Level: Regular
The most typical style of Japanese writing. These texts use common words and grammar elements.
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
Kokoro (Excerpt)
Natsume Soseki (夏目漱石)
Practice your Japanese reading skills with this short bilingual selection from the novel Kokoro by Natsume Soseki (夏目漱石).
The selection covers the novel's opening passage, in which the unnamed narrator recalls the background to his relationship with Sensei, his mysterious mentor. This passage vividly describes how the narrator, as a young student, went to Kamakura one summer at the invitation of a friend from his university.
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Natsume Soseki (夏目漱石)
Practice your Japanese reading skills with this short bilingual selection from the novel Kokoro by Natsume Soseki (夏目漱石).
The selection covers the novel's opening passage, in which the unnamed narrator recalls the background to his relationship with Sensei, his mysterious mentor. This passage vividly describes how the narrator, as a young student, went to Kamakura one summer at the invitation of a friend from his university.
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The Heavenly Messenger
Okamoto Kido (岡本綺堂)
A wealthy Chinese merchant drives a carriage down a country road and notices a beautiful woman who looks like a bride. She asks for a ride and he agrees to take her with him. To show her gratitude, she discloses to him that she is no ordinary woman - and is actually on her way to his own house...
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Okamoto Kido (岡本綺堂)
A wealthy Chinese merchant drives a carriage down a country road and notices a beautiful woman who looks like a bride. She asks for a ride and he agrees to take her with him. To show her gratitude, she discloses to him that she is no ordinary woman - and is actually on her way to his own house...
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The Teahouse Lady
Yamamura Bocho (山村暮鳥)
An old woman runs a humble teahouse in a Buddhist temple on top of a cliff. One day a mother sparrow comes to thank her for taking such good care of her little chicks - but the old woman has no idea what she is talking about...
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Yamamura Bocho (山村暮鳥)
An old woman runs a humble teahouse in a Buddhist temple on top of a cliff. One day a mother sparrow comes to thank her for taking such good care of her little chicks - but the old woman has no idea what she is talking about...
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The Coughing Pine
Ishii Kendo (石井研堂)
Once upon a time there was a naughty fox who liked to change his shape into various things and trick the local villagers. One day the local fish peddler came across a suspicious-looking pine tree and decided to use the opportunity to teach the fox a lesson. This text is based on a folktale from Hyogo Prefecture, which reflects the Japanese belief in the magical powers of foxes to transform themselves and cause mischief to humans.
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Ishii Kendo (石井研堂)
Once upon a time there was a naughty fox who liked to change his shape into various things and trick the local villagers. One day the local fish peddler came across a suspicious-looking pine tree and decided to use the opportunity to teach the fox a lesson. This text is based on a folktale from Hyogo Prefecture, which reflects the Japanese belief in the magical powers of foxes to transform themselves and cause mischief to humans.
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The Cicada and Daishi
Yanagita Kunio (柳田国男)
A Japanese folktale from the province of Hitachi (present-day Ibaraki Prefecture). Kobo Daishi, the famous Buddhist priest, arrives at the house of a certain peasant and asks for lodging. The peasant does not recognize Daishi, who is dressed in the tattered robe of a begging monk. What happens next can only take place in a Japanese story...
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Yanagita Kunio (柳田国男)
A Japanese folktale from the province of Hitachi (present-day Ibaraki Prefecture). Kobo Daishi, the famous Buddhist priest, arrives at the house of a certain peasant and asks for lodging. The peasant does not recognize Daishi, who is dressed in the tattered robe of a begging monk. What happens next can only take place in a Japanese story...
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The Effectiveness of Dreams
Yokomitsu Riichi (横光利一)
Dreams are not usually thought about in terms of their usefulness. But according to this tongue-in-cheek text, they certainly can be useful - to lovers who want to keep their relationship alive and well. The text looks at a few ways in which talking with each other about those dreams can do the magic trick.
