The full katakana chart, with a memory hook for every character

Memory hook: An axe blade with a short handle — swing it and shout "aah!"

アイス (aisu) — ice cream

Memory hook: An easel standing on a slant — ee!

イタリア (itaria) — Italy

Memory hook: う with a flat roof on top — a little hut that says "ooh".

ウール (uuru) — wool

Memory hook: An I-beam from a building site — an elevator shaft, e!

エアコン (eakon) — air conditioner

Memory hook: A cross with a slash — someone opening their arms: "oh!"

オレンジ (orenji) — orange

Memory hook: か without its little tick — same shape, same sound: ka.

カメラ (kamera) — camera

Memory hook: き without its bottom loop — just the key's two teeth: ki.

キウイ (kiui) — kiwi

Memory hook: A bird's beak seen from the side, cooing ku.

クラス (kurasu) — class

Memory hook: A leaning letter K with a tail — ke.

ケーキ (keeki) — cake

Memory hook: A square corner — a corner of a cozy room: ko.

コーヒー (koohii) — coffee

Memory hook: A table with one leg bent — a sagging table, sa!

サラダ (sarada) — salad

Memory hook: A smiling face looking up: two eyes and a big grin rising from the bottom — she smiles, shi!

シール (shiiru) — sticker

Memory hook: A person swinging on a rope — swoosh, su!

スープ (suupu) — soup

Memory hook: せ with its right side closed in a hook — same sound: se.

セーター (seetaa) — sweater

Memory hook: Two strokes falling from the top like sewing a stitch — so. Careful: it drops from above, unlike ン.

ソース (soosu) — sauce

Memory hook: ク with an extra line inside — a taco with filling: ta!

タクシー (takushii) — taxi

Memory hook: A cheerleader with a pompom raised high — chi!

チーズ (chiizu) — cheese

Memory hook: Three strokes with the long one falling from the top — a tsunami wave. Unlike シ, the lines come down.

ツアー (tsuaa) — tour

Memory hook: A telephone pole with its wires — te!

テレビ (terebi) — television

Memory hook: A totem pole with one branch — to.

トマト (tomato) — tomato

Memory hook: A cross with a bent leg — a knife stuck in, na!

ナイフ (naifu) — knife

Memory hook: Two lines — just like に without its left side: ni.

テニス (tenisu) — tennis

Memory hook: A pair of chopsticks catching noodles — nu!

ヌードル (nuudoru) — noodles

Memory hook: A necktie hanging from a peg — ne.

ネクタイ (nekutai) — necktie

Memory hook: A single slash, like a "no" sign crossing something out — no.

ノート (nooto) — notebook

Memory hook: Two strokes opening wide like a laugh — ha ha!

ハート (haato) — heart (symbol)

Memory hook: ひ's cousin: a heel kicking out to the side — hee!

ヒーター (hiitaa) — heater

Memory hook: The top of ふ blown away by the wind — fuu.

フランス (furansu) — France

Memory hook: Exactly like hiragana へ — a little hill: he.

ヘリコプター (herikoputaa) — helicopter

Memory hook: 十 with two little feet — a scarecrow in a hot field: ho.

ホテル (hoteru) — hotel

Memory hook: A folded arm with a hand hanging down — mama waving: ma.

マンゴー (mangoo) — mango

Memory hook: Three lines — three missiles flying: mi!

ミルク (miruku) — milk

Memory hook: A cow's head with one horn — moo!

ムード (muudo) — mood, atmosphere

Memory hook: An X marks the spot on a treasure map — me!

メロン (meron) — melon

Memory hook: も without its hook — same sound: mo.

モスク (mosuku) — mosque

Memory hook: A slimmer や — same sound: ya!

タイヤ (taiya) — tyre

Memory hook: A U-turn sign on its side — yu.

ユーモア (yuumoa) — humour

Memory hook: A backwards E, like a yo-yo string with three loops — yo.

