# Learn Japanese with The Garden of Words

> How hard its Japanese is, real words from it with kana and romaji, where to watch it, and what to watch before and after.

[Anime by Japanese level](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/) › [N3](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/#n3)

**The short answer:** Ikkimi rates **The Garden of Words** N3 for learning Japanese: a short film, quiet speech, a classical poem. **Good for a beginner? With some help.** It sits in the middle of Ikkimi’s levels. A beginner can follow it with kana and romaji on every word, but it is easier after one or two simpler shows.

Ikkimi lists The Garden of Words on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles and every word becomes clickable.

The Ikkimi web app and Chrome extension come on one plan. The iPhone app is coming soon.

## How hard is the Japanese in The Garden of Words?

Ikkimi rates The Garden of Words at **N3** (everyday Japanese at full speed). What sets its level: a short film, quiet speech, a classical poem. Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 44 are easier and 80 are harder.

Levels follow the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). They are Ikkimi’s estimate of how hard a show’s Japanese is to follow, from how fast people talk, how many unusual words there are and how clear the voices are. They are not official JLPT ratings.

| Fact | The Garden of Words |
| --- | --- |
| Ikkimi’s level | N3 (everyday Japanese at full speed) |
| Why | a short film, quiet speech, a classical poem |
| Japanese title | 言の葉の庭 |
| Format | Film |
| Running time | 46 minutes |
| Released | 2013 |
| Genres | Drama, Psychological, Romance, Slice of Life |
| Where to watch | [Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/search?q=The%20Garden%20of%20Words) |

Format, episodes, year and genres are from [AniList’s entry](https://anilist.co/anime/16782).

## The words in the title

The Japanese title, 言の葉の庭, is a first lesson in itself. Its 2 words, as a dictionary lists them:

| Word | Kana and romaji | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 言の葉 | ことのは kotonoha | word |
| 庭 N5 | にわ niwa | garden; yard; courtyard |

## How to learn Japanese with The Garden of Words

Ikkimi lists The Garden of Words on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. Ikkimi does not stream anything: you watch on your own account, in Chrome on a computer, and Ikkimi adds a Japanese line you can click on top of the player.

### On Netflix

On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player, where your country’s Netflix has them for this title, and Ikkimi makes the line clickable. If there are none, open the Ikkimi popup, choose Find Japanese subtitles, and search Jimaku’s catalogue or load a file from your computer.

1. Add Ikkimi to Chrome: Get the extension from the [Chrome Web Store](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/ikkimi-%E2%80%94-learn-japanese/kknpmodmojiodjhbgapdgpabdehpnfcb) and sign in.
2. Play the film: Open The Garden of Words on Netflix. The Japanese line appears on top of the video.
3. Click the words you keep hearing: The video pauses and the word opens: kana, romaji, meaning, JLPT level and a recording by a native speaker where one exists (never a computer voice; otherwise the line from the show plays again). Keep three to five words an episode, the ones that come up again.
4. Review them later: Kept words come back as flashcards on the Ikkimi website, with the scene and the line they came from, just before you would forget them.

The film runs about 46 minutes, so you can split it over a few evenings and rewatch the scenes you liked.

## Easier and harder shows

Shows within a level of The Garden of Words, with the most genres in common first.

### Easier

| Show | Level | Why | Where |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You](https://ikkimi.app/anime/kimi-ni-todoke-from-me-to-you/)** 君に届け | N4 to N3 | school romance, a polite lead | Netflix, Crunchyroll |
| **[Tsuki ga Kirei](https://ikkimi.app/anime/tsuki-ga-kirei/)** 月がきれい | N4 to N3 | quiet school romance, text messages on screen | Crunchyroll |
| **[Whisper of the Heart](https://ikkimi.app/anime/whisper-of-the-heart/)** 耳をすませば | N4 to N3 | a film, family and school talk | Netflix |

### Also N3

| Show | Level | Why | Where |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[A Silent Voice](https://ikkimi.app/anime/a-silent-voice/)** 聲の形 | N3 | a film, school talk | Netflix |
| **[Mob Psycho 100](https://ikkimi.app/anime/mob-psycho-100/)** モブサイコ100 | N3 | casual speech, one fast talker | Crunchyroll |
| **[Your Lie in April](https://ikkimi.app/anime/your-lie-in-april/)** 四月は君の嘘 | N3 | school talk, music words, poetic monologues | Crunchyroll, Netflix |

### Harder

| Show | Level | Why | Where |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **[BEASTARS](https://ikkimi.app/anime/beastars/)** | N3 to N2 | school talk, long inner monologue | Netflix |
| **[Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-](https://ikkimi.app/anime/re-zero-starting-life-in-another-world/)** Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活 | N3 to N2 | fast emotional monologues, fantasy words | Crunchyroll |
| **[Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai](https://ikkimi.app/anime/rascal-does-not-dream-of-bunny-girl-senpai/)** 青春ブタ野郎はバニーガール先輩の夢を見ない | N3 to N2 | quick banter, some science words | Crunchyroll |

See [every N3 anime](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/#n3) or all 192 [anime by Japanese level](https://ikkimi.app/anime-by-japanese-level/), and read [how to learn Japanese by watching anime](https://ikkimi.app/learn-japanese-with-anime/) from zero.

## Questions

### Is The Garden of Words good for learning Japanese?

With some help. Ikkimi rates it N3 (everyday Japanese at full speed). What sets its level: a short film, quiet speech, a classical poem. It sits in the middle of Ikkimi’s levels. A beginner can follow it with kana and romaji on every word, but it is easier after one or two simpler shows.

### What Japanese level is The Garden of Words?

N3, on Ikkimi’s scale from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). Of the 192 anime Ikkimi rates by hand, 44 are easier and 80 are harder. The level is Ikkimi’s estimate, not an official JLPT rating.

### Where can I watch The Garden of Words with Japanese subtitles?

Ikkimi lists The Garden of Words on Netflix. What each service carries varies by country. On Netflix, turn on Japanese subtitles in the player where they are offered, and Ikkimi makes every word clickable.

### What does the title 言の葉の庭 mean, word by word?

言の葉 (kotonoha) means “word”; 庭 (niwa) means “garden; yard; courtyard”.

### How long is The Garden of Words?

AniList lists The Garden of Words as a film of about 46 minutes, released in 2013.

### What should I watch before The Garden of Words?

Shows a little easier than The Garden of Words, with genres in common: Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You (N4 to N3), Tsuki ga Kirei (N4 to N3) and Whisper of the Heart (N4 to N3).

Sources: show details from [AniList](https://anilist.co); meanings from JMdict (EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0); readings and word splits from kuromoji.js with IPADIC; JLPT word levels from Jonathan Waller’s unofficial lists. See [Credits](https://ikkimi.app/credits/). Spotted a mistake? Tell us at [hello@ikkimi.app](mailto:hello@ikkimi.app).

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Source: https://ikkimi.app/anime/the-garden-of-words/ · Updated 2026-10-30 · Contact: hello@ikkimi.app · More: https://ikkimi.app/llms.txt