Japanese Guru is a Japanese learning and exam preparation application for iOS and Android by Xamisoft. It targets learners preparing for JLPT, JFT (Japan Foundation Test), and NAT-TEST examinations, and includes a 200,000+ word dictionary, stroke-by-stroke kanji animations, and JLPT-level vocabulary study lists.
In-Depth Explanation
Platform: iOS (App Store ID 1590483540, developer Samuel Reaud) and Android (com.xamisoft.japaneseguru, 100,000+ downloads, 4.0–4.1 rating). Ongoing access requires a subscription; a one-week free trial is available.
Japanese Guru’s primary study orientation is exam preparation. Content and vocabulary are organized according to the JLPT level system (N5 through N1), and the app also references the JFT (Japan Foundation Test for Specified Skilled Worker) and NAT-TEST frameworks, which are used in contexts outside the JLPT such as certain visa and employment qualification pathways.
The kanji writing feature provides stroke-by-stroke animations for characters, allowing learners to study correct stroke order. Exportable handwriting practice sheets are a notable utility feature — learners can print formatted sheets for manual kanji practice.
The dictionary covers Japanese vocabulary with romaji transliteration, English definitions, and reading in kana. Vocabulary is searchable in Japanese and romaji.
Custom vocabulary lists allow learners to compile personal study sets alongside the pre-made JLPT level lists. Kana reading practice covers both hiragana and katakana.
Xamisoft also develops related applications: Chinese Guru, Cantonese Guru, Kanji & Kana (a paid standalone app), and Sinograms, suggesting a broader language-learning app portfolio with shared infrastructure.
Social Media Sentiment
Japanese Guru has a modest community presence in Japanese-learning discussions. It appears in JLPT preparation threads, particularly among learners who value having a dedicated exam-prep app with structured JLPT level vocabulary and the kanji writing instruction feature. No significant controversy was found in public discussions. Community discussion overall is limited relative to higher-profile apps such as Anki or WaniKani; the app occupies a niche in the exam-focused segment of the learner market.
Last updated: 2026-05
Related Terms
See Also
Research
- Xamisoft. (n.d.). Japanese Guru: Learn Japanese [Mobile application]. App Store (ID 1590483540) and Google Play (com.xamisoft.japaneseguru). https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xamisoft.japaneseguru
Summary: Primary source for all app-specific details in this entry, including developer (Xamisoft / Samuel Reaud), exam scope (JLPT, JFT, NAT-TEST), dictionary size (200,000+ entries), kanji stroke animations, printable handwriting sheets, and related apps (Chinese Guru, Cantonese Guru). Verified May 2026.
- Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Über das Gedächtnis: Untersuchungen zur experimentellen Psychologie. Duncker & Humblot.
Summary: Established the forgetting curve — the empirical observation that memory decays exponentially without review. This principle underlies all spaced repetition and structured review systems, including the JLPT-level vocabulary study lists and scheduled practice in Japanese Guru.
- Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380.
Summary: Meta-analysis of 254 experiments confirming that spacing practice over time substantially improves long-term retention compared to massed study, supporting the distributed vocabulary and kanji review approach used in exam preparation applications such as Japanese Guru.