Recommended listening

Best Japanese podcasts for beginners

By Mariano Matayoshi · building Wakatta, still learning Japanese

Slow, simple, made-for-learners shows are the fastest way to start understanding real Japanese. Here are the best ones for beginners (about N5–N4) and how to get the most from them.

The best beginner shows speak slowly, stick to everyday topics, and repeat useful phrases. Pick one or two, listen for the gist, and don’t worry about catching every word — the goal is hours of Japanese you can mostly follow.

Browse by level: N5 · N4 · N3 · N2 · N1

At a glance

The shows, in detail

Nihongo con Teppei (for Beginners) N5

Short, slow, all-Japanese episodes on everyday topics. The classic first podcast — hundreds of episodes, so you’ll never run out.

My personal go-to — the show I keep coming back to.

Full guide: Nihongo con Teppei →

Nihongo Storytime for Beginners N5

Slow, simple original stories, narrated for beginners — short episodes you can follow almost from day one.

Full guide: Nihongo Storytime →

Japanese with Shun N4

Calm, natural-but-slow Japanese about daily life and culture — a gentle step up once N5 shows feel comfortable.

Full guide: Japanese with Shun →

Everyday Japanese Podcast N4

Thoughtful monologues at a natural pace, with clear delivery that rewards focused listening.

Full guide: the Everyday Japanese Podcast →

How to use them

Listen in short, focused bursts. Catch the gist first, then look up only the words that block meaning, and re-listen — the second pass is where it clicks. Save what’s worth keeping and review it later with the audio.

Listen with tap-to-understand

Add any of these shows to Wakatta and tap any word for its reading and meaning, let the AI explain the tricky sentences, and review what you save — with the original audio.