Once you write hiragana and katakana comfortably, it is time for kanji. This is the longest part of learning to write Japanese by hand, but the first step (level N5) is very manageable if you go in order.
How many N5 kanji are there?
It depends who you ask: different lists mention about 100, 103 or 109 characters. The reason is that the JLPT does not publish an official kanji list per level, so every resource builds its own. Keep the idea: it is around a hundred, and what matters is learning the most basic, everyday ones, not matching a specific list.
Which ones to start with
The simplest and most useful are usually:
| Group | Kanji | Strokes |
|---|---|---|
| Numbers | 一 二 三 四 五 六 七 八 九 十 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 4, 4, 2, 2, 2, 2 |
| Days | 日 月 火 水 木 金 土 | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 8, 3 |
| Basics | 人 大 小 山 川 | 2, 3, 3, 3, 3 |
Starting with numbers and days gives you characters with few strokes that are very frequent, and they also let you practice the stroke order rules: 三 (top to bottom), 川 (left to right), 十 (horizontal before vertical), 小 (center, then sides).
Learn components, not pictures
Many kanji are built from pieces you already know. For example, 休 (“to rest”) is a person (人) next to a tree (木), and 本 is a 木 with a line at its base. Recognizing the pieces makes each new kanji easier to remember and to trace.
A method that works
- Learn few kanji per session, in meaningful groups (numbers, days, nature).
- Trace following the order, then write from memory, as in the practice loop.
- Review the previous days’ kanji before adding new ones.
- Learn the readings after you can write the shape, or in parallel, but do not drop the writing.
Is it worth writing them by hand?
Yes, even if you will not write them every day: writing a kanji forces you to notice every stroke and component, and that improves recognition. Some small-scale research points the same way: in a study by Longcamp and colleagues published in Human Movement Science, 12 adults learned new characters, and those who wrote them by hand recognized them better and confused them less often with their mirror image than those who typed them. It is a small sample, but it fits the experience of many Japanese learners. Source.
With Kaku!
Kaku! includes N5-level kanji that you trace with your finger, with a check on order and direction. Kanji unlock with the Sensei Pass (one-time purchase); hiragana and katakana are free. If you are deciding whether you need it, read do you need handwriting for JLPT N5?.