September 1st, 2023

Best Podcasts To Learn Japanese: The Ultimate List You Need

Looking for the best podcasts to learn Japanese? Here’s all the Japanese podcasts you need for beginner, intermediate and advanced level.

I’ve ordered the Japanese podcasts below by level to help you decide which podcasts are worth trying for you.

Do scan over them all though as I’ve listed them for the level they ‘start’ being good for. Some go beyond that too. For example, some that I’ve listed as beginner are also great for intermediate and advanced learners.

Want to know more about how to find new podcasts & how to use them best for your language learning? Check out my Ultimate Guide to Language Learning Podcasts here.

Best Podcasts for Beginner Japanese Learners

Radio Lingua – One Minute

Languages: Catalan, Czech, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Japanese, Latvian, Slovak, Swedish, Ukrainian
Average length: 5 minutes
Level: Beginner

If you’re learning a language beyond what’s on offer in the Coffee Break series, Radio Lingua also have their One Minute podcasts. There’s only 10 episodes in each series and they’re not updated anymore but they’re such a useful resource that I’ve used to get the basics in the past that I wanted to mention them here.

Innovative Languages – Survival Phrases

Average length: 1-5 minutes

Level: Beginner

The Survival Phrase series is no longer updated. However, it’s still very useful for getting to grips with a new language.

News in Slow Japanese

Average length: 5 minutes

Level: Beginner to intermediate

One of the first podcasts for language learning that I discovered. This is a great beginner podcast if you’d like to use news to learn languages.

You’ve got the choice of a premium option for more. However the podcast feeds have a shorter version of each episode, which is useful too.

Fluent Fiction – Japanese

Average length: 15 minutes

Level: Beginner to advanced

Bilingual Spanish and English stories ideal across levels.

Transcript and vocab available in the episode descriptions.

JapanesePod101 (my affiliate link)

Average length: 5-15 minutes

Level: Beginner to advanced

Another of my favourites and normally the first place I look when I’m starting a new language. You might think that because of the range of languages on offer, that dilutes the quality, but not so.

If you want to go further and get access to everything (we’re talking transcripts, quizzes, full video and audio content) then you can subscribe to SpanishPod101.

If that’s not what you’re after, they’re still got a huge range of free lessons in podcast form. Woop! Click here to go to the iTunes page for Innovative Language.

Japanese Made Easy Podcast

Average length: 20 minutes
Level: Beginner

Great focus on grammar and casual speech.

Easy Japanese: Conversation Lessons from NHK World

Average length: 10 minutes
Level: Beginner

Super helpful podcast series (no longer updated) with all the essentials you need in the first stages of learning Japanese.

Learn Japanese Pod

Average length: 30 minutes
Level: Beginners, intermediate

Good stuff but posts infrequently.

Japanese With Noriko

Average length: 20 minutes
Level: Beginner to intermediate

I love the speed of these episodes!

Easy Japanese Podcast (with Masa & Asami)

Average length: 5-10 minutes
Level: Beginner to intermediate

Ideal for JLPT N3 level learners, spoken in easy and natural Japanese.

The Bite Size Japanese Podcast

Average length: 8 minutes
Level: Beginner to intermediate

Layla hosts this podcast for Japanese learners to improve their listening. There’s subtitles on the YouTube versions and the option to get transcripts via Layla’s Patreon.

Learn Japanese with Masa Sensei!

Average length: 6-12 minutes
Level: Beginner to intermediate

This podcast does a great job at starting from scratch. So if you’re brand new to Japanese and want to easily start speaking, try this one.

Slow Japanese by Mochifika

Average length: 5-10 minutes
Level: Beginner to intermediate

A podcast for beginner to intermediate learners. Lots of topics in slow Japanese to help you grow in listening confidence.

Japanese with Shun

Average length: 5-10 minutes
Level: Beginner to intermediate

Japanese podcast for beginner to intermediate learners using grammar from Genki 1 and a bit from Genki 2 textbooks.

Let’s Learn Japanese from Small Talk

Average length: 20-60 minutes
Level: Beginner to advanced

Links available for each episode with vocab lists, which is a great bonus!

Tofugu

Average length: 40-60 minutes
Level: Beginner to advanced

Great mix of conversations both teaching Japanese and discussing related topics, such as language exchange and where to buy Japanese e-books.

Nihongo con Teppei

Average length: 4 minutes
Level: Beginner to advanced

I love the speed and length of these episodes. Super easy to fit into a walk or a commute.

Let’s Talk in Japanese!

Average length: 10 minutes
Level: Beginner to advanced

The titles of this one give you an idea on which level it’s most suited to.

Best Podcasts for Intermediate Japanese Learners

Thinking in Japanese Podcast

Average length: 10-15 minutes
Level: Intermediate

Short monologues on a range of topics in Japanese. Vocab lists and more available via their Patreon.

Everyday Japanese Podcast by Sayuri Saying

Average length: 10 minutes
Level: Intermediate

A really interesting range of topics discussed. Transcripts and more available on their website.

The Miku Real Japanese Podcast

Average length: 20 minutes
Level: Intermediate

A mixture of conversations with guests and solo episodes. Another great intermediate option.

Nihongo Toranomaki

Average length: 30 minutes
Level: Intermediate

Japanese conversation podcast with mother and son speaking at native speed.

Nihongo for You

Average length: 5 minutes
Level: Intermediate

Podcast from Akari with short episodes. Transcripts available on the website.

Best Podcasts for Advanced Japanese Learners

You’ll notice I’m listing all here as intermediate to advanced. This is because I believe there’s value in listening and getting comfortable with Japanese you don’t understand before you’re ready.

However, generally, the themes and conversations include more advanced vocab than the previous podcasts listed.

So these are great for advanced learners who want to enjoy content mostly made for native speakers.

SBS

Average length: 5-20 minutes

Level: Intermediate to advanced

I couldn’t quite believe the range of languages when I found this for Indonesian and searched back to where it came from. And of course, there’s a Japanese feed!