Bao Hua
Founder of Inku
I grew up in Canada in a Vietnamese family. My partner is Japanese, so learning Japanese was personal for me, and the flashcard tools I tried made it harder than it needed to be. So I built the one I wanted to use. That became Inku, and I built it while learning to work with coding agents.
I studied finance, but I have always been interested in games and design, and Inku is where those interests meet. I am obsessed with self-improvement, so learning a language suits me well. Away from Inku, I play basketball and volleyball, and I am addicted to tennis.
I run Inku on my own from Calgary, and I answer every email to app@inkujapanese.com myself.
Credentials
- Founder and sole proprietor of Inku, based in Calgary
- Learning Japanese as an adult
- Built Inku while learning to use coding agents
- Studied finance
Writes about
Japanese language learning · Spaced repetition · Flashcards · Hiragana · Katakana · JLPT · Product design
Posts by Bao Hua
- Japanese Kanji Flashcards: Study Readings and Meanings
Use Japanese kanji flashcards for recognition and word readings. See two worked cards, a five-card routine, and when Inku or Anki fits.
September 14, 2026 · 7 min read
- How to Learn Japanese Vocabulary: A Practical Daily System
Learn Japanese vocabulary with readings, audio, context, and a manageable review schedule. Includes a daily loop and a practical first-week plan.
September 14, 2026 · 8 min read
- Renshuu vs Anki for Japanese: which fits your study routine?
Compare Renshuu and Anki for Japanese by setup, prepared material, personal decks, daily workload, platforms, and cost.
September 14, 2026 · 7 min read
- Japanese Anki Decks: Choose One for Your Level and Goal
A practical guide to choosing a Japanese Anki deck, with verified options for starter vocabulary, listening-first study, and a longer core vocabulary path.
September 14, 2026 · 10 min read
- Learn Hiragana: Inku's Complete Guide
A complete guide to the 46 basic hiragana, with the chart and audio, the order to learn them, mnemonics, lookalike pairs and a three-day study plan.
April 21, 2026 · 28 min read
- Learn Katakana: A Practical Guide for Adults
The complete katakana guide. 46 characters, side-by-side with hiragana, pronunciation audio, and the loanword patterns that make katakana click.
April 21, 2026 · 22 min read
- JLPT N5 Vocabulary: A 110-Word Beginner Core
A focused 110-word N5 beginner core, organized by category with kana, romaji, and English meanings.
April 21, 2026 · 25 min read
- How to Learn Japanese: An Honest Roadmap
If I had to learn Japanese from scratch again, this is exactly what I would do. Six phases, real time estimates, specific tools.
April 21, 2026 · 32 min read
- Spaced Repetition, Explained Without the Hype
The memory science behind Anki, WaniKani, and Inku. Why spaced repetition works, where it breaks, and how to use it without wasting your time.
April 21, 2026 · 18 min read
- Japanese Particles: The Masterclass
A complete, example-dense guide to every core Japanese particle: は, が, を, に, で, へ, と, から, まで, の, も, や.
April 21, 2026 · 26 min read
- Japanese Numbers 1 to 100 (and Beyond), With Readings
Every Japanese number from 0 into the millions, with kanji, kana, and romaji readings. The build pattern, the alternate readings, and the sound changes that trip people up.
June 1, 2026 · 11 min read
- Kanji Radicals for Beginners: The Building Blocks
What kanji radicals are, why they make kanji learnable, the position names, and ten common radicals with example characters for beginners.
June 1, 2026 · 9 min read
- JLPT N3 Vocabulary: The Bridge Level
What JLPT N3 vocabulary covers, how it differs from N4, representative example words, and how to study the bridge level without stalling. Estimates only, since the JLPT publishes no official list.
June 1, 2026 · 9 min read
- Japanese Learning Resources Worth Bookmarking
A practical list of Japanese apps, guides, reading tools, and review sites to use at each stage of the language.
June 10, 2026 · 9 min read
- Can You Actually Learn Japanese in 10 Minutes a Day?
