Japanese Resources
- Books and printed matter
- Audio programs
- Websites
- Blogs
- Japanese language classes in Melbourne, Australia
- Online teachers and language exchange sites
- JLPT
- Online dictionaries
Over time I shall be adding information that will help beginners to learn Japanese, and more experienced Japanese students hone their skills.
I have been learning Japanese predominantly on my own, using textbooks, online lessons with Nanasawa-sensei, japanesepod101.com, and Pimsleur Japanese audio programs
Books
- Genki 1: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese 1
This text is extremely well written, easy to understand and just the right pace for me. There are many group exercises, but with a little imagination you can do those exercises on your own. I also have the workbook
, audio program and answer key
. (Amazon, JBox)
Supplemental Genki exercises, Renshuu.org lessons, and Usagi-Chan's Genki Resource Page are also available for free online.
- Japanese in Mangaland: Basic Japanese Course Using Manga
This is an interesting textbook with loads of examples from manga in Japanese. I find this very useful for the less formal language found in manga and anime. I also have the workbook
.
- All About Particles: A Handbook of Japanese Function Words
and How to Tell the Difference between Japanese Particles: Comparisons and Exercises
These two books are wonderful for learning how to use particles. The book of exercises may be a little advanced if you get bogged down in vocabulary.
- Kodansha's Furigana Japanese-English English-Japanese Dictionary
Of course with studying a language you need a dictionary. This dictionary is easy to use even if you don't know kanji and contains many examples showing how to use words in common phrases.
- Kodanshas Essential Kanji Dictionary (Japanese for Busy People)
I find this easier to use than the Kanji Learners dictionary
.
- Japanese Kanji Flashcards, Vol. 1 (Third Edition)
I take these with me and look at the several times a day. With practise, they reinforce the kanji meanings and pronunciation I learn doing written exercises and reading along with Pimsleur Japanese
and Japanesepod101.com. (Amazon)
Audio programs
- Japanesepod101.com is the best audio resource I have found for Japanese. The podcasts are free, but for a low membership you have access to transcripts to help you understand written Japanese. A premium membership provides access to all sorts of learning tools. The podcasts are often quite funny and manage to inspire further study more than any other resource I have come across. Huge kudos to the entire Japanesepod101.com team!
- Pimsleur Japanese I,
Pimsleur Japanese II,
Pimsleur Japanese III
Although this system advocates not learning how to write, but only how to speak and hear Japanese, I find it very useful in combination with the other textbooks and audio programs above.
- Japancast.net - free Japanese lessons in podcast format.
Websites
- Japanesepod101.com
- Jim Breen's Japanese Page
- Tae Kim's Japanese guide to Japanese grammar - the best grammar resource I've found!
- MLC Meguro Language Center
- JGram.org
- Renshuu.org - resources and tools for vocabulary and kanji
- Teach Yourself Japanese - by Takasugi Shinji
- Japanese Language - About.com
- JapaneseKanji.org
- The Kanji Site
- Tim's Takamatsu
- iKnow Japanese
Blogs about learning Japanese
- BeforeBreakfast.net
- Hungry For (mostly Japanese) Words - by Makiko Itoh
- All Japanese All The Time.com
Japanese language classes in Melbourne, Australia
- iJapanese Language and Culture School
- Japan Seminar House - Runs the JLPT exams each year.
Online teachers and language exchange sites
- ななさわ先生 (nanasawa-sensei)
- Asahi Nihongo Language and Internship School - offers lessons over Skype, and is based in Fukuoka, Japan.
- Japanese tutors - from various parts of the world who may work online
- Xlingo - a free language exchange community site.
JLPT resources
- JEES - Japan Educational Exchanges and Services, JLPT page.
- JLPT forums
- JLPT study pages
- JLPT Renshuu.org - lessons and quizzes for JLPT.
- Yookoso - daily email of vocabulary and kanji.
- JLPT Kanji Project - for learning the kanji classified into JLPT levels.
Online dictionaries
- WWWJDIC - Jim Breen's Japanes-English Dictionary Server
- Eijiro dictionary on the ALC website
