The Hentaigana App 1.0.26

The Hentaigana App 1.0.26 The Hentaigana App teaches Japanese variant kana calligraphy with engaging flashcards. Practice recognizing hentaigana, linked jibo characters, and modern readings—track progress and explore an interactive dictionary.

The Hentaigana App (Version 1.0.26)

The Hentaigana App is a friendly way to learn Japanese variant kana calligraphy. Long ago, Japanese syllables weren’t written with just one hiragana for each sound. Instead, people used multiple hiragana styles that were each linked to a specific kanji—these traditional forms are called hentaigana (variant kana).

This app removes the usual struggle of learning hentaigana by turning it into something interactive and engaging. You practice recognition, build familiarity, and track what you’ve mastered along the way.

How it Works

The app works like a card stack. You see a kana card. Tap and swipe (nudge) it with your finger to flip the card over—then you’ll see:

• The kanji the kana originally came from
• The modern hiragana reading that tells you how to read that kanji today

You can also remove a kana from the stack when you’re done—or put it back so it continues to appear. Once you’ve learned it, you can move on.

Progress Tracking & Practice Options

Use the built-in tools to monitor your progress and choose which syllable sets you want to study. You can decide:

• How many kana to show during practice
• How often the readings appear

Interactive Dictionary (Hentaigana & Jibo)

Explore an interactive dictionary that includes everything the app contains: hentaigana and jibo. In this context, jibo means the “parent characters”—the kanji that each hentaigana is based on.

Background: What Are Hentaigana?

Today, each Japanese syllable is represented by a single hiragana character. But for over a thousand years, syllables were written with multiple hiragana forms—each derived from the cursive style of a different kanji.

Those older forms are what we call hentaigana. They’re tied directly to their source kanji, known as jibo.

Learning Tip

Self-learning used to be seen as tedious because it required constant checking of charts and dictionaries. With the right guidance, though, it becomes much easier—and even addictive.

The key is to learn two things for each kana: which kanji it comes from and how that kanji is read. The app is designed to teach exactly that.

Manuscripts Tab

There’s also a dedicated tab where you can read about precious manuscripts stored in the special collections of Waseda University Library. The kana featured in the app come from those materials.

Coming Soon: Bonus Practice Mode

A bonus feature is planned for the future. Instead of practicing only single kana, you’ll be able to practice reading strings of syllables that form words and phrases.

About the Project

Developed through a collaboration between UCLA and Waseda University, this pioneering app is part of the Tadashi Yanai Initiative for Globalizing Japanese Humanities. It’s expected to be the first in a series of similar educational apps—so future releases are coming.

Reviews

“Definitely a treasured gift for those interested in old writings of Japan.”

• No ads and it’s free.



• Would like tutorials, but the reviewer feels the experience is more personal than standard kana lessons.



• Wants more content such as old Japanese poems, potentially with hidden translations.

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