ヨーグルト (yooguruto) — yoghurt

Memory hook: A lid on top of a hook — a ramen bowl: ra.

ラジオ (rajio) — radio

Memory hook: Just like hiragana り, straighter — ri.

リモコン (rimokon) — remote control

Memory hook: Two roots, one ending in a kick — ru.

ルール (ruuru) — rule

Memory hook: A single stroke bending up — a checkmark: re.

レモン (remon) — lemon

Memory hook: A square box — a robot's head: ro.

ロボット (robotto) — robot

Memory hook: ウ without the dot — a wide open mouth: wa!

ハワイ (hawai) — Hawaii

Memory hook: ワ with an extra line — the rare katakana wo. You'll almost never see it; hiragana を does that job.

Memory hook: Like ソ, but the long stroke sweeps up from the bottom — n.

ペン (pen) — pen

Memory hook: カ (ka) + ゛ = ガ (ga). The two dots switch the voice on.

ガス (gasu) — gas

Memory hook: キ (ki) + ゛ = ギ (gi). The two dots switch the voice on.

ギター (gitaa) — guitar

Memory hook: ク (ku) + ゛ = グ (gu). The two dots switch the voice on.

グラス (gurasu) — glass (for drinking)

Memory hook: ケ (ke) + ゛ = ゲ (ge). The two dots switch the voice on.

ゲーム (geemu) — game

Memory hook: コ (ko) + ゛ = ゴ (go). The two dots switch the voice on.

ゴール (gooru) — goal

Memory hook: サ (sa) + ゛ = ザ (za). The dots add a buzz.

ピザ (piza) — pizza

Memory hook: シ (shi) + ゛ = ジ (ji). The dots add a buzz.

ジーンズ (jiinzu) — jeans

Memory hook: ス (su) + ゛ = ズ (zu). The dots add a buzz.

ズボン (zubon) — trousers

Memory hook: セ (se) + ゛ = ゼ (ze). The dots add a buzz.

ゼロ (zero) — zero

Memory hook: ソ (so) + ゛ = ゾ (zo). The dots add a buzz.

ゾーン (zoon) — zone

Memory hook: タ (ta) + ゛ = ダ (da). The dots make it heavier.

ダンス (dansu) — dance

Memory hook: チ (chi) + ゛ = ヂ, read "ji" like ジ. Very rare in katakana — ジ does the job almost everywhere.

Memory hook: ツ (tsu) + ゛ = ヅ, read "zu" like ズ. Very rare in katakana — ズ does the job almost everywhere.

Memory hook: テ (te) + ゛ = デ (de). The dots make it heavier.

デザート (dezaato) — dessert

Memory hook: ト (to) + ゛ = ド (do). The dots make it heavier.

ドア (doa) — door

Memory hook: ハ (ha) + ゛ = バ (ba). The dots make it heavier.

バス (basu) — bus

Memory hook: ヒ (hi) + ゛ = ビ (bi). The dots make it heavier.

ビル (biru) — (tall) building

Memory hook: フ (fu) + ゛ = ブ (bu). The dots make it heavier.

ブログ (burogu) — blog

Memory hook: ヘ (he) + ゛ = ベ (be). The dots make it heavier.

ベルト (beruto) — belt

Memory hook: ホ (ho) + ゛ = ボ (bo). The dots make it heavier.

ボール (booru) — ball

Memory hook: ハ (ha) + ゜ = パ (pa). The little circle makes the sound pop.

パスタ (pasuta) — pasta

Memory hook: ヒ (hi) + ゜ = ピ (pi). The little circle makes the sound pop.

ピアノ (piano) — piano

Memory hook: フ (fu) + ゜ = プ (pu). The little circle makes the sound pop.

プール (puuru) — swimming pool

Memory hook: ヘ (he) + ゜ = ペ (pe). The little circle makes the sound pop.

ページ (peeji) — page

Memory hook: ホ (ho) + ゜ = ポ (po). The little circle makes the sound pop.

