after you have some knowledge of kanji under your belt (around level 10 or 20 in wanikani), it’s time to grab a textbook and start learning the framework in which you can use all the Japanese you have learned.
but which textbook to choose? there are so many. And beyond textbooks, there are a host of reference books, dictionaries, and other things that extend your textbook lessons. and you’ll need them to get to intermediate and higher levels.
You are reading: Japanese for beginners books
after you have some knowledge of kanji under your belt (around level 10 or 20 in wanikani), it’s time to grab a textbook and start learning the framework in which you can use all the Japanese you have learned.
We have compiled a list of the best Japanese textbooks to solve this exact problem. stop wasting time searching and start studying.
Before we dive in, here’s a list of things we’ll assume all textbooks include:
- dialogues with target vocabulary and/or grammar
- vocabulary lists
- grammar explanations
- exercises
- kanji practice
We won’t mention these features in the reviews below, unless there’s something important to say about them.
Also, we won’t talk much about the kanji learning that these textbooks offer. For the most part, Japanese grammar textbooks teach kanji slowly (and sometimes poorly).
If you’re following our path to Japanese fluency, you’ll already know over 650 kanji from your Wanikani lessons by level 20. With so much kanji in your brain, not only will these textbooks be much easier to use, they’ll but you will be able to skip the kanji lessons and use that time to improve your Japanese ability in other ways.
- best Japanese textbooks for beginners
- genki
- minna no nihongo
- yookoso! an invitation to contemporary Japanese
- Japanese for busy people
- Japanese for everyone
- Japanese: the spoken language
- adventures in Japanese
- a guide to Japanese grammar
- elementary Japanese
- Japanese from scratch!
- manga-style Japanese
- all about particles
- english grammar for learners of japanese
- kodansha’s kanji usage guide
- improve your japanese with onomatopoeia
- the manual of Japanese verbs
- the manual of Japanese adjectives and adverbs
- Basic Japanese Grammar Dictionary
- Japanese Particle Dictionary
- Illustrated Dictionary of Japanese Onomatopoeic Expressions
- Kodansha Furigana Japanese and English Dictionary
the best japanese textbooks for beginners
To get a good handle on Japanese structure, you need a solid textbook (or its equivalent) that explains grammar concepts, provides practice exercises, and introduces material that is only +1 above your skill level current.
Below is a list of our favorite textbooks; which we think are the best books for beginners to learn Japanese.
genki
Genki is not only the favorite of Japanese classes the world over, it’s one of our favorites too (so much, we wrote a full review).
A perfect starting point for beginners, genki has an easy-to-follow lesson structure that begins with dialogues using the target vocabulary and grammar, which are then taught more clearly in succinct, easy-to-understand lessons.
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The difficulty of each lesson increases gradually, so you won’t feel like the material is too much over your head. the exercises, audio cds, and workbook match the high quality of the textbook and reinforce what you are learning through variety and repetition.
genki was designed for classrooms, so if you’re self-taught, keep in mind that you may need to modify the material for your situation. furthermore, this means that most of the terminology and dialogue is aimed at the university population.
Overall, genki is a fantastic series and reading both books will give you the foundation you need to start intermediate studies.
For more information, see our review.
- pros:
- perfect for beginners
- reliable lesson structure
- scaffolding progression
- clear and concise grammar explanations
- audio cd and workbook available
- not designed for self-taught
buy on amazon
minna no nihongo
The two book system isn’t “bad,” necessarily. Studying with the main, all-Japanese textbook will force you to figure things out through context and use your brain a little more.
If you are a complete beginner, minna no nihongo will present you with a great challenge: everything is in Japanese. and we don’t want to say “there is no romaji”, the whole book is in Japanese. you need a separate English “translation book” to study properly.
The two-book system is not necessarily “bad”. studying with the main textbook, entirely in Japanese, will force you to figure things out through context and use your brain a little more. you can always refer to the translation book for grammar explanations when you get stuck.
minna no nihongo is also very deep. covers a lot of material and uses complex terms to teach grammar points. It even explains pitch accents with the new grammar you learn! this is great because pitch accent must be learned early, but few textbooks cover it.
by completing the first minna no nihongo, you will know more than if you had studied genki i. if you are more academic and want to learn as much as possible, this is a great option for you because you can take your time and soak up the knowledge. if you hit a snag, a tutor or language partner would work well with this textbook.
