Book Review, Fiction, graded reader, N5

[N5] ใ‚ธใƒงใƒณใ•ใ‚“ๆ—ฅๆœฌใธ

This is the first book about John-san in Japan by Kawamoto Kazuko. This part has two chapters - one about his arrival in Japan and one about a visit to the Kabuki theatre. I especially liked the characters John-san and Yuki in this book and how they were illustrated by Miyakawa Satoko. Their interactions remain… Continue reading [N5] ใ‚ธใƒงใƒณใ•ใ‚“ๆ—ฅๆœฌใธ

Book Review, Fiction, graded reader, N4

[N4] ๆกœ๏ผˆใ•ใใ‚‰๏ผ‰ใƒŸใ‚นใƒ†ใƒชใƒผ

At the end of March, a crime occurs in a public park full of blossoming cherry trees. A woman in a white dress is stabbed. The suspect: a man in black clothes... The Sakura Mystery is a story on Sakura Tadoku Lab by Harada Teruko and with illustrations by Koyama Junko. The story is divided… Continue reading [N4] ๆกœ๏ผˆใ•ใใ‚‰๏ผ‰ใƒŸใ‚นใƒ†ใƒชใƒผ

Book Review, Fiction, N2, novel

[N2] ๅ›ใฎ่†ต่‡“๏ผˆใ™ใ„ใžใ†๏ผ‰ใ‚’ใŸในใŸใ„

A nameless protagonist accidentally comes across the diary of his classmate Sakura and discovers that she suffers from an incurable pancreatic disease. From that point on, the two teenagers, who consider themselves polar opposites, are linked by this secret and decide on spending more time together. Already in the prologue, the narrative reveals how Sakura's… Continue reading [N2] ๅ›ใฎ่†ต่‡“๏ผˆใ™ใ„ใžใ†๏ผ‰ใ‚’ใŸในใŸใ„

Book Review, Fiction, graded reader, Manga, N4

[N4] ใ‚ตใƒ ใƒฉใ‚คๆผซ็”ป๏ผˆใพใ‚“ใŒ๏ผ‰

You can get a taste of samurai manga with this story about a nameless rลnin who experiences a typical day full of fights, selfish heroism and hospitality. This short manga was written and illustrated by Yuki Sengoku for the Japan Foundation's anime-manga website. The language of this manga itself can be challenging, but with the… Continue reading [N4] ใ‚ตใƒ ใƒฉใ‚คๆผซ็”ป๏ผˆใพใ‚“ใŒ๏ผ‰

Book Review, children's literature, Fiction, N2

[N2] ๅๆŽขๅตใ‚ณใƒŠใƒณ ็ด”้ป’๏ผˆใ˜ใ‚…ใ‚“ใ“ใ๏ผ‰ใฎๆ‚ชๅคข ๏ผˆใƒŠใ‚คใƒˆใƒกใ‚ข๏ผ‰

This is the novelisation of the 20th Detective Conan movie The Darkest Nightmare by Mizuki Shima. The plot takes place in the Tลto Aquarium, which is built like a theme park. While on a trip there with Professor Agasa, Conan and the Detective Boys discover a confused woman who has lost her memory. However, she… Continue reading [N2] ๅๆŽขๅตใ‚ณใƒŠใƒณ ็ด”้ป’๏ผˆใ˜ใ‚…ใ‚“ใ“ใ๏ผ‰ใฎๆ‚ชๅคข ๏ผˆใƒŠใ‚คใƒˆใƒกใ‚ข๏ผ‰

Book Review, fairy tale, Fiction, graded reader, N5

[N5] ใ†ใ‚‰ใ—ใพใ€€ใŸใ‚ใ†

Urashima Tarล is a Japanese folklore character. He rescues a turtle and rides on its back to the bottom of the sea, where the beautiful ocean princess Otohime is waiting for him. This retelling for N5 has rather short sentences, but includes some more unusual words. At about 5 sentences per page, it is also… Continue reading [N5] ใ†ใ‚‰ใ—ใพใ€€ใŸใ‚ใ†

Book Review, Fiction, Manga, N3

[N3] ๅ›ใฎๅใฏใ€‚

When Mitsuha and Taki wake up, they sometimes find themselves in the wrong body. Mitsuha experiences life as Taki in Tokyo and Taki learns about Mitsuha's life as a shrine maiden in a small town. They leave eachother messages in their notebooks and phones, but of course still cause some problems for each other. Publisher:… Continue reading [N3] ๅ›ใฎๅใฏใ€‚

Book Review, Fiction, Manga, N2

[N2] ๏ผ“๏ผๆญณใพใง็ซฅ่ฒž๏ผˆใฉใ†ใฆใ„๏ผ‰ใ ใจ้ญ”ๆณ•ไฝฟใ„ใซใชใ‚Œใ‚‹ใ‚‰ใ—ใ„

The day after his 30th birthday, virgin Adachi Kiyoshi suddenly possesses the ability to hear another person's thoughts when he touches them. After some accidental contact with his charming colleague Kurosawa Yuichi, Adachi learns of the passionate feelings Kurosawa has for him. This manga series by Toyota Yuu is also known as ใ€Œใƒใ‚งใƒชใพใปใ€/ "Cherry Magic"… Continue reading [N2] ๏ผ“๏ผๆญณใพใง็ซฅ่ฒž๏ผˆใฉใ†ใฆใ„๏ผ‰ใ ใจ้ญ”ๆณ•ไฝฟใ„ใซใชใ‚Œใ‚‹ใ‚‰ใ—ใ„

Book Review, fairy tale, Fiction, N3

[N3] ใ‹ใใ‚„ๅงซ๏ผˆใฒใ‚๏ผ‰

This version of the fairy tale of Princess Kaguya for learners with N3 abilities was written by Takahashi Sลko for a graded reader series by ask and NPO Tagengo Tadoku. I've introduced it already during the #letsreadkaguyahime reading challenge. Kaguya is found inside fresh cut bamboo as a child and grows up to become a… Continue reading [N3] ใ‹ใใ‚„ๅงซ๏ผˆใฒใ‚๏ผ‰

Advice, Blog

Introduction to reading Japanese novels – Where to get books with furigana

Reading novels in Japanese can be a real challenge if your reading flow comes to a stop every time you encounter a kanji you can't read. These books with 100% furigana on all kanji will help cutting back on that frustration so you can focus on reading in Japanese.