Kanji Heatmap is an exploration tool with advanced filtering, sorting, frequency heatmap visualizations, and detailed kanji information. This tool can help you prioritize which kanji to learn based on your specific goals.

The kanji you encounter in casual Twitter posts differ from those found in literary works, and the kanji commonly used in TV dramas may vary from those in news articles.

Visual learners will appreciate the heatmap feature, which highlights more frequently used kanji in brighter colors, with less common characters shown in progressively duller shades.{" "}

Unlike many kanji resources that display characters in a single style, Kanji Heatmap lets you change fonts to see how the appearance of characters can vary.

While Kanji Heatmap is not a dictionary, it offers useful kanji details. Simply click on any kanji to view sample words, meanings, onyomi and kunyomi readings, stroke order animations, component breakdowns, and more.

What is Kanji Heatmap about and what is it useful for

Description 1

A tool designed to help learners of Japanese visualize and prioritize their kanji study based on frequency of use.

What it does

  1. Frequency-Based Heatmap – The site color-codes kanji based on how often they appear in written Japanese, helping learners focus on the most useful characters first.
  2. Customizable Study Focus – Users can sort and filter kanji by JLPT level, school grade (Japanese education system), frequency rank and much more
  3. Interactive Exploration – Hovering or clicking on a kanji provides details like readings, meanings, and example words.
  4. Study Planning – Helps users identify gaps in their knowledge by highlighting which high-frequency kanji they haven't learned yet.

Useful for

Kanji Heatmap is particularly useful if you want a data-driven approach to kanji learning rather than just following a fixed order (like RTK or JLPT lists)

Japanese Learning Resources

Jotoba: An online Japanese dictionary that offers comprehensive kanji lookups using keywords, radicals, or stroke counts.

The Kanji Map: An interactive tool that visually organizes kanji, helping users see relationships and connections between characters.

Jisho: A popular Japanese-English dictionary known for its detailed kanji entries, example sentences, and versatile search options.

kanjiapi.dev: A developer-friendly RESTful API that provides extensive data on kanji—including meanings, readings, and usage examples.

Kanji Alive: An educational platform featuring detailed kanji information, stroke order animations, and example vocabulary for effective learning.

Hochanh: A resource offering visual and interactive tools to aid in kanji study (often paired with other databases for comprehensive learning). https://hochanh.github.io/rtk/%E5%93%81/index.html

JPDB.io: A robust Japanese language database that features kanji, vocabulary, and example sentences with advanced search capabilities.

Wanikani: A structured kanji learning application that uses mnemonics and spaced repetition to help learners master characters efficiently. Tofugu

Remembering the Kanji/Heisig: A method and associated resources that introduce mnemonic techniques to simplify the process of learning kanji.

Duolingo: A gamified language-learning platform that includes Japanese lessons with kanji practice integrated into its curriculum.

Memrise: A language learning app that employs spaced repetition and mnemonic devices to assist with memorizing kanji and vocabulary.

Anki: A flashcard-based tool widely used for spaced repetition, making it a favorite among students for memorizing kanji and other study materials.

Kanshudo: A comprehensive online resource offering interactive kanji learning tools, quizzes, and detailed character information.

Immersion Kit: A platform providing immersive language resources, including contextual vocabulary and kanji references, to enhance language acquisition.

Tatoeba: A collaborative database of example sentences in multiple languages, useful for understanding real-world kanji usage in context.