Essays on Modern Japan: The Easy Way to Read, Listen, and Learn from Japanese History and Stories

Essays on Modern Japan
The Easy Way to Read, Listen, and Learn from Japanese History and Essays

Newly rebuilt and expanded 2026 edition — now with full-page kanji lessons, Review & Practice exercises, and free access in the Makoto Japanese Explorer app.

Read your way into modern Japan with three true essays written for upper beginner students of Japanese:

Reiwa, A New Era: How Japan's era names work, and what changed when Emperor Naruhito acceded in 2019.

Rainy Season in Japan: What tsuyu really means for daily life — and for anyone planning a summer trip.

Japan's Giant Hornet: The largest hornet on Earth, and how to stay well out of its way.

Every Essay Follows the Same Proven Path:

Before You Read: A short primer with the historical background and grammar patterns to watch for, so you start each essay oriented.

Line-by-Line Breakdown: One sentence per page, furigana on every kanji, with a complete vocabulary list and grammar and culture notes right where you need them.

Full Japanese Text: Reread each essay straight through — no training wheels.

Review & Practice (NEW): True-or-false, comprehension, particle, and translation exercises for every essay, with a complete answer key.

English Summary: A close English version of each essay for checking your understanding (but try the Japanese first!).

Kanji in Focus (Rebuilt): One full page per key kanji — stroke-order diagram, readings, meaning, component parts, an example word, and a memory hook to make it stick.

Free Bonuses, No Extra Charge:

MP3 Audio: Every essay recorded by a native Japanese speaker at two speeds — natural pace for training your ear, slow and clear for catching every syllable.

Anki Flashcard Decks: Master the vocabulary with the popular spaced-repetition app.

The Makoto Japanese Explorer App: Your unlock code opens every sentence in the free app for iOS and Android — tap to hear audio, explore word-by-word breakdowns, and quiz yourself with built-in games.

Download links and your unlock code are inside the book.

Ideal for Upper Beginners: Best suited for learners with a solid grasp of hiragana and a basic foundation in grammar. If a passage feels tough, the vocabulary notes and app have your back.

We're Here to Help! Questions or suggestions for future readers? Contact us directly — our email is in the book.

To Your Japanese Success!