Japanese Podcast Recommendations: List of Japanese Best Podcasts for Every Level

If you're learning Japanese in 2026, podcasts are probably one of the most underrated study tools out there. You can listen while commuting, doing dishes, or just lying in bed. And what better way is there to expose yourself to the language than listening to Japanese podcasts? This guide breaks down the best podcasts for Japanese learners based on your current level, what you're trying to achieve, and how much time you actually have. Whether you're studying for the JLPT, want to understand anime without subtitles, or just want to sound more natural in conversations, there's a podcast here for you.

How to choose the right Japanese podcast for your goals

Before diving into specific recommendations, you need to figure out what you're actually trying to get out of podcasts. Are you a beginner who needs slow, clear Japanese with English explanations? An intermediate learner preparing for N3? Or someone advanced looking for content that native speakers actually listen to?

Your goals matter too.

The format makes a huge difference. Bilingual podcasts mix Japanese and English, which helps beginners build confidence and understand context. All-Japanese podcasts force immersion, which is better for intermediate and advanced learners who can handle more ambiguity. Some podcasts provide transcripts, which is honestly a game-changer if you want to look up words and review what you heard.

Audio speed matters more than people think. Beginner podcasts often speak at like 60-70% normal speed, while advanced content runs at full native speed. Jumping levels too fast will just frustrate you, but staying too comfortable won't push your listening skills forward.

Best Japanese podcasts for beginners

JapanesePod101

This is probably the most popular podcast for beginners, and for good reason. Each episode breaks down a conversation between Japanese speakers, then explains the grammar, vocabulary, and cultural context in English. The Japanese portions are spoken clearly and slowly, which gives you time to actually process what you're hearing.

Episodes run about 10-15 minutes, making them easy to fit into your day. The hosts are energetic without being annoying, and they cover practical topics like ordering food, asking for directions, and making small talk. You can find it on basically any podcast app, and they have hundreds of episodes organized by level.

The main downside is that the free version only gives you access to some content. The full library requires a subscription, which might not be worth it if you're using other paid resources. But for absolute beginners, the free episodes alone provide solid value.

NHK World Radio Japan's "Easy Japanese"

NHK produces a bunch of learning content, and their Easy Japanese podcast focuses on teaching practical phrases through short dialogues. Each episode is only about 10 minutes and covers one specific situation, like introducing yourself or talking about hobbies.

The Japanese is spoken slowly and clearly, and they provide English translations for everything. You also get cultural notes explaining when and how to use certain phrases, which helps you avoid sounding weird or overly formal.

The podcast comes with transcripts and lesson notes on their website, which makes reviewing way easier. You can listen on the go, then go back and study the written material later. Pretty cool setup for beginners who want structured learning.

Nihongo Con Teppei for Beginners

Teppei is kind of a legend in the Japanese podcast world. His beginner podcast, Nihongo Con Teppei for Beginners, features him talking about everyday topics in simple Japanese. He speaks slowly and uses basic vocabulary, repeating important words and phrases naturally throughout each episode.

What makes this podcast special is that it's entirely in Japanese from day one, but designed for beginners. You get used to listening to Japanese without English crutches, which builds your comprehension faster. Episodes are short, around 5-7 minutes, so they don't feel overwhelming.

Teppei's teaching style is conversational and friendly. He doesn't lecture you about grammar rules. He just talks about his day, his thoughts, or random observations, using language that beginners can actually understand. There are hundreds of episodes, so you have tons of content to work through.

Best Japanese podcasts for intermediate learners

Miku Real Japanese

Miku Real Japanese targets intermediate learners who want to hear authentic, conversational Japanese. Miku speaks at a moderate pace and covers topics like daily life in Japan, cultural differences, and language learning tips. Her voice is clear and pleasant to listen to, and she explains difficult words in simple Japanese.

Each episode is around 15-20 minutes, and she provides transcripts for her podcast on her website. The transcripts are honestly super helpful because you can review exactly what she said and look up any words you missed.

What I like about this podcast is that Miku talks about real experiences and observations, so the language feels natural. You're learning how people actually speak, including filler words, casual expressions, and natural speech patterns that textbooks skip.

Sakura Tips

Sakura Tips speaks in Japanese at a moderate pace, making it accessible for intermediate learners while still challenging enough to improve your skills.

Episodes cover everything from Japanese idioms to seasonal traditions to modern slang. The hosts occasionally explain difficult words or concepts in simpler Japanese, which helps you build the skill of understanding Japanese through Japanese rather than always translating to English.

Best Japanese podcasts for advanced learners

Nihongo no Tane Podcast by Yumi

For advanced learners, Nihongo no Tane Podcast delivers exactly what the name promises. Yumi speaks entirely in Japanese about various topics, from news and current events to personal experiences and cultural commentary. She speaks at a natural pace without dumbing down her vocabulary.

Episodes run 5 minutes and assume you have a solid foundation in Japanese. This is the kind of podcast where you'll definitely encounter words you don't know, but you should be able to follow the main ideas through context. It's challenging but not incomprehensible.