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Yokomitsu Riichi (横光利一)
Dreams are not usually thought about in terms of their usefulness. But according to this tongue-in-cheek text, they certainly can be useful - to lovers who want to keep their relationship alive and well. The text looks at a few ways in which talking with each other about those dreams can do the magic trick.
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The Beloved Shoes
Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
Heisuke, a shoemaker's apprentice, makes his first ever pair of shoes. When the shop sells the shoes to a passing traveler, Heisuke is overjoyed - but he is also emotionally attached to them and cannot quite part with them even after the customer has left the shop.
The text uses a small number of kanji and is written almost entirely in hiragana, so it is suitable for relative beginners as well.
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Niimi Nankichi (新美南吉)
Heisuke, a shoemaker's apprentice, makes his first ever pair of shoes. When the shop sells the shoes to a passing traveler, Heisuke is overjoyed - but he is also emotionally attached to them and cannot quite part with them even after the customer has left the shop.
The text uses a small number of kanji and is written almost entirely in hiragana, so it is suitable for relative beginners as well.
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The Voice
Miyamoto Yuriko (宮本百合子)
A young woman falls in love with a man. They get married and live three years together. The woman starts feeling unbearably suffocated and runs away, but the voice of her loved one keeps haunting her. A beautiful, thoughtful text that proves that love stories can still be refreshing and original.
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Miyamoto Yuriko (宮本百合子)
A young woman falls in love with a man. They get married and live three years together. The woman starts feeling unbearably suffocated and runs away, but the voice of her loved one keeps haunting her. A beautiful, thoughtful text that proves that love stories can still be refreshing and original.
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Winter Solstice
Sakurama Chuyo (桜間中庸)
Taking a bath with floating citrus fruits on winter solstice day is a traditional Japanese custom. In this unique text it becomes an opportunity for poetic reflection, full of atmosphere and sentiment.
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Sakurama Chuyo (桜間中庸)
Taking a bath with floating citrus fruits on winter solstice day is a traditional Japanese custom. In this unique text it becomes an opportunity for poetic reflection, full of atmosphere and sentiment.
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The Demonic Pole
Tanaka Kotaro (田中貢太郎)
A routine ride on a Tokyo streetcar suddenly turns into a supernatural nightmare for one of the passengers. Could it have had something to do with the nearby Buddhist temple, or was it just the ominous vibe of the prewar Japanese capital?
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Tanaka Kotaro (田中貢太郎)
A routine ride on a Tokyo streetcar suddenly turns into a supernatural nightmare for one of the passengers. Could it have had something to do with the nearby Buddhist temple, or was it just the ominous vibe of the prewar Japanese capital?
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Diary of a Lost War (Text 2)
Entry: December 12, 1944
Unno Juza (海野十三)
Texts from the wartime journal of the famed author Unno Juza (海野十三), in which he gives a vivid account of life in Tokyo during the American air raids in the late stages of the Pacific War. This reader features one entry in the diary; earlier entries are featured in book 30.
Unno, who is more familiar as the trailblazer of science fiction in Japan, turn his attention to real life this time; he factually describes the air raids and how he and the people around him coped with the ongoing collapse of the Japanese war effort.
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Entry: December 12, 1944
Unno Juza (海野十三)
Texts from the wartime journal of the famed author Unno Juza (海野十三), in which he gives a vivid account of life in Tokyo during the American air raids in the late stages of the Pacific War. This reader features one entry in the diary; earlier entries are featured in book 30.
Unno, who is more familiar as the trailblazer of science fiction in Japan, turn his attention to real life this time; he factually describes the air raids and how he and the people around him coped with the ongoing collapse of the Japanese war effort.
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Diary of a Lost War (Text 1)
Entries: December 10-11, 1944
Unno Juza (海野十三)
Two entries from Unno's wartime journal (see description above).
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Entries: December 10-11, 1944
Unno Juza (海野十三)
Two entries from Unno's wartime journal (see description above).
