**Hi everyone!**
I think most of the folks here have surely heard of [Renshuu](https://www.renshuu.org/), I know there are many (rather quiet) users lurking who spring out whenever it is mentioned. It’s now been around 2 years that I started using it extensively, and nowadays it has fully replaced all my SRS-based studying routines, since I have one place to study vocab, kanji, grammar (and sentences).
Renshuu is free, so many people ask about what is included in the optional Pro membership. Currently there’s a 30% [sale](https://www.renshuu.org/pro) ongoing for Pro and some community events ongoing, so I thought it might be a good occasion to explain it in more detail. Let me preface it, the vast majority of contents is available for free, Pro offers a few extra options to further customize your study experience which I mention below.
Apologies that it might be a bit disorganized, I tried to write down my thoughts but I’m not the best writer and I tend to ramble.
~~(I had to write this twice since Reddit decided to delete everything after the first link and stupid me saved that).~~
**What is Renshuu**
Renshuu is a study and dictionary tool with an SRS-based learning system. You can use the website or there are also apps for [Android](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.renshuu.renshuu_org) and [iPhone](https://apps.apple.com/sg/app/renshuu-japanese-learning/id1542730063).
It’s developed and maintained by just one developer (マイコー) who lives with his wife in Japan (they’re super lovely folks). His wife made most of the illustrations on the website (including its super cute mascot Kao-chan) and voiced many of the vocab and sentence audios. As such, the site is not as visually polished as other learning tools, and the sheer volume of customizable options might make it a bit difficult for newbies. However, once you get behind it, it’s super powerful and a great way to study the way you need it the most.
The concept behind Renshuu is that each person learns differently, and the many customizations Renshuu offers reflect that. There’s also a huge range of study materials. Because it can be a bit overwhelming at first, let me explain a few concepts below.
**Mastery Schedules**
Mastery schedules are Renshuu’s SRS system and as such they are the heart and soul of Renshuu. You can choose from pre-made schedules (Renshuu has a lot of pre-made ones, e.g. for all JLPT levels and most of the common textbooks, such as Genki or Kentei) or you can make your own schedule from term lists (those are called Community lists). More on Community Lists below.
Renshuu’s SRS schedules the terms automatically, but you can also modify the time intervals and incorrect answer penalties. There are schedules for vocab, kanji, grammar and sentences. For each type, you can create one or multiple schedules (e.g. I have schedules for N3, Genki, my Visual Novel, my book clubs and Core).
What’s wonderful about Renshuu is that items/terms are linked to the site-wide database, not to a list or schedule. That means, you can make multiple schedules and ‘duplicate’ terms will be only quizzed once and retain the mastery wherever they are. If you delete or merge a schedule, you won’t lose any progress.
You can easily make a schedule:
1. (recommended if you are just starting out) On the dashboard click “Manage your schedules” (it’s small, I know), switch to All schedules, from there select whichever schedule you would like to learn (e.g. by JLPT, Textbook)
2. From the Resources > Community Lists menu: Use the search and choose whatever you like to learn and Schedule all or select individual lists by clicking the calender icon
**Study Vectors**
When you study a mastery schedule, you have the option to choose between different study vectors. Study vectors are basically different question types. I think it’s a similar concept to Anki Note Types.
* E.g. for vocab, you can choose: *Kanji->Kana, Kana->Kanji, Kana/Kanji->Meaning, Meaning->Kana/Kanji*
* For kanji: *Kanji radical, onyomi, kunyomi, meaning, stroke count/order*
Each vector has its own mastery. E.g. if you answer the onyomi of a kanji question wrong, only the onyomi question will get the penalty.
The existing study vectors offer a broad range of things you can study. And you can just switch and try out a different one. Or make a new schedule where you only quiz one vector.
Renshuu Pro: offers more study vectors (listening, writing, pitch questions), as well as the option to study vocab with sentence questions (a Japanese sentence will be given where the vocab is highlighted).
Note: Vocab questions are generally multiple-choice. If you don’t like that, you can opt in to initially hide the multiple-choice selection.
**Community Lists**
Community lists are term lists curated by Renshuu or the users (similar concept to Decks maybe). Basically, a community list is a collection of terms that are linked to the dictionary. As mentioned above, there’s a huge selection to choose from (JLPT, textbooks, Kanji Kentei, Core, different thematic topics, …). Many users have made their own lists public. It’s very simple to make your own lists as well.
