LibGuides: Languages: Japanese

Japanese

Welcome to the subject guide for Languages: Japanese. On this page, you will find:

Japanese language sites and apps
Online newspapers via Nexis
A selection of resources available in the Library.
DVDs and audio

Photo credit: 'Mejiro and Japanese apricot' by Takashi Hososhima via Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Japanese language sites and apps

Japanese online
Register for free online tutorials, and to join online forums for all things Japanese.
GenkiJapan
Activities including songs and games to help you learn Japanese.
Genki online
Activities and links to many useful resources
Easy Japanese Program by NHK
NHK is a Japanese public broadcaster. This site is useful for people who wish to travel or study abroad or work in Japan. You’ll find audio, animation video, and text that portray practical scenarios and handy conversation topics on the website.
Tofugu
Tofugu has a clear and effective structure for learning Japanese. It offers podcasts, Japanese grammar guides, in-depth looks at Japanese vocabulary, writing, Japanese resources, and textbook reviews.
Raji Bear: GCSE Japanese tutorials
You Tube channel with links to free workbooks
Duolingo- Japanese
Learn Japanese in just 5 minutes a day with game-like lessons.
imiwa?
For Apple users, lets you search in English or Japanese using romanji, kana, and even hand drawn kanji.

Online newspapers via Nexis

You can access many foreign newspapers electronically by using the database Nexis. You can access Nexis via the A-Z List of Databases on the Library Gateway.

Nexis provides online access to a huge range of national and regional newspapers for China, including:

Nikkei Asia
The Japan News
Jiji Press Ticker Service

Nexis This link opens in a new window
Nexis is a major full text database for global news and business information. It gives access to over 35,000 sources, with more than 12,000 international news sources including UK daily and regional newspapers, current affairs magazines, and professional journals.

Alternative link - please note that, the first time you use this link, you will be asked to enter your first name and last name in order to access Nexis.
Nexis also includes 80 sources of company information, plus thousands of biographies of government officials, politicians, celebrities, investors and business contacts.

A selection of resources from the Language Collection on Level 3: Adsetts Centre

Colloquial Japanese by H. D. Clarke; Motoko Hamamura
Call Number: Languages Collection; JA495.6 CL (Level 3)
ISBN: 0415045444
Publication Date: 1981-04-15
Colloquial Japanese is an essential guide to learning Japanese! Specially written by experienced teachers for self-study or class use, the course offers you a step-by-step approach to written and spoken Japanese. No prior knowledge of the language is required.
Business Japanese by Reiko Suzuki; Are Hajikano; Sayuri Kataoka
Call Number: Languages Collection; JA495.6 SU (Level 3)
ISBN: 0804837805
Publication Date: 2006-03-15
'Business Japanese' is for students of the Japanese language with a special interest in business, finance, and economics.
Kanji de Manga by Glenn Kardy; Chihiro Hattori (Artist, Cover Design by)
Call Number: Languages Collection; JA495.61 KA (Level 3)
ISBN: 4921205027
Publication Date: 2005-03-08
The comic book that teaches you how to read and write Japanese! This brand-new series from Manga University uses original comic artwork to teach readers how to identify and write the most common Japanese kanjiideographs.
How to Sound Intelligent in Japanese by Charles De Wolf
Call Number: Languages Collection; JA495.681 DE (Level 3)
ISBN: 4770028598
Publication Date: 2002-02-01
This text aims to take the student beyond the rudiments of Japanese and into useful conversational vocabulary. Divided by area of intellectual interest (such as politics and government), each chapter consists of appropriate vocabulary with an explanation of usage.

DVDs and audio

Japanese foundation course. by Helen Gilhooly
Call Number: Languages Collection; JA495.6 GI (Level 3)
ISBN: 9780340974575
Publication Date: 2008
Learn another language the way you learnt your own. You learnt your own language naturally and enjoyably: now you can learn Japanese in the same way. You'll stick with it because you'll love it.
Talk Japanese by Isono, Yukiko
Call Number: Languages Collection; JA495.6 IS (Level 3)
ISBN: 9780563520313
Publication Date: 2005
These short language courses are intended for absolute beginners, and can be used by adults learning at home or in a class.
Japanese by Eriko Sato
Call Number: Languages Collection; JA 495.6 SA (Level 3)
ISBN: 9780071797719
Publication Date: 2013-01-09
A fast and painless way to learn Japanese--now with all new quiz and test questions and a companion 75-minute audio CD Japanese DeMystified takes the mystery and menace out of learning Japanese by walking you step-by-step through the fundamentals of the language. The book/audio CD package lets you work at your own pace and arms you with the essentials of Japanese grammar in an unintimidating format.
Oxford Take off in Japanese by Lynne Strugnell (Editor)
Call Number: Languages Collection; JA 495.6 ST (Level 3)
ISBN: 0198603002
Publication Date: 2000-07-27
This study pack offers a comprehensive Japanese language course for anyone from the absolute beginner to the student who wants to brush up on forgotten language skills. It is designed specifically for students learning Japanese on their own.

Japanese Culture Websites

The Japan Foundation
We promote international cultural exchange between Japan and the rest of the world, and provide financial support for a range of international cultural exchange programmes.
The Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme
The Japan Foundation organises an annual Japanese film programme. From recently released contemporary films to classics and anime.
Japan Society- University of Sheffield
One of the biggest and most active Japanese societies in the UK. The society is open to any member of a UK university.