KuLA (Kuzushiji Learning App)

Yuta Hashimoto

About this app

Have you ever wanted to read the characters written on Ukiyo-e prints? Or wished to decipher swords' inscriptions from the Edo period? To read books published before the Edo period today, you must have the ability to decode "Kuzushiji," characters and calligraphy styles no longer in use. The "KuLA" (Kuzushiji Learning Application) is an app developed to efficiently learn "Kuzushiji" using smartphones or tablets.

Utilizing KuLA's test and social features can make the challenging task of learning Kuzushiji both fun and simple.

KuLA comprises three main features:

"Learn" Feature
This function allows you to learn how to read obsolete Kana characters (Hentaigana) and cursive Kanji characters by referencing over 3,000 examples of Kuzushiji. An accompanying test feature enables you to easily gauge your learning progress.

"Read" Feature
Merely memorizing characters won't suffice to read actual books. The "Read" feature offers training in deciphering Kuzushiji using images of books published during the Edo period. This version includes "Hōjōki," "Shinpan Nazo Nazo Sugoroku," and the sword book "Shinjinmei Jin Kōshū."

"Connect" Feature
Stuck on unreadable characters? Ask for help from other users! This social feature enables communication with other Kuzushiji learners through a network. If you encounter an unreadable character, you can take a photo and ask for its reading online.

Dive into the world of classics and historical documents with KuLA!

KuLA was developed primarily by the Graduate School of Letters at Osaka University as a result of the "Development of an International Educational Program on Japan's Historical Texts," a challenging exploratory research project led by Professor Yoichi Iikura in the fiscal year of 2015.

What’s new

This app is a complete re-write of KuLA, which was originally released in 2016.