News in Slow Japanese

Despite the name, this podcast is actually appropriate for upper intermediate to advanced learners. This website features both slow and fast paces, and the vocabulary and grammar are still complex.

Each episode covers recent news stories from Japan and around the world. You learn vocabulary related to politics, economics, technology, and social issues. This is perfect if you're preparing for N2 or N1 of the JLPT, since news-related vocabulary shows up frequently on those tests.

The podcast helps you understand how Japanese media discusses current events, including common phrases and expressions used in journalism. It's also just useful if you want to follow Japanese news but find regular broadcasts too fast.

Regular Japanese podcasts for native speakers

Once you hit advanced levels, you should start mixing in podcasts that native speakers actually listen to for entertainment, not language learning. This is the real test of your listening skills.

Anyone got a podcast that native speakers listen to that they find interesting? Some popular options include Rebuild (Tech and startup culture), Backspace (Comedy and pop culture), and various storytelling podcasts. These run at full native speed with no accommodations for learners, so they're genuinely challenging.

The benefit is that you're consuming real content about topics you actually care about, not just "content for learners." You pick up slang, cultural references, and the kind of natural speech that makes you sound fluent rather than textbook-learned.

Finding more Japanese podcasts in 2025

Anyone know of any good podcasts in Japanese? Beyond the recommendations here, you can find tons of options by searching in Japanese on podcast apps. Search for "" (nihongo poddo kyasuto, Japanese podcast) or browse Japanese podcast charts to see what's popular.

Reddit communities like r/LearnJapanese regularly share podcast recommendations and reviews. You can ask for suggestions based on your specific level and interests, and people will usually give honest feedback about what worked for them.

YouTube also hosts many Japanese podcasts, which gives you the option of watching the speakers if that helps your comprehension. Some learners find it easier to understand when they can see facial expressions and gestures.

Podcast apps like Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts all have Japanese content. Set your region to Japan temporarily to see what shows up in the charts, then search for topics you're interested in. You might find podcasts about cooking, gaming, sports, or whatever else you care about.

The podcast landscape keeps growing, so new shows for learners and native speakers launch regularly. Following Japanese language learning blogs and social media accounts helps you discover new content as it comes out.

Comparing bilingual vs. all-Japanese podcasts

Bilingual podcasts mix Japanese and English, usually teaching Japanese concepts through English explanations. These work great for beginners who need context and translation to understand what they're hearing. You build confidence because you always know what's being said, and you can focus on pronunciation and basic grammar without getting lost.

The downside is that bilingual podcasts can become a crutch. If you rely too heavily on English explanations, you don't develop the skill of understanding Japanese through Japanese. Your brain keeps translating instead of thinking directly in the target language.

All-Japanese podcasts force immersion, which is uncomfortable at first but more effective long-term. You have to figure out meaning through context, repetition, and inference. This builds real comprehension skills and trains your brain to process Japanese without translating.

For beginners, starting with bilingual podcasts makes sense. You need some scaffolding to build basic understanding. But as you progress to intermediate levels, you should gradually shift toward all-Japanese content, even if it feels harder. The struggle is where the learning happens.

Some learners mix both types: bilingual podcasts for learning new grammar concepts, all-Japanese podcasts for listening practice and vocabulary building. This combo approach works pretty well if you balance them properly.

Common mistakes when using podcasts for learning Japanese

The biggest mistake is choosing podcasts above your level. If you understand less than 50% of what you're hearing, the podcast is too hard and you're mostly just hearing noise. You need comprehensible input, meaning content where you understand most of it but still encounter some new material.

Another mistake is only listening passively. Background listening while gaming or cooking has some value, but you need focused listening sessions to actually improve. Your brain needs to actively process the language, which doesn't happen when podcasts are just background noise.

Skipping the review process wastes a lot of potential learning. If you listen to an episode once and never think about it again, you'll forget most of what you heard. Using transcripts, taking notes, and doing repeated listening multiplies the value of each episode.

Jumping between too many different podcasts prevents you from building momentum. You're better off finding two or three good podcasts at your level and working through their content systematically rather than sampling a new show every day.

Forgetting to actually enjoy the content is a subtle but important mistake. If you hate the topics or find the host annoying, you won't stick with it. Find podcasts that genuinely interest you, even if they're not the "optimal" learning resource. Consistency beats perfection.

How to actually use podcasts to learn Japanese

Listening to podcasts passively while doing other stuff is better than nothing, but you won't improve much that way. Here are strategies that actually work for using podcasts effectively in your study routine.

Anyway, if you want to level up your listening practice even more, Migaku's browser extension and app let you turn any Japanese video or article into learning material with instant word lookups and sentence mining. Makes immersion learning way more practical than just hoping you'll remember new words. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.

Listening takes more time to improve in Japanese learning

Remember that listening skills develop slower than reading skills for most learners, so don't get discouraged if podcasts feel hard for a while. Your brain needs time to adjust to processing spoken Japanese at natural speeds. Keep at it, and you'll eventually hit a point where understanding clicks and becomes much easier.

The slower you go, the faster you get there.