Japanese History Series

Learn Japanese with History & Essays is a set of Japanese readers with full furigana and native audio, pitched at the intermediate level, past the point where most graded readers leave off. Bilingual on the page: the Japanese text with a full English translation, vocabulary and grammar notes. Every story also opens in the free Makoto Japanese Explorer app for iPhone, iPad and Android, where you can tap any word for its reading and meaning. Level N4–N3 CEFR A2–B1 · upper beginner to intermediate N5 N4 N3 N2 N1 Just startingNative material Best after Genki II Furigana on every kanji From Clay & Yumi, teaching Japanese since 2002. Every story narrated by Yumi, a native speaker. Fully Rebuilt for 2026 Twenty-one true stories and essays from Japanese history and modern life, with every sentence broken down word by word. Native-speaker audio at slow and natural speed, Anki decks, and an unlock code for every book so you can read and study the whole series inside the Makoto Japanese Explorer app. Upper Beginner · Intermediate (N4 to N3) 7 Volumes 21 Stories PDF ePub MP3 Audio Anki Decks iPhone · iPad · Android Sentence Explorer The Update Is Finished, and Volume 7 Is Here All seven volumes are live, rebuilt and expanded This was not a light touch-up. Every volume went back through the full workshop: a brand new Kanji in Focus section with stroke-order diagrams, a Review & Practice section for every story, spoiler-free Before You Read primers, and a complete editorial pass over the Japanese. The original six books went from 694 pages to 1,017, and Volume 7, The Shinkansen & the Rails of Japan, adds 133 pages more. iPhone iPad Android Volume 7 is here and the rebuild is finished. All seven volumes are in your account the moment you order, and every one of them carries an unlock code that opens the book and its essays inside the Makoto Japanese Explorer app. Everything we add to this series later is still yours free. What Changed What’s New in the Updated Edition If you already own this bundle, all of it is waiting in your account at no charge. If you are new, here is what you are getting. ① Kanji in Focus, rebuilt from scratch One kanji, one page Each character now gets a full page to itself instead of a cramped row in a table. Big, clear glyph at the top, everything else laid out underneath. Stroke-order diagrams Every kanji comes with a numbered stroke-by-stroke diagram, so you can see exactly how the character is built and write it correctly from the start. Parts, meaning, and a memory hook Readings, meaning, the component pieces the character is made of, an example word with furigana, and a mnemonic that ties the parts to the meaning. ② Review & Practice, all new Exercises for every story True or false, comprehension questions, particle fill-ins, and a translation comparison. Reading becomes active study instead of passive skimming. A real answer key Every answer is given in Japanese and English, with a note explaining why, so you are never left guessing what you got wrong. Before You Read A short, spoiler-free warm-up before each story, pointing out the grammar patterns, key words, and background you will want in hand. ③ Read it in the app, not just on paper An unlock code in every book Every volume now includes a code that opens the book inside the Makoto Japanese Explorer app on iPhone, iPad, and Android. The PDF and ePub come with it, not instead of it. Tap any word Look up meanings and readings as you read, with the audio built into the same screen. Sentence Explorer Work through any sentence interactively, word by word, with the Makoto+ Sentence Explorer. ④ A full pass over the Japanese and the layout Cleaner furigana and glosses We corrected readings, tightened the word-by-word breakdowns, fixed spacing so definitions no longer collide with the words they explain, and made the furigana consistent throughout. A timeline of Japanese history A one-page reference table of the eras, from Jōmon to Reiwa, with the periods covered in that volume highlighted. Rebuilt front and back matter New introductions, a working table of contents, running headers, maps where they help, and proper credits throughout. 7 volumes, all rebuilt 21 stories and essays with full audio +456 pages of new material, Volume 7 included The Volumes 1Volume Samurai & Daimyō 侍・大名 The three warlords who unified Japan, Sakamoto Ryōma the reformer, and Miyamoto Musashi, Japan’s greatest swordsman. 2Volume Ninja, Rōnin & Daimyō 忍者・浪人・大名 What ninja actually did, the tragedy of the 47 rōnin, and Takeda Shingen, the man who almost had it all. 3Volume 20th Century Japanese Stories ハチ公・ラーメン・黒澤 Hachikō the loyal dog, the invention of instant ramen, and Kurosawa, the director the world came to know. 4Volume Essays on Modern Japan 令和・スズメバチ・梅雨 Reiwa and how an era gets its name, Japan’s giant hornet, and tsuyu, the rainy season. 