Japanese: General

The official website of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), administered by the Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services. For important updates on the new format of JLPT (from 2010 onwards.

The Japanese Teachers' Resources website is “an online gathering of Japanese language education professionals from across the world, sharing our ideas and resources for the benefit of the wider language teaching community.” The site offers hundreds of freely accessible and printable resources donated by members.

Nihongokyoiku Tsushin (Japan Foundation) provides Japanese-language teachers, in particular those overseas, with information on teaching materials, teaching ideas for the classroom, current topics in Japan, the situation of Japanese-language education both in Japan and abroad, and so on.

NIHONGO e-NA — portal for learning Japanese, consists of websites, online tools and ideas for Japanese-language learning.

Renshuu is a free Japanese study site that offers personalized and dynamic quizzing for several textbooks such as Genki and Kanji Kentei, with plans to include other textbooks in the future. Besides a wide-range of quizzing methods for both kanji characters and vocabulary, the site also has a grammar library with around 350 grammar expressions, model sentences, and areas for students to practice using the grammar and give/receive feedback from others.

Image Database – This resource on The Japanese Language Course Support Site offers a collection of language-learning images.

Erin ga Choosen! Nihongo dekimasu — view skits (with or without subtitles), learn key expressions and vocabulary, find out functions of unique Japanese products and enjoy video clips to learn about Japanese culture!

Minna no Can-do site — search Can-do statements from Common European Frame of Reference and The Japan Foundation Standard’s examples of communicative language activities, and create your own Can-do folder.

Konnichiwa — adapted by the Spanish online resource “Los Amigos” of the Cervantes Institute, for learners of Japanese (grade 4 and 5 in 9 year program, and grade 10 in 3 year program). This website consists of mini movies, fun activities with vocabulary and expressions introduced in the mini movie, and other exercises, with the function of switching subtitles (kana, romaji or none).

United Portal for Advanced Learning — United Links for Japanese Learning Web Resources

Anime, Manga no nihongo (Japanese in Anime & Manga) is a e-learning site that offers a fun way to learn kanji, vocabulary and expressions in context.

Minna no Kyozai — register to browse, download and submit teaching materials which consist of classroom activities, pictures, photos, notes on grammar, reading comprehensions and much more, contributed by Japanese language teachers all over the world.

Convert Western years to Japanese years - converts Gregorian calendar years to Japanese Emperor Era years (known as nengo).

Takase Studios - Names in Japanese – This site provides the Romaji, Katakana and Kanji for first names.

Podcasting Juice –  useful site to search podcasts which may be useful to learn Japanese language and culture.

Japanese Teaching Ideas – This Web site offers a variety of useful resources onsite and links to other resources online under the following headings: Arts and Crafts; Behaviour; Festival and Culture; Images; Songs; Typing; Videos; Webquests.

Konnichiwa! - This interactive digital resource supports the Grade 4 and Grade 5 Japanese Language and Culture Nine-Year Program of Study as well as the Grade 10 Japanese Language 10-3Y, 20-3Y, 30-3Y Program of Study in Alberta. The resource is organized into two scenarios, each presenting linguistic and cultural content in an animation as well as activities for additional explanation and practice. Students may follow a suggested sequence or access activities in any order.

Nihongobc — Nihongobc is a website designed specifically for teachers of Japanese at the high school level in British Columbia who are teaching the same curriculum as mandated by the provincial government's Department of Education. The purpose of this site is to be a place where teachers in the province can download and contribute — upload — lesson plans and resources.

On Demand Japanese Photo Archives (in English)  and オンデマンド日本語教育用写真 (in Japanese) -    Photo bank site with free downloadable photos categorized by subjects.

About Keiko Schneider's Bookmarks – “This site is designed for students and teachers of Japanese language, but is covered more to geared toward to those who have similar interest. It is a collection of links.”

Jim Breen's Japanese Page – An extensive listing of links on Japanese related topics. Jim Breen is Honorary Senior Research Fellow Clayton School of Information Technology, Faculty of Information Technology Monash University.

Best Japanese Web Sites – “Here you will find numerous helpful sites for learning more about Japan, the Japanese language and culture.” This Web site is maintained by Jim Becker, Professor Emeritus University of Northern Iowa.

Web Japan – This gateway to information about Japan is sponsored by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Japan Foundation - 国際交流基金 - Japan and Japanese language education related resources.

gonihongo.com — "This site is designed and maintained by a Japanese language educator　in the US. The purpose of this site is to assist educators and students of Japanese by providing effective and efficient teaching and learning tools and ideas."

Japanese Language – This page contains an extensive listing of links useful to Japanese language learners and teachers. This is the Web site of Alan R. Miller, Professor, New Mexico Tech.

Kids Web Japan – Extensive resources on Japanese culture and language. The language section includes animation to help practice pronunciation, to learn simple phrases, to learn about kanji characters and numbers in Japanese. Also included are hiragana and katakana charts with sound files.