Level: Easy
Simple Japanese readings, ideal for beginners. These texts are written with basic kanji or mostly in hiragana.
The texts are listed in reverse chronological order (newest first). To read a text, click on its title or on the link below the description. To learn more about how these texts work, visit the method page.
The texts are listed in reverse chronological order (newest first). To read a text, click on its title or on the link below the description. To learn more about how these texts work, visit the method page.
Text List
Pocket Watch
Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A very short story featuring a dialogue between a witty mouse and a wittier clock.
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Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A very short story featuring a dialogue between a witty mouse and a wittier clock.
> Go to text
Two Handbags
Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
The absurdly funny tale of two handbags, one big and one small, who are displayed together in the same store and immediately become each other's arch-enemies.
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Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
The absurdly funny tale of two handbags, one big and one small, who are displayed together in the same store and immediately become each other's arch-enemies.
> Go to text
The Stray Onion
Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
In a certain village there lives an onion who also happens to be a painter. One day the onion becomes tired of drawing countryside landscapes, and decides to take a trip to the big city to find new things to draw.
But being a villager who knows nothing about the city, he immediately loses his way and gets in trouble with a young policewoman. Who will come to save the stray onion?
This text is written mostly in hiragana with a small number of kanji.
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Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
In a certain village there lives an onion who also happens to be a painter. One day the onion becomes tired of drawing countryside landscapes, and decides to take a trip to the big city to find new things to draw.
But being a villager who knows nothing about the city, he immediately loses his way and gets in trouble with a young policewoman. Who will come to save the stray onion?
This text is written mostly in hiragana with a small number of kanji.
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Yoshiko and Fusako
Kitagawa Chiyo (北川千代)
Two little girls are riding the train back from school. One of them wants to take a better look out the window and tries to climb toward it without taking off her shoes first. But the other girl does not follow her; instead, she gives her a lesson in proper manners!
This text is written in hiragana with spaces between the words.
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Kitagawa Chiyo (北川千代)
Two little girls are riding the train back from school. One of them wants to take a better look out the window and tries to climb toward it without taking off her shoes first. But the other girl does not follow her; instead, she gives her a lesson in proper manners!
This text is written in hiragana with spaces between the words.
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The Remedy
Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A sardonic short dialogue between a doctor and dying patient. The doctor says there is no hope, but the patient suggests trying a rather unusual type of remedy — that may actually work better than the doctor's useless methods.
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Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A sardonic short dialogue between a doctor and dying patient. The doctor says there is no hope, but the patient suggests trying a rather unusual type of remedy — that may actually work better than the doctor's useless methods.
> Go to text
The Wimpy Duck
Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
A little duckling gets a delicious-looking peach from his mother. But before he can eat it, someone calls him from behind - and the flustered duckling runs away to save his peach from the scary stranger. But is it really a stranger?
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Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
A little duckling gets a delicious-looking peach from his mother. But before he can eat it, someone calls him from behind - and the flustered duckling runs away to save his peach from the scary stranger. But is it really a stranger?
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The Lost Pencils
Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
The chicken comes to play at the duck's house, but the duck has a problem: he just lost five pencils. How will the two of them get the pencils back? A charming story that uses few kanji characters and is easily accessible to beginners.
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Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
The chicken comes to play at the duck's house, but the duck has a problem: he just lost five pencils. How will the two of them get the pencils back? A charming story that uses few kanji characters and is easily accessible to beginners.
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Pen and Ink
Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A disgruntled pen gives its ink a piece of its mind, but the ink also has a few choice words to say. This absurd dialogue soon raises some profound philosophical questions about life.
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Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A disgruntled pen gives its ink a piece of its mind, but the ink also has a few choice words to say. This absurd dialogue soon raises some profound philosophical questions about life.
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The Bamboo Shoot
Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
At a certain bamboo grove, the young bamboo shoots who live underground are eager to go too far away - so their mother scolds them to keep them close together. But one bamboo shoot keeps hearing a beautiful sound coming from outside the grove, and is determined to find a way to reach it.
This guided reader features a short children's story written exclusively in hiragana and with spaces between words.
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Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
At a certain bamboo grove, the young bamboo shoots who live underground are eager to go too far away - so their mother scolds them to keep them close together. But one bamboo shoot keeps hearing a beautiful sound coming from outside the grove, and is determined to find a way to reach it.
This guided reader features a short children's story written exclusively in hiragana and with spaces between words.
> Go to text
Early Birds
Yamamura Bocho (山村暮鳥)
A lazy peasant gets up unusually early, goes out to work in the field, and meets a talking bird who has a very different idea about the meaning of "early"! This guided reader features an easy short story for children.
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Yamamura Bocho (山村暮鳥)
A lazy peasant gets up unusually early, goes out to work in the field, and meets a talking bird who has a very different idea about the meaning of "early"! This guided reader features an easy short story for children.
