Satori Reader
Annotated Japanese articles and dialogues with audio and inline notes.
BeginnerIntermediateFreemiumEasyReadingWeb, iPhone
Japanese reading resources
Reading improves when the text is finishable. Choose the amount of help, not the longest library.
NHK News Web Easy
Free graded Japanese news with furigana and audio.
BeginnerIntermediateFreeEasyReadingListeningWeb
Tadoku
Graded Japanese readers for extensive reading, including a free library.
BeginnerIntermediateFreemiumEasyReadingWeb, Print
Japanese Graded Readers
ASK’s よむよむ文庫 print packs with audio, and White Rabbit Press’s 9-story app.
BeginnerIntermediatePaidEasyReadingPrint, Web, iPhone, Android
MATCHA Easy Japanese
Travel and culture articles rewritten in N4-level easy Japanese with furigana.
BeginnerIntermediateFreeEasyReadingWeb
yomujp
Graded extensive reading. New pieces free for 4 weeks, then members-only.
BeginnerIntermediateFreemiumEasyReadingWeb
Hirogaru
Free A1-A2 Japan Foundation site with interest-topic articles, videos, and kanji practice.
BeginnerFreeEasyReadingWeb
Natively
Community-graded Japanese books, movies, and TV by relative difficulty.
BeginnerIntermediateAdvancedFreeEasyReadingWeb
Yomitan
A browser popup dictionary for looking up Japanese while you read.
IntermediateFreeInvolvedDictionaryWeb
Migaku
A toolkit for mining Japanese from video and text into review cards.
IntermediatePaidInvolvedFlashcards & SRSWeb, Browser, iPhone, Android
LingQ
Import Japanese text, track known words, and read with in-line lookup.
IntermediateFreemiumModerateReadingWeb, iPhone, Android
Watanoc
Slow, readable Japanese articles for learners.
BeginnerIntermediateFreeEasyReadingWeb
Immersion Kit
Search Japanese words in anime and drama subtitle lines.
IntermediateFreeModerateDictionaryWeb
Language Reactor
Dual Japanese subtitles and lookup for YouTube and Netflix in the browser.
IntermediateFreemiumModerateListeningBrowser
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A good reading resource is one you can finish. Annotation, audio, and lookup tools change the cost of that finish. The focused shortlist is Japanese reading resources for beginners. Use that page to pick one job: graded books, annotated stories, or a native title.
Graded books you can complete
Tadoku is the free-library and print-pack path for extensive reading. Finish one easy book before you buy a set.
Annotated stories
Satori Reader adds notes and a library. Use the free chapters before paying.
Free daily pages
NHK News Web Easy is the default free habit: short news in easier Japanese.
Native titles
If the next problem is choosing a native book or show, Natively grades titles by community comparison. It is not a tutor and not an official JLPT list.
Lookup while you read
Yomitan sits on top of whatever you read in a browser. It is setup-heavy and worth it only after you can already scan kana.
Keep one reading source as the habit. Adding three libraries usually means you open none of them.
Frequently asked questions
How should a beginner start reading Japanese?
Read something you can finish. NHK News Web Easy and Tadoku graded readers are built for that. Lookup tools come after kana is comfortable.
Related
Japanese reading resources for beginnersThere is no useful overall winner. Pick a finishable source for the job you have: graded books, annotated text, or a native title. This is not a ranked top five.NativelyCommunity-graded Japanese books, movies, and TV by relative difficulty.NHK News Web EasyFree graded Japanese news with furigana and audio.Satori ReaderAnnotated Japanese articles and dialogues with audio and inline notes.TadokuGraded Japanese readers for extensive reading, including a free library.YomitanA browser popup dictionary for looking up Japanese while you read.