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This method for learning Japanese starts at the very beginning. I assume you have zero knowledge of the Japanese language and guide you through each step. I'll cover reading, writing, speaking, and listening. And we explain what you should use, when, and why.
- Learn How to Read Hiragana
Do you want to learn hiragana, the basic Japanese writing...
- Learn to Read Katakana
Tofugu's Learn Katakana Book. Before you actually start...
- Learn How to Read Hiragana
- Genki. There are a few great beginner textbooks, but the most highly recommended is definitely the Genki series, which comes with two textbooks Genki I and Genki II, as well as paired workbooks.
- Minna no Nihongo. Minna no Nihongo, which means “Japanese for Everyone” is another great all-encompassing textbook. It covers essential grammar, vocabulary, listening, and even speaking practice.
- Basic Kanji Book. One of the biggest hurdles for Westerners learning Japanese is kanji. I am sure you have heard many horror stories about how many kanji you will have to learn, and how difficult it is.
- A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar. When it comes to learning Japanese grammar, this book and the subsequent books in the series would be my number one pick for anyone learning Japanese.
- Contents
- Best Beginner Japanese Learning Books
- Best Intermediate Japanese Textbooks
- Best Books For Speaking Japanese
- Best Japanese Grammar Books
- Best Books to Pass The JLPT
- Best Books to Learn Japanese Vocabulary
- Best Japanese Dictionaries
- Best Books to Learn Kanji
- Best Bilingual and Parallel Japanese-English Books
1. “Genki”
Check availability on: OMGJapan Probably the most popular beginner option for learning Japanese, “Genki” books I and II have been around for years and are firm favorites in college “Introduction to Japanese” courses. There’s a good reason for the enduring popularity of this series: They’rewell-written, easy to understand, affordable and comprehensive. Pros: 1. The series is popular, so there are lots of online posts and user experiences about them. 2. Some extra materials onlineare free to us...
2. “Japanese from Zero!”
Check availability on: OMGJapan Offering a less intimidating entry point to teaching yourself Japanese,this series has become really popular since its first publication in 2006. Unlike most textbooks, no teacher is required and an active online community awaits those who want a more interactive approach. The series was written by a native English speaker and a native Japanese speaker, which means that different ways of thinking about language acquisition are considered. Pros: 1. The books are...
3. “Living Language Japanese”
Check availability on: Amazon In this Japanese series, traditional textbooks are combined with a set of audio CDs and online resources to create a comprehensive experience for learning all the basics of Japanese. The Living Language program prides itself on teaching adults new languages through in-depth instruction. This is done through vocabulary lists, sample dialogues, lots of chances to practice as well as in-depth grammar explanations that don’t shy away from tough topics. Focus is place...
6. “Tobira”
Check availability on: OMGJapan Until “Tobira” was published in 2009 there hadn’t been a significant new textbook for intermediate learners for 15 years. The writers and publishers clearly worked hard to make a resource that wascomprehensive, challenging and that supported learners trying to overcome the dreaded intermediate plateau. Highly recommended by users for bridging the gap between low intermediate and advanced Japanese, this textbook covers all the language skills, including speaking...
7. “Japanese for Busy People II”
Check availability on: Amazon There are two versions of this textbook: One is written in romaji while the other uses kana.The kana version also includes supplementary kanji lessons at the end. This may put off some students, as the kanji has not been properly integrated nor contextualized for the corresponding lesson, which can be especially problematic considering that Japanese is a high-context language and culture. However, compared to some of the other books in this post, “JfBP” is relati...
8. “Yookoso! Continuing with Contemporary Japanese”
Check availability on: Amazon A well-known text in the area of Japanese language education, “Yookoso! Continuing with Contemporary Japanese” is used in many university classrooms around the world. However, it’s not without its critics, especially of the newest 3rd edition. While updates include a supplementary CD and text written in softer font, others include dated pop culture references, and homework sections do not always correspond with the day’s lesson. On top of that, it’s quite expensi...
9. “Shadowing: Let’s Speak Japanese!”