- pros:
- covers more ground than other textbooks
- all text in Japanese: lots of reading practice
- intense, detailed grammar explanations
- requires a second “translation book” to use the main textbook
- moderately expensive
buy
yookous! an invitation to contemporary Japanese
What sets Yookoso! apart is the grammar explanations. They’re academic and brief to the point of being a little unclear. But there are a lot of example sentences, tables, and other material to flesh out target concepts. It’s like Yookoso! quickly explains how to swim then pushes you into the pool.
This focus on example sentences is a great way to become familiar with Japanese in its native habitat and will give you a strong collocation foundation. Although brief, the grammar explanations do a good job of teaching you the basics of the language, breaking down the rules so that the example sentences are very helpful.
yookous! it teaches a lot, so if you stick with it, you’ll gain knowledge you can handle with confidence.
- pros:
- real-world conversations with accompanying vocabulary words
- grammar taught through example sentences
- not very good for self-taught
- more expensive than other textbooks
buy on amazon
Japanese for busy people
The title, Japanese for Busy People, may sound like it’s aimed at you, the busy student with so much on their plate. However, Japanese for Business People might be a more suitable name, because it’s aimed at career professionals, not students.
As long as you get the kana version of this textbook (there’s a fully romaji version), you’ll learn some valuable things. Each chapter gradually introduces the target grammar and vocabulary, so you’re never thrown everything at once. And at the end of each chapter, there is a quiz you can use to test yourself.
audio cd is included so you can also practice listening and speaking. If you have just started your career, the dialogues, being commercial, will be more relevant than the classroom-oriented ones found in other textbooks. and unlike genki, there’s an answer key on the back so you can check your work.
an interesting quirk: there are no kanji in this book. I guess they called it “Kana version” for a reason. this isn’t a big deal if you’re learning your kanji with wanikani, but it can get irritating reading through all the kana paragraphs when you’re used to kanji.
- pros:
- quizzes at the end of each lesson and accompanying answer key
- dialogues are more realistic, less like “classroom talks”. “
- clear grammar explanations at the beginning of each chapter
- audio cd included
- aimed at business people, so be prepared to talk about photocopiers
- all kana, no kanji makes reading difficult
buy on amazon
Japanese for everyone
When you get about halfway through, you start to see grammar points or levels of detail that aren’t commonly taught in other textbooks, not to mention more natural Japanese in the dialogues.
Japanese for Everyone is a cheap alternative to genki. in fact, it covers almost as much as the genki i and ii combined for just $29. unfortunately, there is no audio component, or rather, the most recent edition excludes the audio exercises that appear in the original printing (although some of the audio is on youtube).
Grammar explanations are minimal, so you’ll need external sources to supplement what you learn. by the time you get to the middle, you start to see grammar points or levels of detail that aren’t commonly taught in other textbooks, not to mention more natural Japanese in the dialogues.
one drawback is that the kanji are not used often in the book. even in the last dialogue, it’s mostly kana with some common kanji thrown in. this is not a big deal since you are learning kanji with wanikani, but you can’t practice reading the kanji you know in the excellent reading comprehension exercises.
- pros:
- packed with content, maybe as much as genki i and ii combined
- affordable
- teaches grammar through real life situations and expressions
- covers complex grammatical concepts from the beginning
- grammar explanations are brief and require an external plug-in
- audio lessons are hard to find
- not many kanji are used in exercises and reading comprehension
buy on amazon
Japanese: the spoken language
Japanese: The Spoken Language was written by two linguistics experts and it shows. The grammar explanations are incredibly deep. Though dense, you’ll gain excellent grammar knowledge if you dive in and stick to it.
one of the biggest complaints people have against this book is that it’s all in romaji. usually this would be a concern, but in the case of jsl the “romaji” is actually a special phonetic script written by the authors. Since this series is based on pronunciation, phonetic writing will give you a better foundation for speaking Japanese.
Japanese: The spoken language should not be used alone. it is a complement to the audio materials that you are supposed to practice first. after memorizing the audio, you go to the book for an explanation. and the grammar explanations are some of the best and most detailed you can find.
