Looking for the best books to learn Japanese?
With so many apps, programs, and online resources available to learn Japanese, you may be forgetting one of the best and simplest resources to start or continue your progress in learning the language: books! 😊
You are reading: Best books to learn japanese
nothing better than having a solid Japanese textbook or dictionary that you can refer to and take notes on.
In the age of technology, students often forget that a good old book often has much more than just applications.
Publishers and experts compiled these books, standing the test of time, and hundreds of thousands of copies have been sold, making them a surefire way to improve your Japanese. don’t forget, people have been learning this language from books for hundreds of years.
but there are so many books to choose from, where do you start?
In this list, I have put together 12 books to help you along your Japanese journey, from beginners to advanced students.
update: A lot of people ask for our best online Japanese course recommendation. here it is for those interested:
best books and textbooks to learn Japanese
Learning a new language can be daunting.
even a quick google search on “how to learn japanese” can be incredibly overwhelming, with an endless amount of resources to choose from. but if you want to start somewhere, there is nothing better than a beginner’s textbook.
A solid textbook has everything you need to start learning Japanese.
reviews writing systems, tells you how to introduce yourself, and reviews basic sentence structure so you can begin to form your own sentences. all of this comes in one easy-to-learn package.
here are some recommendations:
1. genki
There are some excellent textbooks for beginners, but the most recommended is definitely the genki series, which comes with two textbooks, genki i and genki ii, as well as paired workbooks.
The genki series has simple explanations, cute illustrations, and lots of information that makes a great foundation for beginners.
after learning all of genki i and ii, you should be ready for a level n4 on the japanese language proficiency test (jlpt).
2. minna no nihongo
minna no nihongo, which means “Japanese for everyone,” is another great all-encompassing textbook.
covers essential grammar, vocabulary, listening comprehension and even speaking practice. minna no nihongo can really prepare you to study entirely in Japanese as it has much less English than other beginner textbooks.
Once you lay the groundwork for learning Japanese, in Japanese, this becomes a huge advantage in your studies.
Like the genki textbooks, minna no nihongo has two textbooks, volumes 1 and 2.
once you complete volume 2 and internalize all the lessons, you should be able to pass level n4 of the japanese language proficiency test (jlpt).
3. basic kanji book
One of the biggest obstacles for Westerners to learn Japanese is the kanji.
I’m sure you’ve heard a lot of horror stories about how many kanji you’ll have to learn and how hard it is.
but this is not true!
The kanji takes a lot of time, sure, but there’s nothing difficult about it. the basic kanji book has the 500 most useful kanji in two volumes. This book really highlights each of the kanji, with all the readings, meanings, and words they’re used in, so you can focus on learning them individually.
The book includes how to write each kanji with specific stroke order exercises, so you can practice writing them. It also covers kanji radicals, allowing you to deduce the meanings of other kanji you learn in the future.
is a comprehensive text to help you get started with the first 500 kanji and give you tools to learn more kanji as you continue to study!
4. a basic Japanese grammar dictionary
When it comes to learning Japanese grammar, this book and the following books in the series would be my number one choice for anyone learning Japanese.
Each volume is huge, with a tremendous number of grammar points covering everything you’ll need to start building correct Japanese sentences.
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The book presents grammar points in alphabetical order and provides a definition, translations, example sentences, explanatory notes, and references to similar entries.
at the beginning, it also has a helpful section on “characteristics of Japanese grammar” and appendices and indexes at the end for clarity.
The second and third books in the series, “A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar” and “A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar” respectively, continue the same format, allowing you to learn virtually everything you need to know about Japanese grammar. Japanese grammar.
5. tobira gateway to advanced japanese
One of the most common questions I get from Japanese learners online is:
“I finished genki (or a similar textbook for beginners), what next?”
and my answer is always the same: tobira gateway to advanced japanese is a perfect textbook that bridges the gap between beginners and advanced.
Continues in a familiar textbook format, each chapter has a reading section, a vocabulary list, grammar explanations, and various exercises and questions for further understanding.
This book is not for beginners, however, from the first page they expect you to be able to read and understand Japanese at a basic level, without using romaji at all.
It is ideal for a self-taught person who is progressing and wants to take their Japanese to the next level.
6. common Japanese collocations
Once you’ve made a bit more progress in Japanese, you may want to delve into making your Japanese sound more natural or being able to understand basic idioms and phrases that are often lost in context.
This is where common Japanese collocations come in.
Collocations refer to how words go together or form fixed relationships. for example, in English, we say “turn up the volume” more often than “turn up the volume”, so the former represents a strong combination between the words “volume” and “turn up”.
