Recommended Japanese Textbooks & Links

[lennersmii]

Here are a list of recommended textbooks, dictionaries, etc. for beginner, lower intermediate, upper intermediate, and advanced levels. If you have any suggestions, feel free to post after!

Though a couple of these books can be downloaded through the internet, please refrain from asking in this thread. Try Googling yourself! sweatdrop

Beginner (JLPT N5, N4)
Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese I (Comprehensive textbook)
This is easily hands down the best elementary Japanese textbook out there (also recently updated with new content). It teaches you all the fundamental basics and comes with a workbook.

Minna no Nihongo, Book 1 (Comprehensive Textbook)
I've never actually used this one, but heard some good-decent things about it.

Basic Kanji Book, Vol. 1, 2 (Kanji workbook)
Put together, covers the basic 500 kanji, very helpful.

Lower Intermediate (JLPT N4, N3)
Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese II (Comprehensive textbook)
Starts to cover more intermediate expressions ie. passive, causative and also formal and polite ways of speaing.

An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese (Revised Edition) (Comprehensive textbook)
Personally, I hated this textbook though it has very nice readings, vocab lists and exercises, but has poor layout for kanji and grammar. Not bad for self-study.

Intermediate Kanji Book (Kanji 1000 Plus) (Kanji workbook)
Starts to focus on more intermediate kanji and uses simple Japanese for explanations more than English.

Kanji Look & Learn (Kanji textbook)
If you like learning by mnemonics, this is highly recommended for people learning kanji. Covers 512 kanji.

Upper Intermediate (JLPT N3, N2)
Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese Learning Through Content and Multimedia
Most of this textbook is in Japanese, and it has very nice layouts for vocab, interesting and relevant readings, and explains grammar rather well. Also has a seperate Kanji textbook (TOBIRA: Power Up Your KANJI: 800 Basic KANJI as a Gateway to Advanced Japanese) which covers 800 kanji covered up to the old Level 2 of the JLPT.

Authentic Japanese: Progressing from Intermediate to Advanced
Haven't used this one before, but it's used by a couple universities so it must not be bad?

Advanced (JLPT N2, N1)
中・上級者のための速読の日本語 (Speed Reading Japanese for the Intermediate/Advanced Levels)
It teaches you to read Japanese faster with intermediate to advanced texts.

--tired for now, will update more later--

 

[lennersmii]

Recommended links go here, feel free to suggest some 4laugh  

[Miyu_Aizawa]

As for books. . . My school uses "Intermediate Japanese" for the upper intermediate level (after both genki). . .
I've also heard that Yookoso is a good text book.

as for links. . .
http://www.livemocha.com is fairly good.
http://www.learn-japanese.info is also ok.
http://www.guidetojapanese.org/learn/complete this is very good. . .  

[Nana Shinu Ai]

okay well heres some links are helpful too.
http://japanese.about.com/library/mmore.htm
about dot com about Japanese lesson. It breaks down the Japanese lessons. Hope it will be okay.  

[-S-Dancing_Star-S-]

Dictionary:
http://www.saiga-jp.com/kanji_dictionary.html
I use this when I know the word but don't know the Kanji

Lessons:
The Japanese Page
This website is completely free, provides a wide range of learning, and has a lot of useful links.

Nihongo Up
I use the free account. I use this website to learn vocabulary and go over Kanji, plus they have some interesting tips

Meguro Language Center (MLC)
This specific page has free lessons and listening exercises in Kana, Kanji and Romanji. MLC also has a teaching service but you have to pay for it. (I think private lessons range from around $35-$153 depending on how many lessons and how long the lessons are)

Games and Flashcards:
KanaCards.com
This site is useful for going over Kana (Hiragana and Katakana)

The Kanji SITE
This site is useful for going over Kana and Kanji (Kanji from JPLT N4-N2)

Other:
Jbox.com
Your source for all things Japanese! They have everything from manga and cosplay to textbooks, cookbooks and traditional items.

I know a few more but I think these are the most useful sites for beginners to more advanced learners (or people who just want to buy Japanese stuff on that last site... lol) I hope this helps!  

[Nana Shinu Ai]

http://www.freejapaneselessons.com/my_name_in_Japanese.cfm
this site have lesson of how to say names in Japanese and lessons too.  

[[ Hoodie ]]

A good site that I used for a while before they became pay by monthly is


http://iknow.jp/



They are pretty professional and serious about teaching language via the internet.  

[A.I.Project]

Books I Use:
1. Do it yourself Beginner-Level Japanese Grammar

2. Seikatsu no Kanji
Note: This book is great if you're a traveler or foreigner living in Japan. This book shows you the furigana of difficult kanji that you may see on signs and appliances daily in Japan. This is information that you cannot find in other books such as Genki, Nakama, Japanese for Busy People, etc.

3. Life in Japan

4. Doraemon Kanji 1006

5. Doraemon Kanji Jiten 1st & 2nd Grade
Note: This book is probably better and easier for beginners than Doraemon Kanji 1006. This book goes through mainly 1st grade Kanji and it introduces a small bit of 2nd grade kanji towards the end of the book. It even provides example sentences in manga form of the words used with each kanji.

6. Doubutsu (Shin Pocket-Ban)

7. Mushi (Shin Pocket-Ban)

Note: All of these books are in Japanese only. No romaji is used.

Dictionary I Use:
Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten DS (I really don't know what I'd do without this. Great tool to use if your just going around google maps Japan and wondering what all that kanji means. Also great for foreigners living/traveling in Japan.)

Here's a video on how to use this dictionary:


Websites I Use:
1. JLPT Vocab Quiz
2. Kanji Reader (type the kanji you don't know and the program will search the furigana for you)
3. JapanesePod101
Note: You do have to pay for Japanesepod101 but it's well worth the money if you're studying for JLPT.

I also use the Basic Kanji books for studying kanji (you can find online scans here but I also recommend buying the books. They've been very helpful for learning the basics. Note: All of these books can be found on Kinokuniya.com. I really cannot recommend all of these enough. However, t I would only intend on getting these until after you've studied in classes for at least 2 years. Definitely check these out if you're interested in learning Japanese.  

[catsada]

Watashi wa amber to iimasu.  

[Nana Shinu Ai]

um it sort of watashi no namae wa Emiko desu. Douzo yoroshiku. um other link of learning nihongo is well taking Japanese Academy guild.  

[[ Hoodie ]]

Other helpful links and resources///


By utilizing Itunes U, whether it is from your Mac/PC or Iphone - one can search for educational podcasts made by professors at prestigious colleges such as Berkley. Which incredibly insightful and easy to utilize within multiple environs.


Another Itune's thing you can do if you are savvy with going around our awkward country barriers and attempting to obtain Japanese cultural video or vocals - Just change your country to Japan and down load the heck out of all the free podcasts you can. It makes for great listening practice if you are intermediate to semi-fluent. !  

[Shasita]

lennersmii

Minna no Nihongo, Book 1 (Comprehensive Textbook)
I've never actually used this one, but heard some good-decent things about it.

At my school we use the entire series of Minna no Nihongo (except for the kanji books). We use the first series for the first year and the second series for the second year. They are easy to understand. The second series contains a lot of new grammar.

Just a note: these books are all in Japanese. So it is important to master hiragana and katakana before starting in them.  

[Master joanna17]

i use this ds game,that teaches u Japanese its useful too but i also recommend this thing called Japanese learning things for ur ipod ,which is very useful also biggrin  

[Sailor Blue Rose]

Don't forget about the WHITE RABBIT Kanji Flashcard series.