A brutally honest answer to the question every language app dodges. With real numbers from six months of self-logging.
April 21, 2026 · 9 min read
- Duolingo for 100 Days: What I Learned, What I Wish I'd Done Differently
A journal, a scoreboard, and a reckoning. Ninety-eight green owls later, what actually stuck.
April 21, 2026 · 11 min read
- The Spaced Repetition Mistake That Wastes 90% of Learners' Time
Most people set up SRS wrong on day one. Here is the fix that took my retention from 60 percent to 94 percent.
April 21, 2026 · 8 min read
- Wasei-eigo: 50 English Words the Japanese Changed Beyond Recognition
Why マンション (manshon) means apartment, not mansion. A tour through the English words Japan quietly rewrote.
April 21, 2026 · 12 min read
- Moshi Moshi: Why Japanese Phones Aren't Answered Like Yours
The real story behind もしもし, where it came from, and the ghost-related reason it sticks around.
April 21, 2026 · 7 min read
- Why I Stopped Using Anki (and What I Built Instead)
Anki works. It is also a blank sheet of graph paper. After three years, here is why I stopped opening it.
April 21, 2026 · 10 min read
- How Long Does It Take to Learn Japanese? A Brutally Honest Timeline
Working adults, be warned. Here is a realistic month-by-month plan from zero to conversational Japanese.
April 21, 2026 · 13 min read
- The Best Way to Learn Hiragana in 3 Days
A schedule, a method, and a set of guardrails against the mistakes that cost most people a week.
April 21, 2026 · 9 min read
- Japanese Pitch Accent: Why Most Apps Skip It and Whether You Should Care
Pitch accent is Japanese's invisible grammar. Here is when to study it, when to ignore it, and how to hear it for the first time.
April 21, 2026 · 10 min read
- Kanji Learning Strategies That Actually Stick
Radicals, stories, writing practice, and the one strategy nobody recommends but everybody needs.
April 21, 2026 · 11 min read
- I Built the Japanese App I Wanted After Quitting Noisy Language Apps
A short launch note about why Inku exists: Japanese that sticks, without a phone that yells at you.
April 28, 2026 · 4 min read
- Why Inku Teaches Five Cards at a Time
Why small review sets make Japanese easier to start, easier to finish, and easier to remember.
April 28, 2026 · 4 min read
- The Difference Between a Streak Trap and a Study Habit
A simple way to tell whether your Japanese app is helping you learn or just helping you come back.
April 28, 2026 · 4 min read
- JLPT N4 Vocabulary: What to Learn After N5
What changes when you move from JLPT N5 to N4, how many words to expect, and how to study the next set without burning out.
June 3, 2026 · 9 min read
- The Japanese Te-Form, Explained Simply
The te-form is the one conjugation that unlocks requests, linked actions, and the progressive. Here is how to form it and when to use it.
June 6, 2026 · 9 min read
- Wa vs Ga: The Clearest Explanation of は and が
The difference between は and が in plain English, with a simple mental model and many real examples so it finally clicks.
June 10, 2026 · 9 min read
- Japanese Counters: Why You Cannot Just Count to Ten
Japanese uses different counters for flat things, long things, people, and animals. Here are the ones worth learning first and how to drill them.
June 13, 2026 · 8 min read
- Is Japanese Hard to Learn? An Honest Answer for English Speakers
Japanese has a reputation for being impossible. Here is what is genuinely hard, what is easier than you expect, and how long it really takes.
June 17, 2026 · 9 min read
- Hiragana vs Katakana: When to Use Each
Two kana scripts, same sounds, different jobs. Here is when Japanese uses hiragana, when it uses katakana, and which to learn first.
June 20, 2026 · 8 min read
- Learning Japanese From Anime: What Works and What Wrecks Your Accent
Anime is a real listening tool and a real trap. Here is what it is good for, what it teaches wrong, and how to use it without sounding strange.
June 24, 2026 · 9 min read
- Romaji Is a Crutch (and That Is Fine for Two Weeks)
Romaji helps you start and then quietly holds you back. Here is the honest case for using it briefly and dropping it fast.
