Why we built HeyShima

We are three half-Japanese siblings. We grew up between two languages, and when we tried to get serious about Japanese, we hit the same wall everyone does. The apps we downloaded were either shouting at us with streaks and confetti, or quietly assuming we already knew the basics. We were juggling four of them at once and still not making real progress.

So we built the app we wished we had.

The wall every learner hits

Most Japanese apps are built to be opened, not to take you somewhere. They are very good at the first week. The honeymoon is bright and gamified, and then the road just stops. The grammar is never really explained, the kanji arrive in a wall, and the daily reminder starts to feel like a chore you owe the app rather than progress you own.

The reason is simple. Retention metrics reward the hook, not the outcome. An app that keeps you tapping looks healthy on a dashboard, even if you are no closer to reading a menu in Tokyo.

We wanted the opposite. We wanted the boring, real thing: steady progress you can feel.

What we’re building

HeyShima takes you from your very first hiragana to JLPT N5. That means the full path, in order:

• Kana first. Hiragana and katakana from zero, until you can read and write every sound without thinking about it.
• N5 vocabulary, kanji, and grammar. Taught as proper lessons that explain the why, then let you practise it, not flashcards thrown at you cold.
• Reading and listening. Short passages and native-style audio woven through the course, not bolted on at the end.
• Mock exams. Full practice tests that mirror the real JLPT N5, so the exam holds no surprises.

Underneath all of it is one daily review built on spaced repetition. It brings each word back right before you would forget it, so what you learn actually sticks instead of leaking away by the weekend.

Calm by design

There is a famous study showing that hard-to-read fonts can improve recall. It is true, and it is exactly the wrong lesson for a Japanese app. Kanji are already some of the most visually complex characters in the world. Adding friction on top of that does not build grit, it builds dropouts.

So we made the opposite choice. The interface is quiet, rounded, and out of the way, so all of your effort goes into the language and none of it goes into fighting the app. Using HeyShima should leave you feeling calm and capable, not anxious or guilty for missing a day.

That calm is not a coat of paint. It is the whole point. Learning a language is a long road, and the only version that works is the one you actually want to come back to.

Where we’re headed

We are starting with JLPT N5 because that is where the beginners we are building for actually are. Over time the road keeps going, through N4 and beyond, toward the kind of everyday and business Japanese that opens real doors.

The mascot keeping you company is Shima, named after the シマエナガ, the fluffy snow fairy of Hokkaidō. Like the bird, the brand is small, warm, and unmistakably Japanese. Shima is a friend first and a teacher second, rooting for you the whole way.

HeyShima is coming to iOS soon. If any of this sounds like the app you have been looking for, you are exactly who we made it for.

Frequently asked questions

Is HeyShima free?

You can start for free. The kana starter and a slice of N5 are free to use, with a Pro subscription for the full N5 course and future levels.

Do I need any Japanese to start?

No. HeyShima starts at your very first hiragana, with clear explanations made for absolute beginners.

When does it launch?

HeyShima is coming to iOS. Join the waitlist and we will tell you the moment it is ready.