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No Preference
Osamu Dazai (治太宰治)
Few writers express the existential crisis of modern humanity quite like Osamu Dazai, whose work blends fiction and reality and exposes the author's own feelings in a way that is both very Japanese and very universal.
In this short text, Dazai discusses the various houses he lived in and describes his general attitude toward the basic necessities of life. As might be expected from a professional outsider, what he has to say puts him in a class of his own.
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Osamu Dazai (治太宰治)
Few writers express the existential crisis of modern humanity quite like Osamu Dazai, whose work blends fiction and reality and exposes the author's own feelings in a way that is both very Japanese and very universal.
In this short text, Dazai discusses the various houses he lived in and describes his general attitude toward the basic necessities of life. As might be expected from a professional outsider, what he has to say puts him in a class of his own.
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The Red Bird
Ogawa Mimei (小川未明)
A child stands in front of a bird shop and notices a red bird singing. This reminds him of his older sister who is living far away in the big city.
The Red Bird is a short poetic text for children - a hybrid of prose and poetry, with simple but powerful scenes written in short lines.
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Ogawa Mimei (小川未明)
A child stands in front of a bird shop and notices a red bird singing. This reminds him of his older sister who is living far away in the big city.
The Red Bird is a short poetic text for children - a hybrid of prose and poetry, with simple but powerful scenes written in short lines.
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Hardworking Town
Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A famous doctor comes to a certain town at the invitation of the locals. The first thing he does when he arrives is ask how the townspeople typically spend their days - but the answer is not exactly what he was hoping to hear!
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Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A famous doctor comes to a certain town at the invitation of the locals. The first thing he does when he arrives is ask how the townspeople typically spend their days - but the answer is not exactly what he was hoping to hear!
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The Pigeon's Reply
Yamamura Bocho (山村暮鳥)
A hungry pigeon spots a flying insect and swoops down to eat it. But the insect, who has a strong sense of justice and does not feel like becoming a meal, confronts the pigeon with some tough moral questions.
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Yamamura Bocho (山村暮鳥)
A hungry pigeon spots a flying insect and swoops down to eat it. But the insect, who has a strong sense of justice and does not feel like becoming a meal, confronts the pigeon with some tough moral questions.
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Shrine Maidens
Akutagawa Ryunosuke (芥川龍之介)
During a visit to the famous religious site of Nikko, Akutagawa saw an old miko (Shinto shrine maiden) sitting by herself in a shaded corner. This reminded him of a previous visit to Nara, where he had seen two young shrine maidens walking down a forest trail.
A uniquely Japanese atmosphere permeates Akutagawa's description of these scenes and his impressions as he witnessed them.
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Akutagawa Ryunosuke (芥川龍之介)
During a visit to the famous religious site of Nikko, Akutagawa saw an old miko (Shinto shrine maiden) sitting by herself in a shaded corner. This reminded him of a previous visit to Nara, where he had seen two young shrine maidens walking down a forest trail.
A uniquely Japanese atmosphere permeates Akutagawa's description of these scenes and his impressions as he witnessed them.
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Beans in a Pod
Yamamura Bocho (山村暮鳥)
A short children's story by Yamamura Bocho (山村暮鳥). Five beans grow up together in the same pod and enjoy one another's company. But like many things in life, this is only a temporary phase - and change is coming.
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Yamamura Bocho (山村暮鳥)
A short children's story by Yamamura Bocho (山村暮鳥). Five beans grow up together in the same pod and enjoy one another's company. But like many things in life, this is only a temporary phase - and change is coming.
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The Money and the Pistol
Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A robber breaks into the house of a scrooge, points a pistol at him and demands all of his money. But the scrooge, who hates the idea of spending money for nothing, makes a surprising offer that may turn the holdup into a business opportunity for both of them. A comically surreal tale by Yumeno.