The teaching is of such a high quality that it may be worth getting a copy to see if it fits your learning style before crossing it off your list.
- pros:
- excellent audio lessons
- unique approach you won’t find anywhere else
- teaches the pitch accent
- complex and detailed grammatical explanations
- written by linguists
- phonetic writing is hard to get used to
- grammatical explanations may be too complex for some students
buy on amazon
japanese adventures
Adventures in Japanese is aimed at junior high and high school learners and as such, the material is not as comprehensive as you might find in other textbooks.
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That’s not necessarily a bad thing. the simple “this = this” explanations let you immerse yourself in using and understanding Japanese right away.
A unique feature of aij not found in other books is the lesson review at the end of each chapter. You are given grammar exercises that test your knowledge of the chapter’s key concepts and a checklist of things you “can do” with your new knowledge. If you don’t pass the review quiz or can’t check off an item on the checklist, you know exactly what you need to study before moving on. this is a great barometer for progress and a huge selling point for this series.
- pros:
- aimed at middle and high school students
- easy to measure self-measured progress
- great companion website with free bonus material, no login required
- concepts can be too simple
- in an effort to simplify complex grammatical points, some explanations can become confusing
- expensive
buy on amazon
a guide to Japanese grammar
If you search for free Japanese resources online, you’re bound to run into Tae Kim’s A Guide to Japanese Grammar on his website Tae Kim’s Guide to Learning Japanese. It’s fairly complete and does a decent job of explaining grammar concepts in a way anyone can understand.
Note that there are two sections to your site; the grammar guide and the complete guide. the complete guide covers most of the same material as the grammar guide, but with extras on the written language.
whichever you use, the tae kim guides are great considering the amount of information you can learn and they are absolutely free.
- pros:
- free!
- comprehensive
- easy to understand grammar explanations
- some grammatical explanations may contain errors
use free online
elementary Japanese
For self-learners on a budget, this is one of the best values. It’s packed with information and teaches it really well.
Elementary Japanese is something of a hidden gem. was written for classrooms and self-learners, so you can use it in a variety of situations. you can practice reading everything you learned about wanikani, because the kanji has no furigana!
but the grammar explanations are the best feature of this textbook. they are thorough, but conversational. you never feel like they’ve been “dumbed down”, but they’re not confusing either.
some drawbacks: romaji stays well past page 100 before it’s completely removed. Also, the layout is simple, making it difficult to find the dividing lines between different sections, such as grammar explanations, dialogues, and exercises.
For the self-taught on a budget, this is one of the best values. It is packed with information and teaches it very well. And for $30, you won’t regret the purchase, even if it doesn’t turn out to be your favorite Japanese textbook.
- pros:
- affordable
- complimentary cd-rom included
- written for classrooms and self-study
- built around grammar, not teaching situations
- grammatical explanations are clear, concise and comprehensive
- lots of kanji and little to no furigana
- takes a while to completely remove romaji
- design can be visually confusing at a glance
buy on amazon
Japanese from scratch!
Those overwhelmed by Japanese learning may find the pace of the Japanese from Zero! series more relaxing and fun. Though more suitable for kids, we recommend adult learners use these books to get their bearings, then transition to something more age-appropriate.
the writing style used in Japanese from scratch! it is funny and attractive. concepts are broken down to make them easy to swallow; whose secondary effect is that the rhythm is slow. the entire first book is needed to teach hiragana. verbs are not introduced until you are almost to book two. instead, you spend a lot of time learning numbers, shapes, colors, and adjectives.
There is no audio cd and no listening practice, but you can get some free supplements from the attached website.
We think these are great children’s books and perfectly suited for the younger demographic. But that doesn’t mean older students can’t benefit. Students who are intimidated by other textbooks should be able to learn Japanese from scratch! and gain a foundation in Japanese before moving on to something more challenging.
- pros:
- the writing style is fun and easy to follow
- the exercises are light and cheerful
- jfz community support
- well structured
- slow paced
- no audio cd or pronunciation help
- although some content is free, you have to pay extra to access all supplemental content on the site website
buy on amazon
Japanese manga style
Japanese the Manga Way isn’t a “textbook” in the traditional sense; it’s more of a fun supplement. But it’s a very useful, fun supplement.
