This experiment investigated the learning of Kana and Kanji by four-year-old children under the following conditions: C1: Kana+syllable, e.g., _??_+“ku”; C2: Kana+syllable+picture representing a word beginning with the preceding syllable, e.g., _??_+“ku”+picture of kuma (bear); C3: Kana+syllable+word which begins with the preceding syllable, e.g., _??_+“ku”+“kuma”; C4: Kana+syllable+word+picture; C5: Kanji+word, e.g., _??_+“inu” (dog); and C6: Kanji+word+picture, e.g., _??_+“inu”+picture of inu. The Kanji conditions (C5 and C6) were the easiest. Association with meaningful words or pictures did not significantly improve Kana learning.