5Volume Ukiyo-e 浮世絵 Three essays on Japan’s woodblock prints: what ukiyo-e is, the artists behind it, and how it went on to reshape Western art. 6Volume Japanese Tunnels 日本のトンネル Tunnels in Japan, the Blue Tunnel dug by hand over thirty years, and the Seikan Tunnel beneath the sea. 7Volume The Shinkansen & the Rails of Japan 新幹線New Japan’s first railway of 1872 and the sea embankment it ran out across, the bullet train and how it was built, and the maglev line being tunneled toward Nagoya today. What’s Included 7 fully rebuilt digital books in PDF and ePub format An unlock code for every volume, Volume 7 included, so you can read and study every story and essay in the Makoto Japanese Explorer app on iPhone, iPad, and Android Two native-speaker recordings per story, one at natural speed and one slower, with QR codes for easy listening Anki flashcard decks with sound and pitch accent Makoto+ Sentence Explorer access for interactive, word-by-word study Kanji in Focus with stroke-order diagrams, component breakdowns, and mnemonics Review & Practice exercises and a full answer key for every story Before You Read primers and a timeline of Japanese history in every volume Free lifetime updates. Every future volume and every future improvement, at no extra cost Buy more, save more, no coupon needed. Add two bundles to your cart for an automatic 5% off your entire digital order, three for 10% off, or five or more for a full 20% off everything. How Each Story Works Every sentence broken down word by word, with vocabulary definitions and a plain-English explanation of the grammar Furigana over the kanji in the glossed section, so you are never stuck on a reading The full Japanese text on its own, without the gloss, so you can practice reading straight through with the training wheels off Kanji in Focus for the key characters in that essay, one per page A close English translation at the end to check your understanding. Work through the Japanese first Review & Practice to make sure it stuck Look Inside Volume 1 Here is what you get in every volume. Flip through the opening pages of Samurai & Daimyō below it, then hear a story read at both speeds. ‹ Prev Page 1 / – Next › Loading sample… Trouble viewing? Open the sample PDF in a new tab. Audio sample. A short reading at normal speed followed by the slower version. Both are included for every story in the bundle. Stories Included Twenty-one stories and essays across the seven volumes, with more added free as the series grows. The Three Warlords Who Unified Japan Sakamoto Ryōma, the Reformer Miyamoto Musashi, Japan’s Greatest Swordsman All about Ninja The Tragic Story of the 47 Rōnin Takeda Shingen, the Man Who Almost Had It All The Loyal Dog, Hachikō Instant Ramen Kurosawa of the World Reiwa, a New Era Tsuyu, Japan’s Rainy Season Japan’s Giant Hornet Ukiyo-e Part I: About Ukiyo-e Ukiyo-e Part II: About the Artists Ukiyo-e Part III: Influence on Western Art Tunnels in Japan The Blue Tunnel The Seikan Tunnel The Beginning of Japan’s Railways History of the Shinkansen The Maglev Chūō Shinkansen 日本の歴史を日本語で読もう！ Read Japanese history in Japanese. Who Is This For? This series is built for upper beginners through intermediate learners, roughly JLPT N4 to N3. Hiragana knowledge is required. If you have finished a first textbook and want to read something real, written for adults, about a country you are actually interested in, this is where to start. Brand new to Japanese? Start with the Beri-Beri-Shoshinsha Beginner’s Bundle instead. Prefer folktales to history? Try Learn Japanese with Stories. Every one of our bundles includes: ✅ Multiple formats (PDF, ePub, MP3s, plus Anki flashcard decks) ✅ In-app access on iPhone, iPad, and Android ✅ One-time payment ✅ Discounted versus buying each book on Amazon ✅ Free lifetime updates to this bundle ✅ Instant download, no waiting ✅ Satisfaction guaranteed. If it’s too easy or too hard, tell us and we’ll swap it for a better-suited bundle or refund you. ➡️ Need help opening the eBooks? Follow the steps in our eBook guide. A few notes: Print versions are available separately (not included in this digital-only bundle). See Clay and Yumi’s Paperbacks. Print editions come with the digital files too. This bundle is a one-time fee. Nothing further to pay, ever, for the files or for unlocking the books in our app. Download everything on a PC or Mac, or open any file on your mobile devices. Learn more here. Don’t see the email after ordering? Check your spam folder, or email us for support. These books are also available on Amazon.