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Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
A robber breaks into the house of a scrooge, points a pistol at him and demands all of his money. But the scrooge, who hates the idea of spending money for nothing, makes a surprising offer that may turn the holdup into a business opportunity for both of them. A comically surreal tale by Yumeno.
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I Am a Cat (Excerpt)
Natsume Soseki (夏目漱石)
Practice your Japanese reading with this short bilingual selection from I Am a Cat (吾輩は猫である), one of the most loved and well-known novels by Natsume Soseki.
This selection covers the famous opening passage of the novel, in which the narrator - a witty, sharp-eyed cat - describes his first encounter with a human being, who also happens to be strangest creature he has ever seen.
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Natsume Soseki (夏目漱石)
Practice your Japanese reading with this short bilingual selection from I Am a Cat (吾輩は猫である), one of the most loved and well-known novels by Natsume Soseki.
This selection covers the famous opening passage of the novel, in which the narrator - a witty, sharp-eyed cat - describes his first encounter with a human being, who also happens to be strangest creature he has ever seen.
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The Crawling Cord
Tanaka Kotaro (田中貢太郎)
A young and handsome Zen priest is involved in an affair with a local woman, but regrets his misconduct and plans to go away to pursue rigorous Buddhist training in the countryside. The woman is deeply saddened, and decides she won't let him forget her so easily... A mysterious, supernatural short story.
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Tanaka Kotaro (田中貢太郎)
A young and handsome Zen priest is involved in an affair with a local woman, but regrets his misconduct and plans to go away to pursue rigorous Buddhist training in the countryside. The woman is deeply saddened, and decides she won't let him forget her so easily... A mysterious, supernatural short story.
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Empire Day
Natsume Soseki (夏目漱石)
An old teacher gives his young pupils an assignment - to write an essay about the newly-established Empire Day. But the teacher misspells that holiday's name, and one pupil suddenly decides to do something about it...
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Natsume Soseki (夏目漱石)
An old teacher gives his young pupils an assignment - to write an essay about the newly-established Empire Day. But the teacher misspells that holiday's name, and one pupil suddenly decides to do something about it...
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Playing Tag
Akutagawa Ryunosuke (芥川龍之介)
A boy and a girl are playing tag. As she chases him, he can't help thinking how intense her face is. A powerful short story by Akutagawa.
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Akutagawa Ryunosuke (芥川龍之介)
A boy and a girl are playing tag. As she chases him, he can't help thinking how intense her face is. A powerful short story by Akutagawa.
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June 19th
Dazai Osamu (太宰治)
June 19th is the author's birthday, and in this short quirky piece - part story, part essay - he shares his random impressions of that date in his typical dark humor.
The story focuses on two episodes: how Dazai suddenly began feeling, as a child, that he wasn't really part of his family; and what happened when an unknown poet sent him a letter.
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Dazai Osamu (太宰治)
June 19th is the author's birthday, and in this short quirky piece - part story, part essay - he shares his random impressions of that date in his typical dark humor.
The story focuses on two episodes: how Dazai suddenly began feeling, as a child, that he wasn't really part of his family; and what happened when an unknown poet sent him a letter.
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The Tanuki and Yotaro
Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
Yotaro's mother always tells him not to go into the forest after dark, or else a shape-shifting tanuki might get him. But one day he does exactly that - with unexpected results. A funny short story in Yumeno's typical style.
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Yumeno Kyusaku (夢野久作)
Yotaro's mother always tells him not to go into the forest after dark, or else a shape-shifting tanuki might get him. But one day he does exactly that - with unexpected results. A funny short story in Yumeno's typical style.
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The Sea
Dazai Osamu (太宰治)
A father's wartime quest to show the sea to his little daughter, who had never seen it before. Like most if not all of Dazai's stories, this text uses autobiographical materials as the basis for some rather loony events!
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Dazai Osamu (太宰治)
A father's wartime quest to show the sea to his little daughter, who had never seen it before. Like most if not all of Dazai's stories, this text uses autobiographical materials as the basis for some rather loony events!
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