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Bears on a Train
Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
Three bear cubs get on a train for the first time in their lives. They have no idea what to do, so they find themselves sitting in a some awkward places and getting a more adventurous trip than they were ready for.
This is a very short and easy children's story, written almost entirely in hiragana with minimal use of kanji and spaces between some words.
> Go to text
Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
Three bear cubs get on a train for the first time in their lives. They have no idea what to do, so they find themselves sitting in a some awkward places and getting a more adventurous trip than they were ready for.
This is a very short and easy children's story, written almost entirely in hiragana with minimal use of kanji and spaces between some words.
> Go to text
The Stroll
Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
Miss Cat is taking a stroll along the river. Suddenly her shawl is blown off and lands in the water. She asks Mr. Dog to go get it out for her - but he is reluctant to help. How will Miss Cat get her shawl back?
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Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
Miss Cat is taking a stroll along the river. Suddenly her shawl is blown off and lands in the water. She asks Mr. Dog to go get it out for her - but he is reluctant to help. How will Miss Cat get her shawl back?
> Go to text
The Trumpet
Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
An old man who lives alone in the countryside realizes that his hearing has deteriorated. He sends word to his son in the big city and asks him to find a device to help him hear better. The son sends him a trumpet - but will it help?
This touching story by Niimi is written entirely in hiragana with spaces between words and no kanji characters, which makes it an ideal text for beginners.
> Go to text
Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
An old man who lives alone in the countryside realizes that his hearing has deteriorated. He sends word to his son in the big city and asks him to find a device to help him hear better. The son sends him a trumpet - but will it help?
This touching story by Niimi is written entirely in hiragana with spaces between words and no kanji characters, which makes it an ideal text for beginners.
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Mr. Dog and Miss Cat
Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
A dog and a cat sit together by the stove and look at a stylish picture book - but the pictures only make them envious of better-looking dogs and cats...
This funny children's story by Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子) is a very short and easy text written mostly in hiragana with spaces between words and few kanji characters, making it ideal for beginners.
> Go to text
Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子)
A dog and a cat sit together by the stove and look at a stylish picture book - but the pictures only make them envious of better-looking dogs and cats...
This funny children's story by Murayama Kazuko (村山籌子) is a very short and easy text written mostly in hiragana with spaces between words and few kanji characters, making it ideal for beginners.
> Go to text
Last Year's Tree
Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
A touching story for children (and adults), this easy text tells of two best friends: a little bird and a tree. When winter is near and the bird has to leave for warmer climes, they plan to meet again next year. But in the spring, the bird faces an unexpected challenge and must make a great effort to fulfill the promise.
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Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
A touching story for children (and adults), this easy text tells of two best friends: a little bird and a tree. When winter is near and the bird has to leave for warmer climes, they plan to meet again next year. But in the spring, the bird faces an unexpected challenge and must make a great effort to fulfill the promise.
> Go to text
Questions and Answers (Excerpt)
Dazai Osamu (太宰治)
Practice your Japanese reading with this short bilingual selection from Questions and Answers, a short piece that combines the author's real-life personality like most of Dazai's work.
A conversation begins between the writer and an unidentified person who asks him about his recent thoughts. Dazai replies by touching on one of his central themes - the importance of being honest and authentic.
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Dazai Osamu (太宰治)
Practice your Japanese reading with this short bilingual selection from Questions and Answers, a short piece that combines the author's real-life personality like most of Dazai's work.
A conversation begins between the writer and an unidentified person who asks him about his recent thoughts. Dazai replies by touching on one of his central themes - the importance of being honest and authentic.
> Go to text
A Pencil's Core
Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A child gets mad at a pencil that he can't sharpen well - but the pencil also has something to say back to the child! A typically surreal short story by Yumeno, who manages to turns a very simple situation into a spiritual dialog.
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Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A child gets mad at a pencil that he can't sharpen well - but the pencil also has something to say back to the child! A typically surreal short story by Yumeno, who manages to turns a very simple situation into a spiritual dialog.
> Go to text
The Goose's Birthday
Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
It's the goose's birthday and all the animals in the back yard are invited over to celebrate - but what is to be done about the weasel, who has a naughty habit that everyone would rather not suffer from?
This hilarious children's story by Niimi is a short text written entirely in hiragana and with spaces between words, which makes it an easy reading ideal for beginners.
> Go to text
Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
It's the goose's birthday and all the animals in the back yard are invited over to celebrate - but what is to be done about the weasel, who has a naughty habit that everyone would rather not suffer from?
This hilarious children's story by Niimi is a short text written entirely in hiragana and with spaces between words, which makes it an easy reading ideal for beginners.
> Go to text
The Red Candle
Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
A monkey finds a red candle, mistakes it for a firecracker, and misleads the whole forest into a frenzy of excitement. This children's story by Niimi makes for an easy reading at any level.
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Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
A monkey finds a red candle, mistakes it for a firecracker, and misleads the whole forest into a frenzy of excitement. This children's story by Niimi makes for an easy reading at any level.
> Go to text