Best Way to Use Fuguro

A daily rhythm for lessons, reviews, reading, and games that actually sticks.

道 · The Path

How to use Fuguro.

Fuguro has five parts: lessons, reviews, revision, reading, and games. This page explains what each one does and how to fit them into a daily routine.

DailySpaced repetitionShort sessions

IPhase

仮 · Kana

Phase I teaches hiragana and katakana.

Nine levels covering every hiragana and katakana sound. If you already read kana, skip to Phase II.

Step 1
Read each mnemonic and picture it.
Open the lesson, read the mnemonic, and form the image in your head before moving on. The mnemonic only works if you actually visualize it.
Step 2
Write your own mnemonic if ours doesn't work.
If a mnemonic doesn't stick, add your own in the item's notes. A mnemonic you came up with is easier to recall.
Step 3
Reinforce with games until reviews unlock.
After lessons, reviews are scheduled for later. To practice before then, play Kana Match or Kana Sprint on the same level. The extra repetition helps the characters stick before the first review.

Already read kana?

Skip Phase I.

You can start Phase II directly from the dashboard. Phase I exists only to teach kana to beginners.

IIPhase

語 · Kanji and vocabulary

Phase II teaches kanji and vocabulary.

Kanji and vocabulary, level by level. These five steps cover the whole loop. Use all of them to keep progressing.

Step 1 · Lessons
Meaning, reading, then the sentence.
In each lesson, learn the meaning, then the reading, then read the example sentence. The sentence shows the word in context, which makes it easier to recall and use.
Step 2 · Reviews
Review at fixed times each day.
You don't need to review the moment a card unlocks. Set fixed review times instead. Two to four sessions a day works best. Once a day also works but is slower, so add a few games on your current level to compensate.
Step 3 · Revision
Redo your wrong answers the same day.
Anything you miss in a review session goes to Revision. Go through it the same day while the item is still fresh. This is more effective than waiting for the next review.
Step 4 · Reading
Read every chapter as it unlocks.
Every four levels you clear unlocks a new reading chapter with five short stories, built mostly from vocabulary you have already learned. The early stories are short and simple so you start reading Japanese early.
Turn off furigana. Read the kanji you already know without the reading shown above it. It is harder at first and gets easier quickly.
Aim for one story a day. Reading gets faster the more you do, so do it consistently.
Step 5 · Games
Test your current level with games.
After a lesson session, play a quick game on that level, such as Vocab Blitz, Word Recall, or Reading Race. It shows you in a couple of minutes which items are solid and which need more work before reviews.