sorting through all of them. There’s a mixture of grammar, vocabulary, essential phrases, kanji, listening practice, reading comprehension, cultural information, study tips, and even practical guides for tourists and immigrants. And although most of JapanesePod101’s content is for beginners, you’ll also find some intermediate-level content.
If you like JapanesePod101’s style, you can sign up for more videos along with podcast-style lessons through their website.
10. 明日への扉 by アットホーム (athome-tobira)
www.youtube.com/@asuhenotobiraAthome
Curious about traditional Japanese artisanry? This channel contains short documentaries about many of Japan’s inherited artistic traditions and the people who continue doing them today. As documentaries, the Japanese tends to be slowly spoken and relatively easy to understand, although they also include more specialist terms. They often feature interviews, too.
Why YouTube Is a Powerful Tool for Learning Japanese
YouTube allows learners to combine listening, reading, and visual learning in one platform. With the channels above, you can:
- Learn grammar and vocabulary with visual examples
- Hear native pronunciation and conversational flow
- Gain cultural insight alongside language learning
- Practice immersion without traveling to Japan
Whether you’re just starting out or building on your JLPT foundation, the best YouTube channels to learn Japanese offer endless learning possibilities.
FAQs: Learning Japanese on YouTube
1. Is it possible to learn Japanese from YouTube?
Yes, YouTube is a powerful tool for language learners. With access to native speakers, grammar tutorials, listening practice, and cultural content, you can make strong progress using YouTube as a daily study tool.
2. What to watch on YouTube to learn Japanese?
Start with structured channels like Japanese Ammo with Misa, Nihongo no Mori, or Learn Japanese with Ken for grammar and vocabulary. For immersion, try Miku Real Japanese or Japanese with Yuta.
3. What is the most popular Japanese YouTube channel?
In the general category, HikakinTV is one of Japan’s most subscribed channels. For learning Japanese, JapanesePod101 and Japanese Ammo with Misa are among the most followed.
4. Which is the best YouTube channel to learn a programming language?
For coding, freeCodeCamp.org, Traversy Media, and The Net Ninja are top-rated YouTube channels offering complete programming tutorials.
5. Is it OK to learn coding from YouTube?
Absolutely! Many developers begin their coding journey on YouTube. It’s a great platform for free, high-quality tutorials in programming languages like Python, JavaScript, and more.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to mastering Japanese, consistency is key. The best YouTube channels to learn Japanese can complement your textbooks, classes, and flashcards, helping you stay engaged and improving daily. Pick a few channels that match your level and learning style—and dive in!
For more expert guidance and structured learning, visit TLS – The Japanese Language School and explore our beginner to advanced Japanese language courses.