All 104 hiragana, in the order you'd learn them. Each one has the romaji and the memory hook we use in the app. Start with the 46 basic ones at the top, that's most of the work. The rest are the same shapes with small marks added, or two kana squashed together.
Basic hiragana
The core set, in gojūon order. Learn these first.
あaA capital A wearing a scarf. Say "ah" — the A is right there in the shape.
いiTwo eels swimming side by side, one long, one short. "ee"ls.
うuA face in profile with a proud nose, looking up. "Ooo, what a nose."
えeAn energetic ninja mid-kick: blade on top, leg swinging out below.
おoあ's twin brother, but he tied his hair into a topknot. "Oh, nice hair."
かkaA kite with a little flag trailing off the string — ka-boom of wind.
きkiAn old-fashioned key with two teeth on the shaft.
くkuA cuckoo's open beak, mid "ku-kuu".
けkeA keg standing beside its tap, ready to pour.
こkoTwo logs lying together — a cosy little campfire.
さsaき's little sibling — one tooth short. A saw with a bent handle.
しshiA fishing hook hanging in the water — she caught one!
すsuA straw swirling in a glass — suuu, last sip.
せseA mouth mid-"say", one tooth showing.
そsoA zig-zag sewing stitch — and sew it goes.
たtaLiterally "t a" squeezed together. It spells itself — ta-da!
ちchiA baby chick puffing out its round chest.
つtsuA tsunami wave curling over.
てteAn outstretched hand — te is Japanese for hand.
とtoA toe with a splinter sticking out of it. Ouch.
なnaA knot tied tight under a cross — nailed it.
にniA knee next to a shin — に, knee.
ぬnuNoodles looping around chopsticks — with one noodle curling off the end.
ねneA cat — neko — sitting up with its tail curled behind.
のnoOne big sweeping loop — a "no entry" sign.
はhaA person leaning on a post, laughing — ha!
ひhiA wide grinning mouth — hee hee.
ふfuA puff of breath scattering four leaves — fuu.
へheA little hill. Heave yourself up and over.
ほhoは's twin holding an extra bar — ho ho ho, more to carry.
まmaA magic wand with a knot at the bottom — ta-da, ma-gic.
みmiA ball of yarn with the needle still stuck through — mine!
むmuA cow's face mid-chew — muuu.
めmeAn eye — me — with a lash sweeping across it. ぬ without the noodle curl.
もmoA fishhook that caught two fish — always more.
やyaA yak's head with one horn and an ear flapping.
ゆyuA fish swimming through a U-bend.
よyoA yo-yo dangling off a finger.
らraA rabbit's ear folded at the tip.
りriA river running in two streams — the longer one bends away.
るruA loop-the-loop route ending in a curl.
れreA runner mid-stride, back leg kicked out.
ろroる without the curl — a plain old road.
わwaA swan gliding by — wa, elegant.
をwoWritten "wo", always said "o" — お with a tail. You'll meet it constantly as the object particle.
んnJust an "n" with a long tail. The end.
Dakuten and handakuten
Two small ticks (゛) or a small circle (゜) change the sound. か becomes が, は becomes ば or ぱ.
がgaか with tenten — the two marks harden K into G.
ぎgiき with tenten — KI voices into GI.
ぐguく with tenten — KU voices into GU.
げgeけ with tenten — KE voices into GE.
ごgoこ with tenten — KO voices into GO.
ざzaさ with tenten — SA buzzes into ZA.
じjiし with tenten — SHI buzzes into JI.
ずzuす with tenten — SU buzzes into ZU.
ぜzeせ with tenten — SE buzzes into ZE.
ぞzoそ with tenten — SO buzzes into ZO.
だdaた with tenten — TA thuds into DA.
ぢjiち with tenten — rare JI, mostly seen in はなぢ (nosebleed).
づzuつ with tenten — rare ZU, mostly seen in つづく (to continue).
でdeて with tenten — TE thuds into DE.
どdoと with tenten — TO thuds into DO.
ばbaは with tenten — HA booms into BA.
びbiひ with tenten — HI booms into BI.
ぶbuふ with tenten — FU booms into BU.
べbeへ with tenten — HE booms into BE.
ぼboほ with tenten — HO booms into BO.
ぱpaは with a little circle (maru) — HA pops into PA.
ぴpiひ with maru — HI pops into PI.
ぷpuふ with maru — FU pops into PU.
ぺpeへ with maru — HE pops into PE.
ぽpoほ with maru — HO pops into PO.
Combinations
A kana ending in i plus a small ya, yu or yo makes one blended sound.
きゃkyaき + small や glide together — kya.
きゅkyuき + small ゆ glide together — kyu.
きょkyoき + small よ glide together — kyo.
しゃshaし + small や — sha, like a camera shutter.
しゅshuし + small ゆ — shu, like a shoe sliding.
しょshoし + small よ — sho, on with the show.
ちゃchaち + small や — cha, a cup of tea (ocha).
ちゅchuち + small ゆ — chu, a train going chu-chu.
ちょchoち + small よ — cho, a chocolate square.
にゃnyaに + small や — nya, what a Japanese cat says.
にゅnyuに + small ゆ — nyu, like "new".
にょnyoに + small よ — nyo.
ひゃhyaひ + small や — hya, a startled yelp.
ひゅhyuひ + small ゆ — hyu, wind whistling past.
ひょhyoひ + small よ — hyo, a leopard (hyou).
みゃmyaみ + small や — mya.
みゅmyuみ + small ゆ — myu, like a musical mew.
みょmyoみ + small よ — myo, as in myouji (surname).
りゃryaり + small や — rya.
りゅryuり + small ゆ — ryu, a dragon (ryuu).
りょryoり + small よ — ryo, as in ryokan (inn).
ぎゃgyaぎ + small や — gya.
ぎゅgyuぎ + small ゆ — gyu, beef (gyuuniku).
ぎょgyoぎ + small よ — gyo, fish dishes (gyoza's cousin).
じゃjaじ + small や — ja, see ya (jaa ne).
じゅjuじ + small ゆ — ju, juice (juusu).
じょjoじ + small よ — jo, as in joushi (boss).
びゃbyaび + small や — bya.
びゅbyuび + small ゆ — byu, something whooshing past.
びょbyoび + small よ — byo, as in byouin (hospital).
ぴゃpyaぴ + small や — pya.
ぴゅpyuぴ + small ゆ — pyu, a dart flying.
ぴょpyoぴ + small よ — pyo, a rabbit hopping (pyon).