Research Guides: Japanese Studies: Japanese language education (2024)

• JLPT Study Materials

• TADOKU extensive reading - readers, comics, illustrated books, etc

• Kanji and Vocabulary Books

• Multimedia

• Apps and Websites

• E-books Japanese at U-M and beyond

• Textbooks and Self-Study

• Japan-Related Student Organizations

Test-preparation books for every level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT).

• Books related to JLPT in the U-M Library Request GET THIS from the Buhr Storage

• Major vocaboraries in N1-N3 tests どんなときどう使う日本語語彙学習辞典 (U-M only)

• How to study for N1 「絶対に受かるN1勉強法」

  prepared by Andrew Greig (copyright reserved)

• JTest4you

• JLPTまとめ

  日本語NET

• JLPT sample tests

Fun reading - Inside the Japanese Book (blog)

• Cards - Hyakunin isshu playing cards 百人一首, ガラスの仮面カルタ ask at the Asia Library for classroom use.

• Cooking dababase 料理メモ Let's find what to cook ! from Asahi digital news (UM user only)

• Introductory

  • にほんごであそぼ　Nihongo de Asobo

    This is an educational children’s program from NHK, with lots of songs and word games.

  • 歌舞伎たいそう Kabuki Taiso

    Kabuki actor Ichikawa Somegorō teaches kabuki dancing and singing for fun and exercise.

  • デジタル絵本 Digital Picture Books

    Folk stories from Japan and elsewhere that you can listen to while you read along in both English and Japanese. (Requires a small download for each story.)

• Intermediate - Advanced

  • • 映像で学ぶビジネス日本語 (Eizō de manabu bijinesu Nihongo)

      “Learn Business Japanese Through Images”

      See Also

      Summer Programs | U-M LSA Center for Japanese Studies (CJS)Japanese Culture Courses | U-M LSA Asian Languages and Cultures

    • 社会人の話し方と敬語の基本 (Shakai-jin no hanashi kata to keigo no kihon)

    • NHK NewsWeb

      All the latest news from Japan's major network. If you click on a video, a transcript is displayed beside it so you can follow along.

    • 青い文学 Aoi Bungaku Series

      Short animated films based on some of the great works of Japanese literature.

• Other Films and Animation

  • Enjoy JAPAN -- "Sushi and Beyond" DVD set.　　Youtube list
  • Also try the “Japanese Film” tab of this guide for hints on finding Japanese movies, documentaries, television, and animation at the Askwith Media Library.
  • The Language Resource Center (in the basem*nt of North Quad) also has a film collection. Check out their catalog (choose any of the Video options from the Material Type box and enter Japanese for the language.）

• Audio books　Aozora free text audio books

• Audible Stories by Amazon Japanese langauge books - multilingual books.

• Listen to books guide curated by Michiko Ito, Japanese Studies Librarian at the University of Kansas. Libraries.

• Anki

  Anki is a digital flash-card maker that uses the spaced-repetition method. You can create your own card decks or download decks that others share.

  more...

• KanjiBox

  The KanjiBox study software focuses on kanji and vocabulary, and is structured to match the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). Available online or as an iPhone / iPad app.

  more...

• Imiwa? Dictionary App (iOS)

  Dictionary app based on Jim Breen's WWWJDIC; free and works without an Internet connection.

• JED Dictionary App (Android)

  There are many dictionary apps out there; this one was chosen because it is free and will work without an Internet connection.

• ALC's Eijiro on the Web

  Japanese-English, English-Japanese dictionary that also provides example sentences and phrases.

  more...

• Nihongo Rakuda

  A basic online course from the University of Jordan, with videos for listening and speaking practice, quizzes and vocabulary.

• げんきな自習室 Genki na Jishuush*tsu

  List of study tools and resources assembled by the makers of the Genki textbook.

• Rikaichan (Firefox Add-on)

  Extremely helpful for reading Japanese webpages! When you activate the plugin, you only have to hover your cursor over a word on the page and its definition will pop up.

• Rikaikun (Chrome plug-in)

  Extremely helpful for reading Japanese webpages! When you activate the plugin, you only have to hover your cursor over a word on the page and its definition will pop up.

• 日本語表記のアーキテクチャ／The Architecture of Written Japanese

  Essays online by Professor Shinji Konno and Dr.Chris Lowy at Hitsuji Shobo website.

• Kanji finder

  Draw a kanji in the box with the mouse. The computer will try to recognize it. Jim Breen's website.

• 新漢字のおぼえ方

• 漢字なりたちブック :

• Kanji and learn (U-M only)

  512 kanji with illustrations and mnemonic hints

• Kanji look and learn : 512 kanji with illustrations and mnemonic hints (E-book U-M only)

• The Kanji handbook (print version)

• The Kanji handbook (E-book)

• Remembering the kanji a systematic guide to reading Japanese characters

• Basic technical Japanese

• Books on learning kanji

• The Best Way to Learn Japanese (The True Japan)

  "Lessons and guides for learning Japanese and the Japanese culture"

• Classical Japanese - A Grammar (open access)

  Haruo Shirane Ph.D. (Google Books)

• Classical Japanese - A Grammer (U-M only, search only)

• Classical Japanese reader and essential dictionary / Haruo Shirane (U-M only, search only)

• Language learning resources at U-M campus

• Nihongo eな (he Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Kansai)

  "introduce - in a plain, straightforward way - various websites and online tools useful for studying Japanese."