Check availability on: OMGJapan As the name implies, this resource uses the shadowing technique to teach Japanese,which consists of speaking along with a native speaker and trying to match the speed, pitch and pronunciation. These books’ main strength lies in their practicality: The example sentences contained in both are really useful in daily life. They’re great resources for perfecting pronunciation and learning to automatically speak common phrases in a natural way. There are two main boo...
10. “Nihongo Active Talk”
Check availability on: OMGJapan If your main goal is having conversations and making friends using Japanese, then “Nihongo Active Talk” may be just the ticket. It covers set phrases and beginner vocabulary and focuses on the application and comprehension of simple speaking and listening skills. The book focuses on grasping grammar basics and applying them in conversation, helping learners study the concepts in context. And since it’s romaji-supported, you can dive right in even without any kn...
11. “NewNihongo Keigo Training”
Check availability on: OMGJapan Keigo, or honorific Japanese, is used to show respect and to indicate one’s place in a hierarchy. It’s an essential feature of Japanese and mastering keigocan mean the difference between being able to work using your Japanese and upsetting a client or failing an interview. There aren’t many resources specifically dedicated to the topic of keigo, so “New Nihongo KeigoTraining” was a welcome edition when it was published in 2014. Pros: 1. Furigana throughout mean...
12. “Practice Makes Perfect”
Check availability on: Amazon As the name suggests, this is a practice-based book. Students learn grammar through a series of interactive lessons that teach all the essentials. Explanations of verb types, particles, clause modification and more are laid out plain and simple for the beginner. You’ll be able to work right in the book as you go through short lessons and exercises, perfect for even the most time-crunched language learners. Takeaway: 1. Suitable for beginners, easy to get yourself...
13. “A Guide to Japanese Grammar”
Check availability on: Amazon This book covers all of the essentials of Japanese grammar in explicit detail, from basic sentence enders to advanced topics like negative volitionals. The prime focus of this book is to give the learner building blocks that they can use to create a solid foundation in their knowledge of all things Japanese grammar. Instead of starting from stock sentences using formal constructs and working backward (like most textbooks), Tae Kim presents Japanese grammar from t...
14. “Japanese Verbs & Essentials of Grammar”
Check availability on: Amazon This book covers all the essentials in 160 pages.It’s organized logically for easy reference and offers a good way for beginners to get up and running quickly. Part 1 focuses on Japanese verbs, explaining their endings and forms, how to modify them and more. You’ll also get lessons on those pesky て and た forms, which are essential to advancing through Japanese grammar. Part 2 explains various Japanese grammar points from the basics, such as particles, counters an...
16. “New Kanzen Master JLPT N4: Grammar”
Check availability on: Amazon One of a huge seriesaimed at those studying for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT),this is an undoubtedly valuable resource for anyone studying Japanese grammar. The levels of these books correspond to the JLPT levels, ranging from N5 (easiest) to N1 (hardest). I personally used the N2 version of this grammar book to study for the JLPT, and I was blown away by how thorough and easy to understand it was. Each grammar point is given a comprehensive expla...
17. “Try!” JLPT series
Check availability on: OMGJapan The “Try!” series is specifically focused on students who intend to take the JLPT exam. The books strike a good balance betweeninstruction, application and review of grammar and new vocabulary. I found their grammar explanations to be sufficient without being so complex that I had trouble memorizing the main points. Plus, the examples are pretty close to what you might encounter in the real world, making it a valuable resource for seeing the application of the...
A vocabulary book is not the same as a dictionary. Understanding when and how to write, spell and speak Japanese vocabulary is a complex thing, so vocabulary books exist to hold your hand a bit more than a dictionary would while learning. Vocabulary books are meant to give you a good grasp of the words they teach, but to be able to actually use the...
21. “Kodansha’s Furigana Dictionary”
Check availability on: Amazon This dictionary includes furigana—small hiragana written above kanji—to help students know how to pronounce words. This is a fantastic feature, as many dictionaries do not include the furigana readings of kanji. Students can learn kanji readings through the furiganaas they navigate this dictionary, giving them a leg up in their studies. Like the Random House dictionary, it’s divided into a Japanese-English and an English-Japanese section. The Japanese-English sec...
