Japanese Reader Collection Volume 1: Hikoichi
(Book #1 in the Learn Japanese with Stories Series)
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Book Overview
Four classic Hikoichi folktales - every sentence broken down for upper-beginner readers of Japanese.
Hikoichi is the clever young man of Kyushu legend who outwits lords, tengu, and the occasional smug retainer with nothing but quick thinking and a straight face. This volume gathers four of his most beloved stories, presented in full Japanese with line-by-line vocabulary, grammar notes, native-speaker audio, and a simple English translation for self-checking.
New in the 2026 edition:
Bonus unlock code inside the book - redeem at Makoto+ to study every sentence from this book interactively, on the web or in the mobile appNew watercolor illustration and audio QR codes on every story's opening pageHook teaser and Before-You-Read intro for each story, pointing you toward the grammar and vocabulary patterns to watch forFull Exercises section for each story: Comprehension Questions, Particle Fill-in, Grammar Pattern Hunt, Translation Comparison, and Answer KeyResized furigana - ruby now sits closer to the base text, the way good Japanese typography shouldRunning headers, page numbers, and sumi-e section ornaments throughoutWhat's inside:
Four full Hikoichi stories, each presented three ways: with line-by-line vocabulary, in plain Japanese (no furigana, for real reading practice), and in English summaryWord-by-word breakdowns with furigana over every kanjiGrammar spotlights, cultural notes, and language tips throughoutFree MP3 audio downloads - natural speed and slowed down - recorded by a native speakerFree Anki decks for pre-studyBonus unlock code for Makoto+ Sentence ExplorerNo sign-up required to access the audioThe four stories:
1. The Young Lord - The lord lines up five identical children and asks Hikoichi to pick the real heir. One quiet observation does the work.
2. The Hanami - A cherry-blossom picnic turns into a lesson in thinking ahead. The retainers laugh first. Hikoichi laughs last.
3. The Living Umbrella - A "living" umbrella that opens by itself when it rains. Some things are too good to be true.
4. Tengu's Straw Raincoat - Hikoichi sets out to outwit a long-nosed mountain spirit with nothing but a hollow bamboo pipe. The trade goes well. The cover-up does not.
Who this is for: Upper-beginner to lower-intermediate learners. You'll need solid kana and a working sense of basic grammar. (New to hiragana? Take our free two-week crash course at TheJapanesePage.com/hiragana.)
Questions or requests for future readers? The authors' personal email addresses are inside the book.
Customer Reviews
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