• Online Language Learning (U-M only)

• Self study - Easy Japanese

  Online course for self-learners of Japanese language by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation, open access site)

• Self-instruction E-books (U-M only)

• Memrise Japanese language course

• げんき初級　2nd edition (open access)

• げんき初級　Genki I : Textbook (Second edition)

  Internet Archive open access

• げんき初級　Genki II : Workbook (Second edition)

  Internet Archive open access

• Genki: an integrated course in elementary Japanese by Banno; Eri Banno

  ISBN: 9784789014403

  Publication Date: 2011-01-01

• Tobira: gateway to advanced Japanese learning through content and multimedia by Oka

  ISBN: 9784874244470

  Publication Date: 2009-01-01

• Power up your kanji : 800 basic kanji as a gateway to advanced Japanese by Oka, Mayumi et al.

  ISBN: 9784874244876

• Grammar power : exercises for mastery by Tsutsui, Michio et al.

  ISBN: 4874245706

• 辞典　(Maruzen E-books)　U-M only

• 事典 (Maruzen E-books)　U-M only

• 図典 (Maruzen E-books)　U-M only

• 日本語基本文法辞典 A Dictionary of Japanese Grammar (U-M only)

• 日本語文法辞典　中級編 A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar (U-M only)

• 日本語文法辞典　上級編 A Dictionary of Advance Japanese Grammar (U-M only)

• 日英共通メタファー辞典 A bilingual dictionary of English and Japanese metaphors (U-M only)

• Kojien 7th edition 広辞苑第7版 U-M only

  U-M has only E-book version.

• Japan Knowledge U-M only

  includes a variety of dictionaries and encyclopedias, more E-reference book. (Item title is listed in U-M Library.)

• Request E-books U-M only

  Kinokuniya Digital Library KinoDen
  Maruzen e-Book Library

• Nihongo e-な

• Manga - Comics open access sites

  Japann Studies Manga guide curated by Michiko Ito, Japanese Studies Librarian at the University of Kansas. Libraries.

• Yomeruba ヨメルバ

  Short trial reading and movies, news for children by Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co., Ltd.

• 春の応援ライブラリー

• B面の岩波新書

• Audio Book Collection by Amazon - Japanese

  Responding to COVID-19 outbreak, Amazon.com provides some of its audio book collection "Audible" for free.
  Multilingural site https://stories.audible.com/discovery

• Aozora bunko 青空文庫

  Copyright expired literature texts.

• 近代デジタルライブラリー

  Digital materials held at the National Diet Library.

• 日本文学電子テキスト検索

  Search digital texts. (Ritsumeikan University Art Research Center)

• Digital Archive (Japanese language books)

• Hathi Trust Digital Library

  Books in public domain do not need U-M login.

• Michigan eLibrary

  Can use with a valid Michigan driver’s license, state ID number, or library card number issued from a public library in the state.

• Japan Student Association (JSA)

  JSA was founded to bring both Japanese and non-Japanese students together to foster a better understanding between the cultures. It is a social and educational group dedicated to providing a means for members to learn the different aspects of Japan; the people, culture, and the land.

  (From JSA’s Maize Pages profile)

• Hyakunin-Isshu Karuta Club (HKC)

  The HKC exists to promote Japanese culture in the University of Michigan community by expanding interest in a traditional Japanese artform and sport.

  (From the HKC’s Maize Pages profile)

  The HKC has compiled their own list of Karuta-related resources.

• Animania

  Members participate in anime related social events and put on monthly screenings for the general public including our annual convention Con Ja Nai!

  (From Animania’s Facebook page)

• Kendo Club

  Part of the Midwest Kendo Federation (MWKF).

• Aikido Yoshokai

  Aikido Club affiliated with the Genyokan Dojo in Ann Arbor.

Or see a very thorough list compiled by U-M's hub for all things Japan, the Center for Japanese Studies.

*Acknowledgement: This lib-guide of "Learning Japanese" was created by CeciliaCaride. April 23, 2015.

• Jiso.no (Norwegian)

  Norwegian to Japanese.

• Japanisch-Deutsches Wörterbuch

• Японско-русский словарь онлайн Jardic

• Japanska (Swedish)

• WWWJDIC Japanese Dictionary Server User Guide

• Jim Breen's Japanese Page.

• Reserve room - contact Librarian

  for Non Tadoku Event activities -- i.e. student groups.

• Maximum number of people in the room - 50

• Library Access Policy

  Food and drink, and others. Any food served at a public event in the Library must be provided by a catering service. Cooking is not permitted.