What you get
7 eBooks + audio + Anki flashcards + app access
It's a digital bundle, so nothing is shipped. Right after checkout we email you a link to download:
How you'll use it
Read, listen, review, practice
- ReadWork through a lesson in the PDF or ePub, on any device.
- ListenPlay the audio for each word and example, and say it out loud.
- ReviewGo over the new words and kanji in Anki for a few minutes a day.
- PracticeQuiz yourself sentence by sentence in the Makoto+ app.
One book at a time, following the path below, then take the practice test.
CEFR A1, beginner · Pairs well with Genki I
What's inside
7 eBooks, in the order you'll use them
Start with the words and grammar, add the kanji, build sentences, then read and test yourself.
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Step 1
Every N5 word
All the vocabulary the JLPT N5 tests, each word with an example sentence, furigana over every kanji, and 1,445 MP3s.

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Step 2
Every N5 grammar point
Clear explanations in plain English, example sentences and word-by-word translations.

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Step 3
The 103 N5 kanji
Mnemonics, stroke order and audio for every reading, with a writing practice pad. Then reading exercises and quizzes.


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Step 4
Build real sentences
34 sentence patterns with at least five examples each, then 100 sentences taken apart word by word, with fill-in-the-blank exercises and audio for shadowing.


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Step 5
Read, then take the practice test
Short passages like John's Diary with N5-style questions, then a 45-page practice test with an answer key and audio.

- Your goal: JLPT N5
In the app too
Read and listen in the Makoto+ app


All 7 books unlock in the Makoto+ Japanese Explorer app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Here is the bundle in the app, with your progress in each book, and the vocabulary book open to a page. Your unlock codes come with the download.
- Hear every sentence at normal or slow speed
- Turn furigana on or off
- Tap any word for its meaning
- Save words and quiz yourself
- Pick up where you left off in every book
What learners say
“A great set of study materials. I really like that it includes Anki flashcards. I’ve been using this bundle after finishing the Genki textbook.”
Anna G.
“I found it incredibly helpful in preparing for the exam. The materials were well-organized and easy to follow. I especially appreciated the clear explanations, example sentences, and practice exercises that reinforced each topic.”
Zoi
“Fun to use and not intimidating. You can slowly immerse yourself in learning and not get frustrated.”
Andres S.
Who it's for
- Pay once, keep them forever
- Free updates forever
- Instant download
- 60-day money-back guarantee
Add all of Beri-Beri Shoshinsha for $31 more
The Complete Beginner Bundle is this JLPT N5 Bundle plus Beri-Beri Shoshinsha, our 16-eBook course for total beginners with 50 short stories, for $59. That's $18 less than buying both.
See the Complete Beginner BundleQuestions
What do I get?
7 eBooks as PDF and ePub files, 2,000+ MP3 audio files, Anki flashcard decks, a kanji writing practice pad, and a 45-page JLPT N5 practice test with an answer key and audio.
How do I download it?
Right after checkout we email you a download link. Download everything at once on a computer, or open single books on your phone or tablet. You don't need Dropbox or any other account.
Can I read them on my phone or Kindle?
Yes. The ePub files work in Apple Books, Google Play Books and most reading apps, and the PDFs open anywhere. Our eBook guide walks you through each device.
Which books unlock in the Makoto+ app?
All seven. The unlock codes are in the “Read Me First” file in your download.
Do I need to know hiragana first?
Yes. The books assume you can read hiragana, which is also how the furigana over the kanji is written. If you are just starting, begin with Beri-Beri Shoshinsha, or get both in the Complete Beginner Bundle.
Do I have to take the JLPT?
No. The books follow the exam, but N5 is also one of the clearest ways to measure your progress as a beginner, and a test on the calendar is a motivator that flashcards aren't.
Is a printed version included?
No, this is the digital bundle. Several of these books are also sold as paperbacks.
What if it isn't right for me?
Tell us within 60 days and we'll swap it for a better-fitting bundle or refund you in full.
TheJapanShop.com bundles are books you own. Makoto+ is a library you join. See how they compare
We run two main sites: TheJapanShop.com and MakotoPlus.com. Here's the gist:
Books you own
TheJapanShop.com bundles
- Pay once and keep it forever
- Download every book: PDF, ePub and MP3 audio, plus Anki decks with many bundles
- Free updates forever, including new volumes we add to the bundle
- Most bundles also unlock in the Makoto app by themselves, as the full eBook plus interactive sentences
- 60-day money-back guarantee
A library you join
Makoto+ membership
- Free, monthly or yearly plans
- Interactive stories in the Makoto app: about a dozen free, dozens with Samurai, up to 200 with Shogun
- Stories in the membership rotate monthly
- A new Makoto magazine issue every month to download and keep (Samurai and Shogun)
- Members save 10% (Samurai) or 20% (Shogun) on bundles
Join once, for good
Makoto+ Lifetime
- Shogun membership for life, with one payment
- Everything we add to Makoto+ later is included
- Bundle downloads are not included, but your 20% member discount works on them
- Sold only during limited-time windows
Many learners do both. The free Makoto+ Japanese Explorer App (iPhone/iPad and Android) puts them side by side: the books you own and the stories in your membership, in one library.
Try before you buy
Try two reading passages free: John's Diary #1 and #2
Flip through the first two passages of Japanese Reading for JLPT N5, one of the books in this bundle, exactly as they appear: the passage, an N5-style question, grammar notes and the vocabulary list. Then hear each passage read aloud.
Trouble viewing? Open the sample PDF in a new tab.
John's Diary #1 Audio
John's Diary #2 Audio
The full bundle covers N5 grammar, vocabulary, kanji and reading, with audio and Anki decks.






