N3

Reading abilities close to the JLPT N3 are defined as follows:

One is able to read and understand written materials with specific contents concerning everyday topics. One is also able to grasp summary information such as newspaper headlines. In addition, one is also able to read slightly difficult writings encountered in everyday situations and understand the main points of the content if some alternative phrases are available to aid one’s understanding.
Source: https://www.jlpt.jp/e/about/levelsummary.html

The free ressources I have linked here, will reflect that. There are many longer texts and stories, which rely on you knowing historical and/or cultural contexts. There are news articles and blogs. Furthermore, I have linked pages with free manga to read. If you are interested in reading manga, I recommend starting with a story depicting everyday life and possibly a series you are already familiar with.

Reading on level N3 will provide you with new contexts for vocabulary you already studied and you will also pick up some new more specified vocabulary. As always, if a story is too difficult or boring, just pick the next one.

Simple Stories with reading level

Many sites use the reading levels as defined by the NPO Tagengo Tadoku. For those with reading abilities similar to JLPT N3 the appropiate level is level 3-4.

Tadoku Graded Readers – fiction and non-fiction, downloadable pdf, audio
YomuJP Tadoku Dōjō – non-fiction, read in browser, audio
Sakura Tadoku Lab – registration required, fiction and non-fiction
Easy Japanese Literature – by Miyagi Gakuen, literary works in intermediate Japanese
Smith College’s Tadoku Project – stories written by leaners
Tongari Books – fiction, read in browser
Yomimono Ippai – fiction and non-fiction, varying difficulty
Nihongo Study – easy retellings of folklore and old literature, english translation
The Tile World Chronicles – graded reader inspired by JRPGs

News and Blogs

Nihongoschool Nihongoblog – blog by a Japanese language teacher living in the UK
Meika Sensei’s Easy Japanese Blog – blog by a Japanese language teacher
J-Test 今月(こんげつ)の話題(わだい) – monthly texts on current topics with comprehension quizzes, for lower intermediate and upper intermediate, downloadable pdf
Matcha Easy – lifestyle magazine matcha in easy Japanese
NHK Easy News – easy short articles, color coding, you can get definitions by hovering over some words
Nishi Nippon Easy News – easy news articles with focus on west Japan
With News – articles on issues foreigners may face in Japan, no furigana
Hirogaru Nihongo – by The Japan Foundation; information on Japanese culture with small comprehension quizzes
r/WriteStreakJP – subreddit where learners publish their writing
Mariro no nikki – study blog in Japanese, written by a learner
煎茶ライフ – study blog in Japanese, written by a learner

Fairy Tales and Folklore

NHK: こくご: おはなしのくに – fairy tales with videos and downloadable pdf
Hukumusume – fairy tale database, read in browser
Ehon Fairy Tales – older fairy tale site with hand drawn illustrations, hard to navigate
Ehon Hiroba – free picture books made by users
e-Dōwa – collection of fairy tale picture books
Minwa Fujipan – collection of folk tales and scary stories

Manga and Novels

Manga Expressions by Scene – four manga genre with typical dialog to get to know expressions, audio options and translations
Crystal Hunters – manga in easy Japanese with additional explanations to download
Wasabi: ブラックジャックによろしく – Manga ブラックジャックによろしく with translations
まんがひみつ文庫 – children’s non-fiction manga on various subjects
まんがひみつ文庫 Special Edition – children’s non-fiction manga on social issues and the environment
Bookwalker Japan – limited offer of free manga and novels
Honto – limited offer of free manga and novels
Sokuyomi – limited offer of free manga
シーモア – limited offer of free manga
Comico – web manga
Mangaz – web manga

Games

Immersion Kit – readers for two NieR games and Legend of Zelda’s BotW. Read the dialog along to screenshots of the game. Audio, furigana and translations.