Anki Kaishi 15k May 2026

Report: Anki Kaishi 15k

The Definitive Modern Core Vocabulary Deck for Japanese Learners

Daily micro-routine (30–90 minutes depending on load)

  1. Morning (10–20 min): Quick warm-up — high-priority reviews and new cards.
  2. Midday (10–30 min): Create new cards from current study material; use active recall first, then make the card.
  3. Evening (10–40 min): Finish remaining reviews, fix any poor cards flagged earlier.

Tips: Break sessions into 25–30 minute blocks with short breaks to maintain focus.

Is there a "Kaishi 2k" or "Kaishi 10k" in development?

According to the development team's GitHub and Discord activity (checked as of 2025), there are sporadic efforts to create a "Kaishi 3k" or a specialized "Verb deck." However, the core team remains committed to the philosophy that pre-made decks beyond 2k are harmful. anki kaishi 15k

Why? Because after 2000 words, "frequency" becomes domain-specific. The most frequent word for a salaryman is "会議" (meeting). For a high school student, it is "補習" (extra class). A generic 15k deck forces you to learn words you will never use.

4. Pedagogical Philosophy

Kaishi 15k is built on three core learning principles that distinguish it from traditional textbook methods. Report: Anki Kaishi 15k The Definitive Modern Core

Phase 3: Transition (After Card 1,500)

  • Suspend all Kaishi cards (or set new limits to 0).
  • Your daily reviews will now be 90% your mined cards + 10% mature Kaishi cards.
  • Congratulations – you are no longer a "deck user." You are a natural acquirer.

Final Checklist for the Intermediate Learner

You started here searching for a magic 15k deck. Now you have a better plan. Here is your weekly checklist:

  • [ ] Monday: Review 20 new Kaishi cards (total 1.5k).
  • [ ] Tuesday: Watch 30 minutes of raw anime (no subtitles).
  • [ ] Wednesday: Mine 10 sentences from that anime into a "Personal Kaishi" deck.
  • [ ] Thursday: Review your mined sentences + Kaishi reviews.
  • [ ] Friday: Read a NHK Easy News article.
  • [ ] Saturday: Add 5 words from that article to your deck.
  • [ ] Sunday: Chill. Watch a Japanese Vtuber.

3.3 The "Pitch Accent" Feature

A defining feature of Kaishi 15k is the inclusion of Pitch Accent data. Tips: Break sessions into 25–30 minute blocks with

  • Japanese is a pitch-accent language; saying a word with the wrong intonation can make it unintelligible.
  • The deck displays pitch contours (e.g., Atamadaka, Odaka, Heiban) visually on the card back.
  • This integrates pronunciation training directly into vocabulary acquisition, a feature often missing in Core 2k.

1. The i+1 Perfection

The deck is meticulously ordered. Card 1 teaches you "私" (I). Card 2 teaches you "は" (topic marker). Card 5 teaches you "学生" (student). By card 10, you can read "私は学生です" without being explicitly told the grammar. This "organic i+1" principle is why Kaishi feels like a game, not a chore.

Phase 1: Conquer Kaishi 1.5k (Months 1–4)

  • Settings: 15–20 new cards per day.
  • Time: 45 minutes/day.
  • Goal: Finish the deck with 90% retention.
  • Outcome: You know 1500 words, basic grammar (implied via sentences), and have a feel for pitch.