I love the Japanese Kanji Study app on Android. I’ve had it for so many years I can’t remember when I started using it! The UI is smooth, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to use. The information available is diverse—you can
medium 霊媒探偵城塚翡翠 (medium Reibai Tantei Jouzuka Hisui) by 相沢 沙呼 (Sako Aizawa) Author: 相沢 沙呼 (Sako Aizawa) Japanese Level: JLPT N2 ~ N1 Genre: Mystery, murder mystery, super natural Pages: 386 (hardback edition) / 422 (Kindle edition) Amazon Japan (Kindle):
十角館の殺人 (Jukkakukan no Satsujin) by 綾辻 行人 (Yukito Ayatsuji) Author: 綾辻 行人 (Yukito Ayatsuji) Japanese Level: JLPT N1 ~ N1+ Genre: Mystery, murder mystery Pages: 512 (paperback edition) Amazon Japan (Kindle): 十角館の殺人 BookWalker: 十角館の殺人 Japanese Summary 十角形の奇妙な館が建つ孤島・角島を大学ミステリ研の7人が訪れた。館を建てた建築家・中村青司は、半年前に炎上した青屋敷で焼死したという。やがて学生たちを襲う連続殺人。ミステリ史上最大級の、驚愕の結末が読者を待ち受ける! 1987年の刊行以来、多くの読者に衝撃を与え続けた名作が新装改訂版で登場。
The full title for this book is 絶対合格！日本語能力試験 徹底トレーニング N1 文字・語彙 (Zettai Goukaku! Tettei Toreeningu Nihongo Nouryoku Shiken N1 Kanji Goi) I’ve had, what I will call 徹底トレーニング, in my pile of textbooks for a while now, but it wasn’t
Natively popped up last year on Reddit as a brand new website where you can find and track Japanese books. Kind of like Goodreads, but for Japanese books aimed at people studying Japanese. I gave it a go and instantly
吉田の日々赤裸々 (Yoshida no Hibi Sekirara) by 吉田直樹 (Naoki Yoshida) Author: 吉田直樹 (Naoki Yoshida) Japanese Level: JLPT N2 ~ N1 Genre: Non-fiction, essays, video games Pages: 192 Amazon Japan (Kindle): 吉田の日々赤裸々 BookWalker: 吉田の日々赤裸々 Japanese Summary 『ファイナルファンタジーXIV』奇跡の復活劇を綴る! 週刊ファミ通で好評連載中のコラム“吉田の日々赤裸々。”が、待望の単行本化! まさに崖っぷちプロジェクトであった『ファイナルファンタジーXIV』が“新生”するまでの過程を、 プロデューサー兼ディレクターの吉田直樹氏みずから振り返る。 連載の加筆再収録だけでなく、吉田氏がプロジェクトを引き継ぐことになるまでの顛末を、
最果てのパラディン (The Faraway Paladin) by 柳野 かなた (Kanata Yanagino) Author: 柳野 かなた (Kanata Yanagino) Japanese Level: JLPT N2 ~ N1 Genre: Fantasy, light novel Amazon Japan (Kindle): 最果てのパラディン Bookwalker: 最果てのパラディン Shosetsuka ni Narou: 最果てのパラディン Japanese Summary かつて滅びた死者の街。 そこには１人の子供と３人の不死なる者たちが存在した。 かつて英雄であった不死者たちに養育される少年、ウィル。
八丈島と、猫と、大人のなつやすみ (Hachijojima to, Neko to, Otona no Natsuyasumi) by 五十嵐 雄策 (Yusaku Igarashi) Author: 五十嵐 雄策 (Yusaku Igarashi) Japanese Level: JLPT N3 ~ N2 Genre: Slice of life, travel, fiction Amazon Japan (Kindle): 八丈島と、猫と、大人のなつやすみ Bookwalker: 八丈島と、猫と、大人のなつやすみ Why You Should
時をかける少女 (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) by 筒井 康隆 (Yasutaka Tsutsui) Author: 筒井 康隆 (Yasutaka Tsutsui) Genre: Sci-fi, high school, short story Great for: Intermediate (JLPT N3) Length: 115 pages (238 total for two short stories including 時をかける少女)
この本を盗む者は (Kono Hon wo Nusumu Mono wa) by 深緑野分 (Nowaki Fukamidori) Author: 深緑野分 (Nowaki Fukamidori) Genre: fiction, fantasy, adventure, mystery, books, magic Great for: Advanced (N1+) Length: 340 pages Amazon Japan (Kindle): この本を盗む者は Bookwalker Japan: この本を盗む者は Japanese Summary
これは学園ラブコメです。 (Kore wa Gakuen Rabukome Desu) by 草野 原々 (Gengen Kusano) Author: 草野 原々 (Gengen Kusano) Genre: light novel, romance, fantasy, sci-fi, comedy, meta-fiction Great for: Intermediate (JLPT N3~JLPT N2) Length: 270 pages Amazon Japan (Kindle): これは学園ラブコメです。 Bookwalker Japan:
わたし、定時で帰ります (Watashi Teiji de Kaerimasu) by 朱野 帰子 (Kaeruko Akeno) Author: 朱野 帰子 (Kaeruko Akeno) Genre: slice of life, office life, Japanese society, female protagonist Great for: Intermediate (JLPT N2~JLPT N1) Length: 360 pages Amazon Japan (Kindle): わたし、定時で帰ります Bookwalker
I love drilling Japanese. Personally, I find the “hands on” method of learning better than rote learning. In other words, I’m a kinesthetic learner. I like using Japanese, so when I study it I find speaking with a Japanese teacher
裏世界ピクニック (Otherside Picnic) by 宮澤 伊織 (Iori Miyazawa) Author: 宮澤 伊織 (Iori Miyazawa) Genre: light novel, sci-fi, fantasy, adventure, horror, yuri Great for: Advanced (JLPT N1+) Length: 320 pages Amazon Japan (Kindle): 裏世界ピクニック Bookwalker Japan: 裏世界ピクニック Japanese Summary