June 27, 2026 · 7 min read
- Japanese Greetings: The Phrases You Actually Need First
The Japanese greetings worth learning first, from ohayou gozaimasu to itadakimasu, with when to use each and the casual and polite forms.
June 1, 2026 · 10 min read
- Days of the Week and Months in Japanese
The seven days of the week and twelve months in Japanese, plus the irregular days of the month, with kanji, kana, and romaji and the patterns that make them easier.
June 1, 2026 · 8 min read
- The Masu Form: Polite Japanese Verbs Made Simple
How to conjugate the polite masu form of Japanese verbs: the three verb groups, the u-verb sound shift, the two irregulars, and the four masu endings.
June 1, 2026 · 9 min read
- Do Japanese Flashcards Actually Work? (The Honest Answer)
Yes — for kana and vocabulary, Japanese flashcards are one of the most efficient tools there is, when you use active recall and spaced repetition. Here is what they are good at, what they are not, and how to use them right.
June 2, 2026 · 9 min read
- What Is FSRS? The Spaced-Repetition Algorithm, in Plain English
FSRS (Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler) predicts the moment you are about to forget a card and schedules the review for then. A plain-English explanation, and how it compares to SM-2.
June 2, 2026 · 8 min read
- How to Stay Consistent Learning Japanese Without Streaks
A calm, research-backed way to stay consistent with Japanese without streak pressure: set a tiny daily minimum, make returning shameless, and protect the habit, not the number.
June 2, 2026 · 8 min read
- How Long Does It Take to Pass JLPT N5? A Realistic Estimate
A realistic estimate of how long it takes to pass JLPT N5: about 150 to 300 study hours, or three to six months at 30 minutes a day. Plus the real pass marks and the variables that change the timeline.
June 2, 2026 · 9 min read
- How Many Words Do You Need for JLPT N5?
About 800 words is the commonly cited count for JLPT N5, but it is an estimate, not an official figure. Here is what the number means, why a high-frequency core matters more, and what else N5 tests.
June 2, 2026 · 8 min read
- Anki for Japanese: Why We Recommend Inku
We recommend Inku over Anki for most Japanese learners: ready-made cards, bundled audio, and daily reviews. See the tradeoffs and practical Anki setup.
June 2, 2026 · 10 min read
- How to Say Thank You in Japanese (Casual to Very Formal)
How to say thank you in Japanese, from casual to very formal: arigatou, arigatou gozaimasu, the gozaimasu vs gozaimashita nuance, sumimasen as thanks, and when to use each.
June 2, 2026 · 9 min read
- How to Say Sorry in Japanese: Sumimasen vs Gomennasai vs Moushiwake
How to say sorry in Japanese: sumimasen, gomennasai, and mōshiwake arimasen compared by register, plus shitsurei shimasu and the gomen kudasai false friend.
June 2, 2026 · 9 min read
- Anime Japanese vs Real Japanese: What's Safe to Actually Say
Which anime Japanese phrases are safe to say in real life and which are rude. Two clear tables, the polite default to use instead, and why pronouns are the trap.
June 2, 2026 · 9 min read
- 100 Most Common Japanese Words for Beginners
The 100 most common Japanese words for beginners, grouped into greetings, family, food, time, travel, body, weather, numbers, verbs, and adjectives. Each shows kana, romaji, and English.
June 2, 2026 · 9 min read
- Japanese Colors: Every Color Word, With the Adjective Trap Explained
A clear guide to Japanese colors, with the i-adjective vs noun rule explained. Six colors can modify a noun directly; the rest, including midori and murasaki, need の.
June 2, 2026 · 8 min read
- Inku vs Duolingo for Japanese
Duolingo is a game-like course for many languages; Inku is a Japanese-only routine for kana, kanji, vocabulary and phrases with spaced review.
April 21, 2026 · 14 min read
- Inku vs Anki for Japanese
Choose Inku for prepared Japanese decks with audio and managed review, or Anki for your own cards, an existing collection and full control.