When learning a new language, learning collocations like this can make a big difference in your Japanese fluency.
Common Japanese Collocations lists hundreds of examples, organized by topics such as “cooking” or “travel”.
is a great book that will help you go from awkward English translations to more natural Japanese.
7. Yostubato
After you’ve progressed through some beginner materials and have a solid foundation of Japanese grammar as well as some vocabulary under your belt, you’ll be ready to start reading native Japanese materials!
Japanese is a bit different from other languages due to the high demands it has to overcome before starting with native materials, mainly due to the complex writing systems.
but when you’re ready, I have the perfect manga for you to start.
yotsubato is for children, so it’s a perfect start to reading in Japanese.
Because this is a manga, viewing the images in context will help if you get lost. follows the daily adventures of a girl trying to navigate the world with her adoptive father.
It’s a manga that starts from life, so it doesn’t have any difficult words or concepts, it’s a great introduction to native Japanese materials!
8. Japanese rated readers
As I said before, starting to read native Japanese material can be quite difficult, due to the complex writing systems.
but luckily there are some great resources to help you start reading Japanese.
The Japanese Graded Reading series has quite a few books to choose from at different levels.
Each level comes in a package with about six different stories and a CD with the audio files. You need to have basic knowledge of Japanese to delve into these stories, but they are easy enough for you to continue learning new vocabulary and concepts as you read.
All the stories are relevant to everyday life in Japan, making them a perfect way to learn to read real Japanese.
9. new kanzen master
When you’re ready to study for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT), these are the books for you.
the new kanzen master series has five books for jlpt levels n4-n1.
The books included in each set cover Kanji, Grammar, Vocabulary, Listening and Reading.
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Of course, you can only buy one book in the set, which makes it perfect for students who know their pain points and what they need to focus on to pass the jlpt.
these are more technical books than some of the previous texts listed, focusing on certain questions and patterns to help you pass the jlpt, but even if you’re not taking the exam, these books can be incredibly helpful, with lots of detailed explanations. and exercises that will help you improve all parts of your Japanese.
10. magic tree house
It’s time to get into Japanese novels, and the magic treehouse series is my favorite to recommend to new Japanese readers.
Of course, we have to start simple, so these are children’s stories, but each one is a 100-200 page chapter book that you’ll be proud to read when you’re done!
Stories follow siblings as they venture into the worlds of different books. Whether it’s a world of prehistoric dinosaurs or outer space, you’re sure to find something that interests you.
They are translated from English to Japanese, so the language is very simple and easy to understand.
The best part of these books is that the main character often takes “notes” on things he encounters on his adventures, so if a word comes up that he’s unfamiliar with, it’s explained in detail.
I can’t recommend these fun reads highly enough!
11. read real japanese
read real japanese is another unique book that will help you bridge the gap to reading more native Japanese material.
The book is full of Japanese short stories entirely in Japanese.
but the best thing is that the next page has the English translations of the most important words on that page.
There is also an index at the back of the book, with several examples to help you understand the meaning of these words. This allows you to read a real Japanese story without having to stop and look up words you may not be familiar with.
and seeing these words in context will help you remember them.
for those who are quite advanced in their Japanese, but still not very comfortable reading native materials, these are perfect for you!
12. kiki’s delivery service
Finally, the book that inspired the ghibli movie, Kiki’s Delivery Service, is a fantastic read for those who want to read a Japanese novel.
The treasured children’s story centers on Kiki, a young witch who must venture alone for a year, to a town with no other witches. The chapter book is an easy read with simple language and a fun story that will keep you hooked until the end.
This is a great book for those who liked the movie or those who want an exciting story to read in Japanese!
other Japanese resources, courses and alternatives to books
Of course, there are many great alternative resources for learning Japanese.
You can head over to the Japanese resource page to get started, but if you’re looking for some quick ideas, here are some great ones:
japanesepod101: for the podcast student (review).
japanesepod101 (part of the innovative series) is one of the most popular platforms to learn Japanese these days.
has a huge library of lesson content for Japanese learners.
Japanese rocket: Probably the most comprehensive Japanese online course covering multiple levels (review).
rocket has a very structured linear format that takes you through each lesson from start to finish. For someone new to Japanese and an inexperienced language learner, it’s perfect.
definitely more expensive, but much more overall value and long-term use.
italki: This should be part of every Japanese student’s toolkit (review).
eliminates the need to travel to japan. You can book an inexpensive voice or video lesson through italki (many are less than $10 an hour).
glossika japanese: This is a unique platform that teaches Japanese fluency through spaced repetition of sentences (revision).
Any Japanese language books or resources I should add here?
Comment below!
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