僕は天国に行けない (Boku wa Tengoku ni Ikenai) by ヰ坂 暁 (Akira Isaka) Author: ヰ坂 暁 (Akira Isaka) Genre: novel, character novel, mystery, questioning life Great for: Advanced (JLPT N2~N1+) Length: 343 pages Amazon Japan (Kindle): 僕は天国に行けない Bookwalker Japan: 僕は天国に行けない
ログ・ホライズン (Log Horizon) by 橙乃 ままれ (Mamare Touno) Author: 橙乃 ままれ (Mamare Touno) Genre: light novel, isekai, video game, fantasy Great for: Advanced (JLPT N2~N1+) Length: 343 pages Amazon Japan (Kindle): ログ・ホライズン Bookwalker Japan: ログ・ホライズン あらすじ ・ Japanese
I recently had the honor to be on 日本語 with あこ (Nihongo with Ako), a podcast hosted by Japanese teacher Ako Suzuki. I had come across her podcasts in the past but never listened to them properly. (I was more familiar
また、同じ夢を見ていた (Mata Onaji Yume wo Miteita / I Had That Same Dream Again) by 住野よる (Yoru Sumino) Author: 住野よる (Yoru Sumino) Genre: novel, elementary school, coming of age, fantasy Great for: Intermediate (JLPT N3+) Length: 306 pages Amazon Japan
千手學園少年探偵團 (Senju Gakuen Shonen Tanteidan) by 金子 ユミ (Yumi Kaneko) Author: 金子 ユミ (Yumi Kaneko) Genre: novel, Taisho Period, mystery, high school Great for: Advanced (JLPT N1+) Length: 306 pages Amazon Japan (Kindle): 千手學園少年探偵團 Bookwalker Japan: 千手學園少年探偵團 あらすじ ・
君と漕ぐ：ながとろ高校カヌー部 by 武田 綾乃 (Ayano Takeda) Author: 武田 綾乃 (Ayano Takeda) Genre: novel, slice of life, high school, club, rowing Great for: Advanced (JLPT N1) Length: 332 pages Amazon Japan (Kindle): 君と漕ぐ：ながとろ高校カヌー部 Bookwalker Japan: 君と漕ぐ：ながとろ高校カヌー部 あらすじ ・ Japanese
世界から猫が消えたなら (せかい から ねこ が きえたなら) by 川村 元気 (Genki Kawamura) Author: 川村 元気 (Genki Kawamura) Genre: novel, Great for: Beginner – Intermediate (JLPT N3+) Length: 229 pages Amazon Japan (Kindle): 世界から猫が消えたなら Bookwalker Japan: 世界から猫が消えたなら (Read the first 14
線は、僕を描く （せんはぼくをえがく） by 砥上 裕將 (Togami Hiromasa) Author: 砥上 裕將 (Togami Hiromasa) Genre: novel, college, melancholy Great for: Advanced (JLPT N1+) Length: 317 pages Amazon Japan: 線は、僕を描く Bookwalker Japan: 線は、僕を描く (can test read on BookWalker with 試し読み!) (The manga
ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン (Violet Evergarden) by 暁 佳奈 (Kana Akatsuki) There are two main novels in this series with a spin-off (外伝) and an after story, a total of four novels. This review to Japanese learners focuses only on the first book
By study beginners Japanese with science, I don’t mean Matrix-level download the language to your brain (although I wish I did!) I mean, using science books aimed at young Japanese people to learn a wide variety of general knowledge and
To put my situation in context: I have been studying Japanese for over 10 years. I have passed the JLPT N2, working on the N1 for about 6 months, and am a translator. The reason I wanted to study in
If you’re anything like me and you struggle to improve your reading then you want to get Tango Risto. I have always struggled with reading comprehension. It is the hardest part of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test and a must
Last year I picked up a book from Kinokuniya called 「君の膵臓を食べたい」(Kimi no Suizou wo Tabetai). I didn’t realize at the time was a great book it was. To the point where I would become so enthralled that I forgot I was
As many readers of Japanese Talk Online know, I LOVE using Memrise. I use it practically every day for Japanese flashcards when I’m studying for a test. But there are often times when I won’t use it for a week,
One of the most difficult aspects of learning Japanese for any level of ability, is reading Japanese texts. In particular Japanese that’s written for native Japanese people. It doesn’t matter what level you’re at vocabulary, kanji, and grammar that you
日本語単語スピードマスター (Nihongo Tango Speed Master) is a relatively unknown series of books which focus just on Japanese vocabulary. And I’m surprised it’s unknown because all the books contain a lot of vocabulary, and lots of vocabulary that doesn’t appear in