Book Review, Fiction, graded reader, N2

[N2] ๅ›ใจ่Šฑ็ซ

Yashiro sits next to new girl Yoshikawa in class and looks forward to seeing her every day. Although he seems to be completely content with their very platonic classroom relationship of him picking up her dropped eraser once and them occasionally doing partner exercises together in class, he eventually asks her out to enjoy the summer festival's fireworks with him...

Book Review, Fiction, graded reader, N3

[N3] ่™น๏ผˆใซใ˜๏ผ‰ใฎๆฉ‹๏ผˆใฏใ—๏ผ‰

In "Rainbow Bridge" two girls, Otฤchan and Okฤซchan, go out to collect special shoots near the local lake, which is said to be home to a water god. The rainbow that spans the lake every summer will become an important symbol for the pair.

Book Review, graded reader, N2, Non-Fiction

[N2] ่พžๅ…ธ็ทจ้›†่€…(ใ˜ใฆใ‚“ใธใ‚“ใ—ใ‚…ใ†ใ—ใ‚ƒ)ใ‹ใ‚‰่ฆ‹ใŸๆ—ฅๆœฌ่ชž

If you are interested in Japanese linguistics or want to have a bit more insight into how Japanese works, this series of short articles for upper intermediate learners is absolutely invaluable.

Book Review, Fiction, graded reader, N5

[N5] ๅฑฑใซ่กŒใใพใ—ใŸ

In this story, a dog named ใ‚ฆใ‚ฃใƒณใƒชใƒผ goes on a camping trip in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Camping in the mountains can be fun and exciting, but especially hot summer days can also carry some big hidden dangers.

Book Review, Fiction, graded reader, N5

[N5] ใ‚†ใ„ใ•ใ‚“ใฎไธ€ๆ—ฅ

In this short story we get to know Yui, who hurries to get to her Japanese class on time. Although this little writing project by Elaine Yan is rather short, I believe it's an amazing example how even a short essay for your Japanese class can become a valuable little reading resource for others. With… Continue reading [N5] ใ‚†ใ„ใ•ใ‚“ใฎไธ€ๆ—ฅ

Book Review, children's literature, fairy tale, Fiction, N3

[N3] ่ฆชๆŒ‡ๅงซ๏ผˆใŠใ‚„ใ‚†ใณใฒใ‚๏ผ‰

Thumbelina is born from a flower her mother received from a witch, but she is no taller than a thumb (jp: ่ฆชๆŒ‡(ใŠใ‚„ใ‚†ใณ))! The animals of the forest are fascinated by her and take her along to live with them. This fairy tale was originally written by Hans Christian Andersen, the famous Danish writer. It was… Continue reading [N3] ่ฆชๆŒ‡ๅงซ๏ผˆใŠใ‚„ใ‚†ใณใฒใ‚๏ผ‰

Book Review, Fiction, graded reader, N2

[N2] ใ‚ณใƒผใƒ’ใƒผใงใ‚‚้ฃฒใฟใชใŒใ‚‰

By pure chance, Hasegawa comes into possession of a can of coffee one particular morning. Since he has no use for it, he simply gives it away when he has a chance. And that's how his story unfolds. This is a story in which the protagonist gives away his possessions to receive something else in… Continue reading [N2] ใ‚ณใƒผใƒ’ใƒผใงใ‚‚้ฃฒใฟใชใŒใ‚‰

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, graded reader, N5, Non-Fiction

[N5] ใฉใ‚“ใ€ใฉใ‚“ใ€ใฉใ‚“

donburi is the Japanese name for a large bowl of rice where the main dish (e.g. meat or fish) is served on top. Depending on these other ingredients on top of the rice, those dishes are called different names, but all of them end in ๏ฝžใฉใ‚“. This text written by Kondo Maiko at the Japan… Continue reading [N5] ใฉใ‚“ใ€ใฉใ‚“ใ€ใฉใ‚“

Book Review, N3, Non-Fiction

[N3] ้ฃฏ็”ฐ๏ผˆใ„ใ„ใ ๏ผ‰ใใ‚“

Iida Kunihiko was born in Manchuria in 1942, but was soon brought to Hiroshima by his mother. There he experiences and survives the atomic bombing in 1945โ€ฆ This story was created by the NPO ๅนณๅ’Œ(ใธใ„ใ‚)ใฎๅคงๅˆ‡(ใŸใ„ใ›ใค)ใ•ใ‚’ไผ(ใคใŸ)ใˆใ‚‹ๆ—ฅๆœฌ่ชžๆ•™ๆ(ใซใปใ‚“ใ”ใใ‚‡ใ†ใ–ใ„)ใ‚’ใคใใ‚‹ไผš(ใ‹ใ„) which I would translate as 'Association for the creation of Japanese language teaching materials to convey the importance of peace'.… Continue reading [N3] ้ฃฏ็”ฐ๏ผˆใ„ใ„ใ ๏ผ‰ใใ‚“