**Japanese Lessons**
Renshuu offers curated grammar lessons (created by a teacher) to teach the grammar basics (Kana and Kanji basics, N5, N4 in progress). Many lessons also have video now! And there are community events in the Discord with live grammar lessons.
**Dictionary**
I said the schedules are the heart and soul of Renshuu, but actually it is the dictionary. Seriously, this thing is so powerful. Not only is it an amazing lookup tool, but all terms on the site are cross-linked to the dictionary. That means, wherever you encounter a word, you can hover over it and see dictionary information regarding it. You can click the kanji and get to the kanji page. You have also a range of actions available such as Add to schedule/list, Block from quizzes, Adjust mastery etc.
It’s also the most comprehensive learner dictionary I’ve ever seen. For vocab, It gives you the furigana and meaning, also if present: pitch, audio, example sentences and crosslinks to the kanji dictionary. Most common vocab have audio and sentences, you can also save your own sentences and link them to words.
The kanji dictionary has kunyomi, onyomi, stroke count and diagram, radicals, user-made mnemonics, example words sortable by reading and where they appear or if you know them.
There’s also grammar library. This gives examples of how to form the grammar structure and example sentences. Many sentences are also voiced (there is no AI voices on this site).
**Gameification**
Renshuu offers a variety of study motivators (that you can opt out of if you prefer).
Let me describe each of them quickly:
* Level system: you can level and evolve Renshuu’s adorable mascot Kao (Renshuu Pro: offers more ‘paths’ once you are done leveling to LVL100 when you start over), gain XP by doing dailies, doing your schedules and activities on the site
* Kao garden quests: Daily/weekly/permanent quests that give you currency to purchase decorations for your [Kao garden](https://imgur.com/a/kwwuolw)
* Kao coins: Collect points after each completed quiz (higher accuracy gives more points) and redeem them in a gachapon to collect coins with cute illustrations
* Hanko achievements: Collect hanko stamps for different study achievements
* Unlock Kao manga pages
* Discord roles: study progress (related to JLPT material) can be cross-linked to Discord
* Heatmap and stats: graphically display days studies and a range of different stats
* Mini games to play: Quick Draw (practice writing Kana and Kanji, Renshuu Pro: more Kanji to practice), Counter Punch (practice Japanese counters), Shiritori (make word chains with the last syllable of a word), Crosswords
* Writing games: Word garden (write a sentences with given starter words as “seeds”), Haiku (write a haiku regarding a set topic, Question Corner (answer a question which changes every few weeks). Honestly these are great to practice output.
**Community**
Honestly this is the most wholesome community I ever encountered. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming, also for total beginners. No snarky comments, every one is genuinely trying to be helpful. This might be Michael’s influence who is truly a good soul. Michael is super active and communicative, he will directly respond if you have issues on the site and take care of it in a speedy manner (stan マイコー fr).
I highly recommend checking out the Discord. Not only a great place to discuss Japanese questions, culture, or just chat, but there are also many community events, for Speaking, Listening, Reading , Grammar Lessons, Karaoke, etc. And lurkers are always welcome. And we have cute Kao emojis! Oh yeah, recently we have also a book club with recommendations for beginner, intermediate and advanced readers.
**Renshuu Pro**
While Renshuu Pro offers pretty cool things to customize your study experience, it is in no way necessary to use Renshuu comprehensively. More like, it adds some extras.
Everything what I described above is free, when it’s Pro I mentioned it. Also here again a list of what is Pro:
* 3 new vectors (listening for vocab, pitch and writing vector for kanji)
* Different Japanese fonts to choose from
* Quiz vocab with context sentence questions
* More grammar quiz questions
* Choose the BLANK question for grammar and sentence quizzes
* More stats
* Text analyzer with list export function (Text analyzer is generally free to use but for list/schedule export you need Pro, also Pro has higher word limit)
I use the text analyzer frequently for mining texts, as well as the option to use context sentences for vocab questions. I also have a schedule to practice writing the most common kanji.
The membership cost $6.99/month, $59.00/year or $129.00/lifetime. Discounts like now are frequent ($49.00/year, $109.99 at the time of this post). You would have to decide yourself if that’s worth it to you. There’s also the possibility of using a free trial.
**Epilogue**
I hope that gave you an insight of what Renshuu is and how it can be used (it got a bit longer than I initially intended). If you have questions on how to setup, or specific functions/features, let me know. As I mentioned, the forums and Discord are very active and they’re super helpful if you ask nicely.
by pashi_pony