Publisher's Synopsis
READ real Japanese Today! By choosing short stories, the intimidation factor is greatly reduced. Not only that, but we divide the stories up into tiny, easy-to-swallow segments with complete explanations to give you confidence as you read real Japanese page by page.
Perfect for upper beginner level students of Japanese.
BONUS! Get FREE MP3s of the story read by a native Japanese voice actress, one read at normal speed and one read slowly. Listen while reading. The link to the MP3s is found on the last page.
Now with Furigana! Furigana is the small hiragana over the kanji--most devices support this new feature.
Have you studied for a year or two but just don't feel like you are progressing? This book is for you too. We suggest reading the Japanese only section first (includes furigana) and then go through the line-by-line running gloss section to cement understanding and learn vocabulary.
* All Japanese have furigana for those starting out.
* This volume includes three complete Japanese short stories. Each story is presented in three unique ways.
* Two stories are about Hikoichi and the third is about a girl and a mask.* GLOSS: Read the story with a running gloss-understand completely. Every sentence is broken down word-for-word and with English explanation of the grammar.
* JAPANESE ONLY: The full story in Japanese only (without the running gloss) is also provided so you can practice reading without interruption.
* ENGLISH SUMMARY: Finally, we have included a simple and mostly literal English translation for you to check your understanding (Don't cheat! Work through the Japanese first!).
* Short stories makes reading full Japanese texts possible for every student.
* Download the FREE MP3s to listen while you study.
Hikoichi
You may know our first Japanese Reader Collection Volume has several Hikoichi stories. By far, those have been the most popular among students. Hikoichi is, after all, an interesting character. Smart, sassy, creative in his laziness...In short, his adventures are entertaining. Plus, not many non-Japanese are as familiar with Hikoichi as they are Momotaro or the Moon Princess. So, be one of the few to dig in, enjoy, and learn more about Hikoichi!
Finally, we invite the reader to contact us with questions. You will find our personal email addresses in the book. To your Japanese!
What are you waiting for? Ninja up your Japanese. Click "Buy Now" now!
