Read real Japanese, starting today.

Short stories are the least intimidating way into real Japanese, and this reader makes them easier still. Each of the two Kicchomu-san tales is split into small, digestible segments with complete vocabulary and grammar notes, so you move through real Japanese one page at a time - with your confidence intact.

Recommended for upper-beginner to intermediate learners. Studied for a year or two but feel stuck? This is for you too. Read the Japanese-only section first, then work through the line-by-line gloss to lock in comprehension and vocabulary.

Each story, three ways: Glossed - every sentence broken down word-for-word, with grammar explained in plain English. Furigana throughout.Japanese only - the full story with no gloss (and no furigana), so you can practice reading uninterrupted, the way real Japanese actually looks.English summary - a straightforward, mostly literal translation to check yourself against. (Work through the Japanese first - no cheating.)

What's inside: Kanji in Focus - dedicated breakdowns of key kanji with readings, meanings, example words, and stroke-order diagrams.Review exercises for each story to test what you've absorbed.Professional native audio - two recordings per story, one at natural speed and one slowed down. No sign-up, no email, no login. Scan the QR code or use the download link and it plays in seconds.Free Anki decks covering most of the vocabulary and kanji - most vocab cards include audio and pitch-accent diagrams.Bonus PDFs of all the vocabulary and grammar points, ready to print and read alongside the book.

Now integrated with the Makoto+ Sentence Explorer - on the web and in the Makoto app. Your purchase unlocks free, unlimited access to every sentence from this book inside our Sentence Explorer. It breaks each line into bite-sized parts you can tap through - listen to the audio, explore full vocabulary breakdowns, and drill with quizzes and games. Use it at your desk or on your phone (search "Makoto Japanese Explorer" in the App Store or Google Play).

The stories:

Kicchomu-san is the great wit-hero of Oita, in northern Kyushu - quick, cheerful, and dangerously literal-minded. His tales belong to the 頓智話 (wit-tale) tradition, and his specialty is the long-form practical joke: he follows your instructions exactly, then shows you why you should have chosen your words more carefully.Kicchomu and the Fire - The headman tells Kicchomu to stay calm in all things. So when the headman's own house catches fire, Kicchomu comes to tell him - calm, neatly dressed, freshly shaved. Eventually.Kicchomu and the Horse - Kicchomu makes his ordinary horse appear to produce coins. Rumor does the rest, and soon the wealthy headman is desperate to buy the animal - at a climbing price, with one condition attached. When the trick comes out, Kicchomu has a perfectly logical explanation ready.

Questions, or requests for future readers? Our personal email is in the book - we read every message.

Ready to read some real Japanese?