The Kodansha Kanji Learner's Course

**The Kodansha Kanji Learner’s Course by Andrew Scott Conning** is a smart, structured guide for anyone ready to learn kanji with confidence, from first principles through to advanced study. Designed for serious Japanese language learners, it’s less like a traditional reference book and more like a carefully paced course that helps the characters actually stick.

Inside you’ll find 2,300 entries, covering all 2,136 Jōyō kanji plus 164 high-use extras. Each character comes with clear meaning keywords and thoughtfully built mnemonics that link shape to sense, including tips for telling apart lookalike kanji—one of the biggest hurdles in Japanese study.

Rather than organising characters by radicals or school grades, the sequence groups graphically related kanji together and introduces components step by step, making it a standout textbook for kanji study, self-study, and JLPT preparation.

Add it to your shelf and make your next Japanese reading milestone feel achievable.