Japanese
Browser extension
I recommend using the Yomitan extension for your favorite browser:
You can load external dictionaries such as:
- Jitendex - A better version of JMdict
- JMnedict - Dictionary of Japanese names
- KANJIDIC - Dictionary of kanji
Reading
The faster you start to read Japanese the better, but starting out feels like hitting a wall with your head. Luckily there are things such as Satori Reader, which can help you ease into reading Japanese. The problem in my case is that Satori Reader costs quite a bit of money, and it isn’t always that interesting or appropriate for my level. In this case one would be better off by reading native content, but the jump is quite hard…
The thing is, you can also make it slightly easier by emulating the Satori Reader way by reading native content along with the English translation. You can for example read a single page of manga, and then read the very same page of manga in English just to check if you got it right.
This way you can read anything you want, and keep it both interesting and challenging!