Locate the complete kanji, hiragana and katakana alphabets online using the resources listed below.
Choose which alphabet you would like to learn first. Most students learn the hiragana and katakana first.
Make a flashcard for each character using index cards and markers. Write the Japanese character on one side and the English translation of the sound on the other.
Add an image hint on the front side to help you remember which sound the character represents. For example, if you are learning the katakana character for the sound "no" you could draw a picture of a nose to remind you of the sound.
Study the flashcards. Set the cards that are easily recalled in one pile and the ones you have trouble with in another. Repeat this until you have all the cards memorized.
Flip the pile of cards over and study the English-to-Japanese translation. Copy the Japanese characters onto a separate piece of paper. Set the cards aside as you learn to write the character, once again keeping two piles -- one for those memorized and one for those that require more work. Learn the proper way to write the characters by accessing free worksheets from the resources listed below.