How to get a start in reading books in Japanese
From picture books to manga and young adult fiction, here's how to find Japanese books that match your language level.
Finding the right book can make reading Japanese a little less daunting. | JOHAN BROOKS
Sep 11, 2026
You’ve learned hiragana, you know some kanji, you can follow a conversation in Japanese. Now you want to read a 本 (hon, book) — but what kind of 本 should you pick up?
The good news is that there are plenty of options for language learners. 日本文学が盛り上がっている (Nihon bungaku ga moriagatte-iru, Japanese literature is flourishing).
And that’s not just from the perspective of Japanese books in English translation. Japan’s publishing industry releases around 75,000 new titles each year, the vast majority of which never see the light of day in English. 日本文学を本当に経験するためには、日本語を読むことが必要です (Nihon bungaku o hontō ni keiken suru tame ni wa, Nihongo o yomu koto ga hitsuyō desu, In order to truly experience Japanese literature, it is necessary to read Japanese).
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