ポスト (posuto) — postbox

Memory hook: キ (ki) + small ャ = キャ (kya), one smooth syllable.

キャンプ (kyanpu) — camping

Memory hook: キ (ki) + small ュ = キュ (kyu), one smooth syllable.

キューブ (kyuubu) — cube

Memory hook: キ (ki) + small ョ = キョ (kyo), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: シ (shi) + small ャ = シャ (sha), one smooth syllable.

シャツ (shatsu) — shirt

Memory hook: シ (shi) + small ュ = シュ (shu), one smooth syllable.

シューズ (shuuzu) — shoes, trainers

Memory hook: シ (shi) + small ョ = ショ (sho), one smooth syllable.

ショップ (shoppu) — shop

Memory hook: チ (chi) + small ャ = チャ (cha), one smooth syllable.

チャンス (chansu) — chance

Memory hook: チ (chi) + small ュ = チュ (chu), one smooth syllable.

チューリップ (chuurippu) — tulip

Memory hook: チ (chi) + small ョ = チョ (cho), one smooth syllable.

チョコレート (chokoreeto) — chocolate

Memory hook: ニ (ni) + small ャ = ニャ (nya), one smooth syllable.

ニャー (nyaa) — meow

Memory hook: ニ (ni) + small ュ = ニュ (nyu), one smooth syllable.

ニュース (nyuusu) — news

Memory hook: ニ (ni) + small ョ = ニョ (nyo), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: ヒ (hi) + small ャ = ヒャ (hya), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: ヒ (hi) + small ュ = ヒュ (hyu), one smooth syllable.

ヒューズ (hyuuzu) — (electric) fuse

Memory hook: ヒ (hi) + small ョ = ヒョ (hyo), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: ミ (mi) + small ャ = ミャ (mya), one smooth syllable.

ミャンマー (myanmaa) — Myanmar

Memory hook: ミ (mi) + small ュ = ミュ (myu), one smooth syllable.

ミュージック (myuujikku) — music

Memory hook: ミ (mi) + small ョ = ミョ (myo), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: リ (ri) + small ャ = リャ (rya), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: リ (ri) + small ュ = リュ (ryu), one smooth syllable.

リュック (ryukku) — backpack

Memory hook: リ (ri) + small ョ = リョ (ryo), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: ギ (gi) + small ャ = ギャ (gya), one smooth syllable.

ギャラリー (gyararii) — gallery

Memory hook: ギ (gi) + small ュ = ギュ (gyu), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: ギ (gi) + small ョ = ギョ (gyo), one smooth syllable.

ギョーザ (gyooza) — gyoza (dumplings)

Memory hook: ジ (ji) + small ャ = ジャ (ja), one smooth syllable.

ジャム (jamu) — jam

Memory hook: ジ (ji) + small ュ = ジュ (ju), one smooth syllable.

ジュース (juusu) — juice

Memory hook: ジ (ji) + small ョ = ジョ (jo), one smooth syllable.

ジョギング (jogingu) — jogging

Memory hook: ヂ + small ャ = ヂャ, read "ja" like ジャ. Practically never used — kept for completeness.

Memory hook: ヂ + small ュ = ヂュ, read "ju" like ジュ. Practically never used — kept for completeness.

Memory hook: ヂ + small ョ = ヂョ, read "jo" like ジョ. Practically never used — kept for completeness.

Memory hook: ビ (bi) + small ャ = ビャ (bya), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: ビ (bi) + small ュ = ビュ (byu), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: ビ (bi) + small ョ = ビョ (byo), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: ピ (pi) + small ャ = ピャ (pya), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.

Memory hook: ピ (pi) + small ュ = ピュ (pyu), one smooth syllable.

ピューレ (pyuure) — purée

Memory hook: ピ (pi) + small ョ = ピョ (pyo), one smooth syllable. Rare in katakana — you'll mostly meet it in foreign names.