In 493 lessons, the book features brief grammar explanations accompanied by examples from real manga.
explanations are accessible and the manga reinforces the target concepts. you should not make this your main study resource, but rather use it to get alternate explanations of the grammar points you are learning in a more formal textbook.
For more information, read our full review.
- pros:
- simple, step-by-step teaching style
- reinforced lessons with manga examples
- enjoyable content
- uses uncommon terms for verb types
- romaji is used together with kana and kanji
- no exercises
buy on amazon
quick reference table
After reading those reviews, it can be difficult to analyze all the information you’ve been given. that’s why we’ve added this digestible and easy-to-read table for your reference.
reference books
textbooks can only cover part of it. they give you a solid foundation in Japanese, so you can go out into the wild with the tools to learn all the other little things that exist in the language and culture. these tools should include vocabulary, grammar, syntax and also some kanji.
In a nutshell: textbooks are just the beginning. some topics are so big or so complicated that you need a whole book on just that topic.
This is where reference books come in. they can help you understand much more than textbooks and teachers. Below, we’ll go over a few that we think you should use to supplement your Japanese learning.
all about particles
All sixty-nine particles are ordered by frequency, many of the context sentences provide two English translations for clarity, and there are helpful notes offering further explanation throughout the book.
particles are hard because we don’t have them in English; they are difficult to define and seem to provide only context to sentences, not actual meaning. all about particles tries to show all the different uses of all particles in Japanese with short explanations and supporting contextual sentences.
The sixty-nine particles are arranged by frequency, many of the context sentences provide two English translations for clarity, and there are helpful notes that offer further explanation throughout the book. There is also romaji under each Japanese sentence if you are not familiar with the kanji.
Because it uses example sentences to show context, it is most useful once you have read at least one beginner Japanese textbook. however, it is also useful as a reference to provide more context as you learn these particles in your textbook or class of your choice. and the sentences don’t go much beyond the beginner level, so students need to be able to understand the meanings and context of each particle.
- pros:
- example sentences used by context
- multiple use explanations for each particle
- ordered by frequency and importance
- may be too complicated for beginners
buy on amazon
English grammar for Japanese learners
When you’re learning another language it’s important to know how the grammar of your own language works first. You may use English just fine, but understanding it with terms like “predicate” and “direct object” and “causative” may not be so easy.
English Grammar for Japanese Learners is a reference book that you can read in one sitting or use to find specific explanations during your studies. there are explanations for each section of the English language and how they relate to Japanese. There are even example sentences, additional notes, as well as summaries and reviews with an answer key at the back of the book.
If you are having trouble understanding Japanese grammar in relation to English because of linguistic terms or because you never learned them, this book will help you bridge the gap.
Unfortunately, it’s not well formatted and there are a few English typos here and there. another problem is that all Japanese is presented in romaji. but it is a very useful reference if you haven’t taken an English class in a long time or if your mother tongue is another.
- pros:
- a must for beginners
- compensates for English weaknesses
- covers what teachers teach of Japanese normally cannot
- embedded revisions for practice
- poorly edited
- inconvenient formatting
- all romaji
buy on amazon
the kodansha kanji usage guide
This is a reference for kun’yomi homophones in Japanese: words that have the same reading, but slightly different kanji and meanings. While the Internet can be a good place to look up questions about kun’yomi homophones, sometimes it takes longer to find an answer online than it does with one, solid resource (especially if you’re new to Japanese and you aren’t comfortable typing it yet).
Kodansha’s Kanji Usage Guide helps beginners understand the differences in meaning and usage of words that appear to be the same at first glance. Laid out in English alphabetical order, this little book lists the words by their readings. each reading has all possible spellings (with kanji) and definitions to help you learn the differences.
This book is especially useful for beginners learning kanji and focusing more on verbs. there are tons of homophone verbs in Japanese and being able to differentiate between the three のぼる can be a big help.
For more information, see our review.
- pros:
- well organized
- easy to understand
- tons of information in one place
- You can probably find this information online
buy on amazon
liven up your Japanese with onomatopoeia
Nothing makes you sound more like a native speaker than proper onomatopoeia use.
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One of the hardest things to learn Japanese is onomatopoeia (those words that sound like the sounds they represent). but if you start learning them early, like at the beginner level, for example, they can be much easier to recognize, understand, and put into your own language. nothing makes you sound more like a native speaker than the proper use of onomatopoeia.
