What you get
10 eBooks + audio + Anki flashcards
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, use
- ReadEach entry is short: the meaning, the picture behind it and an example.
- ListenHear the expression and its example, and say it out loud.
- ReviewGo over the idioms, proverbs and sound words in Anki.
- UseTry one in a sentence of your own the same day.
Dip in anywhere: every entry stands on its own.
Beginner to intermediate, mixed levels · Best after Genki I
What's inside
10 eBooks, in four groups
The expressions Japanese people actually use, each one explained in plain English with an example and audio.
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Step 1
303 everyday idioms
Three books of idioms in plain English: what each one means, the literal picture behind it, an example sentence and the vocabulary, with audio for every idiom and example.



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Step 2
Proverbs and famous sayings
50 proverbs every Japanese person knows, like ちりも積もれば山となる (even dust, piled up, becomes a mountain), then famous lines from Japanese history and literature.


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Step 3
Sound words and word origins
99 sound and action words like あつあつ (piping hot), then 60 words and sayings traced back to where they came from, like why fudging a number is さばを読む, reading mackerel.


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Step 4
Memes and a 30-day challenge
100 memes with every sentence broken down and explained, and a 30-day challenge of kanji, vocabulary and listening, about 15 minutes a day.



- Your goal: Japanese that sounds natural
What learners say
“The audio quality is amazing and the explanations are clear and easy to follow. Definitely recommended.”
Ana H.
“Top quality audio and text make all these a pleasure to use. Nice, clear voice and good explanations of the written parts.”
Michael J.
“I use to buy Japanese learning material from Yumi & Clay and all I can say is that they create all the content with care, love, and dedication.”
Javier N.
Who it's for
- Pay once, keep them forever
- Free updates forever
- Instant download
- 60-day money-back guarantee
Questions
What do I get?
10 eBooks as PDF and ePub files, 1,575 MP3 audio files, and Anki flashcard decks for the three idioms books, the proverbs and the sound words.
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.
Do these books open in the Makoto+ app?
Not yet. For now they're downloads: PDF, ePub and MP3.
What level is it?
Mixed. The 30-day challenge suits beginners who know hiragana; the idioms, proverbs, sayings and memes suit upper beginners and up. Every entry has an English explanation and audio.
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 seven idioms free
Flip through the start of 101 Common Japanese Idioms in Plain English, Volume 1, one of the ten books in this bundle, exactly as it appears: seven animal idioms, each with its meaning, the literal picture behind it, an example sentence and the vocabulary. Then hear two of them, 猫の額 (ねこのひたい) and 猫の手も借りたい (ねこのてもかりたい), read aloud with their example sentences.
Trouble viewing? Open the sample PDF in a new tab.
猫の額: as small as a cat's forehead Idiom + example
猫の手も借りたい: so busy you'd borrow a cat's paws Idiom + example
The bundle has ten books, including three volumes of idioms, proverbs, famous sayings, sound words and two meme books, all with audio.









