Hiragana Tower: How to Play and Tips
About the game
Japanese hiragana letters appear at the top of the screen one at a time. Slide each one sideways and drop it onto a wooden stand. The goal is to build the tallest tower you can. If any letter falls off the stand, the game is over.
Each letter is a solid block in its exact shape. The little dots on ざ catch on other letters, and letters with round bottoms roll over after they land. You don't need to read Japanese to play.
Runs in the browser on phones and computers. No download, no sign-up.
The first letter and how to play 
A tower in progress 
The result
How to play
- Aim
Press anywhere on the play area and slide left or right. The letter at the top moves with your finger. On a computer, the ← and → keys work too. - Let go to drop
Lift your finger and the letter falls. On a computer, press Space. The next letter shows up right away, so you can keep going. - Check what's next
The Next box in the top right shows the letter after the current one. - Watch the height
The ruler lines across the screen and the Height number at the top show how tall your tower is. - One fall ends it
When a letter drops off the stand, the round is over. Your result appears once that letter leaves the screen.
Height and levels
Your result shows the tower just before it fell, its height, your level, and your best. Tap Share to send the picture to X or another app, or Play again to start over.
Height is measured from the top of the stand to the top of the highest letter. A full-size letter like あ standing upright adds about 8 cm. A flat ー adds less than 2 cm.
| Height | Level |
|---|---|
| Under 10 cm | Beginner |
| 10 to 14.9 cm | Intermediate |
| 15 to 19.9 cm | Advanced |
| 20 to 29.9 cm | Expert |
| 30 to 39.9 cm | Master |
| 40 cm and up | Hiragana God |
Height is taken each time the tower stops wobbling. Letters in mid-air don't count.
Tips
- ★ Start with wide letters
- Wide letters like ー and こ stay put where they land. Line a few of them up on the stand early and everything above gets steadier.
- ★ Stand tall letters up for height
- A letter that lands upright adds more height, but tall, thin letters tip over easily. Drop them where something can hold them up.
- ★ Let round letters lean
- ざ, り and ぶ have round bottoms and won't stand up straight. Drop them where they can tip into a gap or lean on a neighbor.
- ★ No need to rush
- The next letter appears instantly, but dropping onto a wobbling tower adds to the wobble. There's no timer, so wait for it to settle.
- ★ Plan around NEXT
- If a big letter is coming, keep a flat spot open for it. Small ones like ゃ and っ are handy for filling gaps.
FAQ
- Q. Do I need to read Japanese?
- A. No. The letters are just shapes to stack. The game switches to English automatically when your browser is set to English. To change it by hand, use the language menu at the top right.
- Q. I added a letter but the height didn't go up. Why?
- A. The height is measured again once the tower stops wobbling. While it's moving, or while a letter is still falling, you see the previous height.
- Q. Can I choose which letter comes next?
- A. No. Letters are picked at random from 76 hiragana, including small ones like ゃ and っ and the long-vowel bar ー. The Next box in the top right shows what comes after the current one.
- Q. Where is my best score saved?
- A. In your browser. Clearing your browser data resets it to 0.
Guides to my other games
- How to play Soft Serve Challenge (ソフトクリームチャレンジ)
- How to play Rokuro (ロクロ)
- How to play Kitsune Den
- How to play Dig It!
For help or bugs, see the Contact page.
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