22. “Kenkyusha’s New Japanese-English Dictionary”
Check availability on: Amazon This heavy-duty dictionary isthe most thorough, in-depth dictionary on the market,packing a whopping 290,000 words. Many entries have multiple sub-entries, allowing for precise definitions that allow you to understand the exact meaning of each word. Example sentences and detailed explanations abound, so that you’re fully informed as to what each word means, including ones that lack English equivalents. What’s more, this is the dictionary used by translators and p...
23. “A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar”
Check availability on: Amazon Many Japanese teachers recommend this book to their students, and for good reason. This one-stop shop for all things Japanese grammarcovers 600+ basic grammar points and gives in-depth explanationson every possible usage of each term. Aimed at beginning Japanese students, this book provides definitions of each grammatical point and the particular characteristics it possesses. Several example sentences are provided for every entry, broken down into parts that show...
27. “New Nelson Japanese-English Character Dictionary”
Check availability on: Amazon This dictionary has been the industry standard kanji dictionary for years. The Nelson dictionary boasts that it includes every kanji used in modern Japanese (over 7,000!). Kanji can be looked up by radical, pronunciation, stroke count and more. There’s also plenty of additional information included, like an index of radicals, historical and geographical kanji and other useful bits of information. Pros: 1. Excellent for students of any level. 2. Each kanji include...
28. “Remembering the Kanji”
Check availability on: Amazon This book offers a different, story-based approach to learning 2,200 kanji. Unlike the previous book, which is all about the history of each kanji, this reference book leans heavily into the “how to memorize” aspect of kanji learning. Each kanji element is associated with a story element, which is then used as a mnemonic device to aid memorization. For example, to remember the kanji 貝 (かい, shellfish), readers are encouraged to picture a giant clam with a big eye...
29. “Basic Kanji Book, Vol. 1”
Check availability on: Amazon This first book in a two-part course aims to teach beginners basic kanji and covers 250 characters.I fondly recall using this book and its second volume in my kanji classes years ago, working through the writing games and reading exercises along with my classmates. Each lesson begins with a lesson on kanji as a whole, such as how radicals are composed, how kanji functions in the Japanese language and even common kanji in family names. Every lesson covers 10 kanji...
You can study all the textbooks you want, but at the end of the day, you’re going to need to reinforce that study with real-world Japanese. Here’s where bilingual and parallel bookscome in handy. Written in both Japanese and English, they’re designed to help Japanese learners take the step from formal studies to authentic Japanese. Reading Japanese...
- Japanese from Zero! 1: Proven Techniques to Learn Japanese for Students and Professionals. Sale.
- GENKI I: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese (English and Japanese Edition)
- Japanese for Everyone: A Functional Approach to Daily Communication. Used Book in Good Condition.
- Elementary Japanese Volume One. Sale. Elementary Japanese Volume One: This Beginner Japanese Language Textbook Expertly Teaches Kanji, Hiragana, Katakana, Speaking & Listening (Online Media Included)
- Best Overall Book: Japanese from Zero 1. If you can only get one book to start learning Japanese, this is the one you should get. “Japanese from Zero 1” is one of the best books I have seen for people just starting out with Japanese.
- Best Value: Living Language Japanese: Complete Edition Beginner Through Advance Course. This course is well written and has audio CDs as well as an online learning lab where there are flashcards, games, and quizzes to supplement your studies.
- Reading and Writing: Japanese Hiragana and Katakana Flash Cards Kit with CD. This is an awesome way to learn how to read and write hiragana and katakana.
- Reading and Writing: Japanese Hiragana & Katakana for Beginners. Memorizing both hiragana and katakana is essential to mastering Japanese. Once you learn it, you’ll be able to pronounce and write virtually any word in Japanese.
Feb 27, 2024 · How to learn Japanese for beginners: 11 simple steps. Want to learn Japanese from beginner level? These simple steps will help you start your language journey right away!
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Apr 5, 2021 · The 12 Best Books to Learn Japanese. 1. GENKI I: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese. If you took Japanese in University, this is probably the textbook you used. And love it or hate it, it’s still probably the best beginners Japanese textbook out there.