April 21, 2026 · 15 min read
- Inku vs WaniKani
Choose WaniKani for a dedicated 2,000-kanji course, or Inku for kana, vocabulary, phrases and kanji in one routine.
April 21, 2026 · 13 min read
- Inku vs Bunpo
Bunpo teaches grammar through lessons and quizzes; Inku focuses on vocabulary, phrases, kana and kanji with spaced review.
April 21, 2026 · 11 min read
- Inku vs LingoDeer
LingoDeer is a structured course with grammar notes; Inku is a Japanese vocabulary, phrase, kana and kanji study routine.
April 21, 2026 · 12 min read
- Inku vs Renshuu
Renshuu is a large, customizable Japanese platform with a free version; Inku is a smaller, prepared review routine.
April 21, 2026 · 12 min read
- Inku vs Busuu
Busuu offers lessons with community feedback; Inku focuses on Japanese vocabulary, phrases, kana and kanji with spaced review.
April 21, 2026 · 11 min read
- Inku vs Lingopie
Lingopie teaches through shows with interactive subtitles; Inku builds the vocabulary, kana and kanji you need first.
April 21, 2026 · 10 min read
- Inku vs Noji
Noji is a general flashcard app for any subject; Inku is a Japanese app with prepared decks and audio.
April 21, 2026 · 10 min read
- Inku vs JapanesePod101
JapanesePod101 teaches through audio and video lessons; Inku helps you learn and review Japanese words and characters.
April 30, 2026 · 11 min read
- Inku vs Memrise
Memrise teaches speaking and listening with native-speaker video; Inku focuses on Japanese vocabulary, kana and kanji review.
April 30, 2026 · 10 min read
- Inku vs Drops
Drops teaches vocabulary through illustrated games; Inku covers JLPT vocabulary, kana and kanji with spaced review.
April 30, 2026 · 9 min read
- Inku vs Pimsleur for Japanese
Pimsleur is an audio course for speaking; Inku teaches reading and remembering Japanese words, kana and kanji.
April 30, 2026 · 11 min read
- Inku vs Rocket Japanese
Rocket Japanese is a course with lifetime access; Inku is a focused vocabulary, kana and kanji review routine.
April 30, 2026 · 10 min read
- The Best Duolingo Alternative for Japanese
If Duolingo's gamification burned you out, here is the calm, grown-up alternative for learning Japanese.
April 21, 2026 · 12 min read
- Anki Alternative for Japanese: Inku Flashcards
An Anki alternative for learners who want prepared Japanese decks with audio instead of building their own, and when to stay with Anki.
April 21, 2026 · 11 min read
- A Rosetta Stone Alternative for Japanese (at 1/10th the Price)
Rosetta Stone's immersion method is decades old and $200. Here is the modern alternative that fits in your pocket.
April 21, 2026 · 10 min read
- A Babbel Alternative for Japanese Learners
Babbel's Japanese catalogue is limited. Here is a Japanese-first alternative built by someone who learned Japanese as an adult.
April 21, 2026 · 10 min read
- A Pimsleur Alternative for Japanese (for Visual Learners)
A Pimsleur alternative for learners who also need to read Japanese, with kana, kanji and vocabulary on the same cards as the audio.
April 21, 2026 · 9 min read
- WaniKani Alternative: Inku Japanese Flashcards
A WaniKani alternative for learners who want kana, vocabulary, phrases and kanji in one routine, and when WaniKani goes further.
April 30, 2026 · 10 min read
- A Bunpo Alternative for Vocabulary and Kana
A vocabulary-focused companion or alternative to Bunpo's grammar course, with JLPT decks, phrases and kanji.
April 30, 2026 · 9 min read
- A Memrise Alternative for Focused Japanese Learners
A Japanese-only alternative to Memrise for learners who want vocabulary, kana and kanji with spaced review.
April 30, 2026 · 9 min read
- A Drops Alternative for Serious Japanese Learners
A Drops alternative for learners moving toward JLPT vocabulary and kanji with reviews scheduled by their own answers.
April 30, 2026 · 9 min read
