The basics
These pages cover the basics you need for reading Japanese: the two kana alphabets, numbers, counters, and how to tell the time. They're free and don't need an account.
Practice them
Pick what you want to practice, from kana and numbers to counters, time and dates, N5 words and verb forms, and you get one mixed quiz. Any card you miss comes back until you get it right.
Reference charts
Hiragana chart
All 46 hiragana with romaji, plus dakuten, combinations and the reading traps beginners hit first.
Katakana chart
All 46 katakana with romaji, plus dakuten, combinations and how long vowels work.
Japanese numbers
How to count in Japanese, from 1 to 10 up to the large numbers, including the sound changes and why Japanese groups digits in fours.
Japanese counters
The counters for people, long things, flat things, animals, cups and machines, with every irregular form written out.
Telling the time and dates
Hours, minutes, days of the month and months, including the forms that break the pattern.
What next?
Once you can read kana, start Lesson 1 of the course, which is free. When you want something real to read, try the daily stories, where you can tap any word to see its reading and meaning.