This book has an essential introduction. it is not written by the author of the rest of the book, but it explains everything you need to know about Japanese onomatopoeia. the rest focuses on brief dialogues between two people in certain settings. in these dialogues new onomatopoeias are introduced in bold and then defined in English with example sentences. Japanese sentences have furigana followed by romaji and provide English translations at the end of each dialogue. There are also tons of notes to help explain context, colloquialisms, and set phrases.
Each section has a fill-in-the-blank quiz at the end so you can practice the new onomatopoeia. Most textbooks and classrooms never cover onomatopoeia, so this is a great book to add to your list. you may not understand everything, but the introduction is a must read.
For more information, see our review.
- pros:
- full introduction
- unique content
- natural Japanese dialogues
- dialogues are too advanced for beginners
- doesn’t cover all onomatopoeia (but only a dictionary could)
- messy format
buy on amazon
the manual of japanese verbs
This handbook’s goal is to teach new learners that verbs are much simpler in Japanese than in most other languages and because of that, you shouldn’t be afraid!
dives into verb tenses, verb types, and conjugations, providing a solid foundation for the use of verbs in Japanese. and reads more like a verb-focused textbook than a typical supplement.
once you learn the basic types of verbs, the book jumps right into teaching you conjugations. each of these conjugations is presented with “sentence patterns” with which they are commonly used. Thanks to these patterns, the book covers much more grammar than even some beginner textbooks. each sentence is in romaji, then in Japanese (without furigana), and finally in English. At the end of each conjugation section there is a practice section where you can use what you have learned.
One thing to remember is that most of the content in the Japanese verb manual will be (or at least should be) taught in the textbook of your choice. while you shouldn’t replace the content there with this book, it can be used as a supplement, especially the practice sentences.
Also, some of the language used is difficult to understand if you are not familiar with English grammar terms, but the practice sentences and sections do not require such knowledge.
- pros:
- extensive usage content
- tons of conjugation and usage practice
- tons of sentences example
- reinforces textbooks
- good design and formatting
- may contradict types of verbs taught in the textbook
- more a textbook than a reference book
- difficult grammatical terms for early explanations
- focusing on romaji may be a turnoff for some
buy on amazon
the manual of Japanese adjectives and adverbs
The Handbook of Japanese Adjectives and Adverbs is very much the same as The Handbook of Japanese Verbs, in that it’s formatted the same way and written by the same author. While the book calls itself a “dictionary,” it’s much more like a textbook that teaches grammar through adjectives and adverbs.
This book is a two-in-one, with the first half devoted to adjectives and the second to adverbs. adjectives focus on conjugations plus grammar, which is especially important when learning English, which does not conjugate adjectives. adverbs focus on grammar usage (since they are not conjugated), making this a grammatical resource more akin to a textbook than a typical “dictionary.”
It probably doesn’t cover the same content as your textbook in the same way that the verb manual does, but it does have the same format, style, and tone of voice. It assumes you know everything about English grammar, but it has tons of example sentences and practice sections, making it a great resource for beginners to solidify your knowledge of adjectives and adverbs.
- pros:
- extensive usage content
- tons of conjugation and usage practice
- tons of sentences example
- reinforces textbooks
- good design and formatting
- more of a textbook than a reference book
- difficult grammatical terms for early explanations
- focus on romaji may be a turnoff for some
buy on amazon
dictionaries
sometimes you just need more. you need mountains of reference information to answer a specific question or problem you face in your Japanese studies.
That’s where dictionaries come in. Below are the books we recommend for word lookups, grammar, particles, onomatopoeia, and more.
a dictionary of basic Japanese grammar
This is an absolute must have for every single person learning Japanese, period.
Japanese grammar dictionaries are the most recommended books by Tofugu staff for Japanese learners. there are three in total, but the first book is a must for all students, no matter what method they are using to study.
as koichi said in his review of all three, “no single resource (or any combination of web pages and resources) even comes close to what the Japanese grammar dictionary book series has to offer.”
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Although these are “dictionaries”, they contain much more information than most people would expect from a typical dictionary. and the core book contains more grammar than most beginner textbooks and classes.
