One of the best ways to learn a language is to listen to a native speaker while you read along with a transcript. Polyglots who speak loads of languages generally recommend this as one of the fastest ways to improve. Indeed multilingualist Steve Kaufmann’s Linq platform is based almost wholly this concept. So Japanoscope Japanese readings and translations offer a convenient collection of this content with native readings by native Japanese speakers. 

But if you’re going to learn a language, then you may as well learn something about the world or life at large at the same time. Otherwise, what’s the point? So we search out the deep stuff, texts that teach you something useful, that you can use in your life, or that highlight something uniquely interesting about Japanese culture. Then we record, transcribe and translate into English. We post weekly translations and present them on Youtube, audio podcast and text. Sources come from all over the shop – Japanese books, social media posts, poems, lyrics, signage, letters, official documents, speeches, interviews, manifestos etc. We have a particular interest in Japanese music and songs, and we produce translated performances of Japanese songs in English.

If you’re like us, on the endless path of learning Japanese, looking for Japanese reading practice or Japanese listening practice, and you want materials that go beyond cherry blossoms and samurai swords to provide a genuine insite into lived culture, then please subscribe to the podcast and Youtube channel or click on individual articles below.

You can also find a full list of our favourite Japanese language learning resources here.