Dictionaries are in English alphabetical order, for easy reading. each grammar point is a nice bright red color and there is normal dictionary information like parts of speech, English meaning and much more.
For one thing, each grammatical point is marked with a small number after it, because the series covers all possible meanings and uses of that word or phrase. below the entries are “key sentences” which are in Japanese (sometimes with furigana), with romaji and English translations below and markings of important parts of speech. formations (usually common collocations), example sentences, notes, and more follow.
This is an absolute must for everyone learning Japanese, period.
For more information, see our review.
- pros:
- the best grammar resource available
- all inclusive and comprehensive
- better than the internet
- sample sentences, collocations and notes
- none, go buy it
buy on amazon
a dictionary of Japanese particles
A good supplement, or even replacement, for All About Particles, this dictionary is like a mix between that and the Dictionaries of Japanese Grammar with a particle focus. It’s like a hybrid between a dictionary and a grammar resource, so you not only know what particles mean, but how to use them too.
a dictionary of Japanese particles is arranged in English alphabetical order and contains multiple definitions and usage explanations for each entry. There are Japanese example sentences with furigana, romaji, and English translations. there are images and even comparisons of different particles, when they help add clarity.
Instead of giving a meaning one by one, each particle is given an English approximation so that you understand the original Japanese meaning, instead of just translating it into English in your head.
This book works well for beginners to intermediate level. does not cover all particles in Japanese, but does extend to higher levels of particle learning than most beginner textbooks.
- pros:
- complete; covers beginner to intermediate
- images and example sentences support content
- kanji, furigana and romaji for all levels
- does not cover all particles
- academic style of writing may be off-putting to some
buy on amazon
an illustrated dictionary of Japanese onomatopoeic expressions
While it doesn’t go into usage like Jazz Up Your Japanese, this dictionary of onomatopoeia is a great resource for beginners to learn new words with pictures. Other than a short bilingual (Japanese-English side-by-side) explanation of its contents and a few general concepts, the book is limited to drawings with onomatopoeia captions.
each illustration has the romaji onomatopoeia below. next to it are the possible pronunciations (types a, b or c, explained in the introduction). there is also a short English definition and explanation of the word, the Japanese word and a Japanese explanation. and if a particular word comes from a verb, the verb also appears with a little star indicator.
Good for beginners and great for intermediates, this book helps you learn fun words in fun ways, taking all the seriousness out of a typical dictionary or reference book. it also requires much less knowledge to get started than improving your Japanese. although usage and grammar information is lacking, it is still a useful adjunct for beginners to learn these mimetic words.
For more information, see our review.
- advantages:
- funny illustrations
- no prior knowledge required
- basic enough for all beginners but useful up to intermediate level
- Japanese and English side by side
- no grammar explanations
- no usage explanations
buy on amazon
kodansha furigana japanese-english dictionary
If you’re a beginner who wants a nice hardcover dictionary by your side in real life, this is a solid pick.
This little brick is a great starter dictionary for any beginner, and in fact, it’s the first dictionary Kristen bought when she started taking Japanese classes. While it doesn’t contain every word in the Japanese language (but what dictionary does?), it does have most of the words a beginner will need to look up.
is arranged in the common Japanese order あいうえお (also known as gojūon 五十音) and the entries are written in kana with the kanji presented after. each word has an English definition and some have explanations, collocations, or extra sentences when needed.
another feature: each kanji character has furigana. While we don’t generally support furigana, when you’re trying to search for something, the last thing you need is something else to search for. this dictionary makes it easy to get the information you need without a lot of extras thrown in your face.
Because it is organized by kana and has furigana throughout, this dictionary can be used by anyone trying to look up a Japanese word, as long as they know hiragana and katakana. if you’re a beginner who wants a good hardcover dictionary by your side in real life, this is a solid choice.
- pros:
- beginner friendly
- everything furigana
- offers some collocations and example sentences
- limited number of words
- no internet yet
buy on amazon
the summary
I hope this list brings you closer to a decision about a textbook and some reference books. after all, choosing the perfect 100% best book isn’t as important as getting started. The sooner you start a study routine, the sooner you’ll be using your accumulated knowledge, no matter how meager, to learn more and more advanced concepts.
As long as you get a book from this list and stick with it, you will achieve your dream of mastering the Japanese language.
