How to Actually Enjoy Reading in Japanese (Beginner to Advanced)

The speaker shares a personal struggle with early Japanese reading and introduces three key considerations for selecting reading materials: interest, difficulty, and comprehension. Interest is paramount, as engaging content makes learning more enjoyable. Difficulty should gradually increase to foster growth, akin to weight training. Comprehension, while often debated with specific percentages, should ideally be above 70-80% for an enjoyable experience. The speaker illustrates comprehension levels with a humorous example of gibberish text to highlight the frustration of low comprehension.

For beginners, the focus is on building confidence and consistency. 'Genki 1 and 2' textbooks are highly recommended for structured learning of vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure, with accompanying Anki decks for reinforcement. Alternatively, resources like Tae Kim's Grammar or Sakubi can provide a quick overview of grammar. Graded readers, such as those from NPO Tadoku Supporters and White Rabbit Press, are excellent for starting, followed by NHK Easy for adapted news articles. For manga enthusiasts, 'Yotsubato' is suggested for its furigana and the 'Living Japanese' free reading pack. The speaker advises short, consistent reading sessions to avoid burnout.

In the intermediate stage, managing difficulty by reading about personal hobbies is key. The speaker shares how transitioning cooking recipes and workout routines to Japanese, and even watching related anime, helped integrate the language into daily life. Googling questions about Japanese kanji in Japanese provides native insights and expands vocabulary. Recommendations for slice-of-life manga include 'Chihayafuru,' 'Mieruko-chan,' 'Komi-san wa, Komyusho desu,' and 'Seihantai na Kimi to Boku,' which offer everyday vocabulary with a touch of genre-specific terms to prepare for more diverse content.

At the advanced stage, learners might move to light novels (ranobe), with 'Kimi no Suizo o Tabetai' (I Want to Eat Your Pancreas) being a popular starting point (around N3 JLPT level) and 'Konbini Ningen' (Convenience Store Woman) as another enjoyable option. Visual novels are presented as an entertaining way to read Japanese, with text, images, and voice acting. To combat the challenge of frequent word lookups that disrupt flow, the speaker recommends 'Migaku,' a tool that integrates dictionary lookups and Anki card creation directly into webpages and other content, allowing for longer periods of immersion and making difficult material more manageable.

For further development, the speaker suggests engaging in tadoku (extensive reading) and exploring diverse writing styles. Transitioning from NHK Easy to actual NHK website articles, based on personal interest, is advised (e.g., articles on bear attacks for nature vocabulary). For advanced books, the speaker, a murder mystery enthusiast, recommends the 'Henna Ie' series and a Japanese translation of 'Murder on the Orient Express.' 'Shikeni Itaru Yamai' is another exciting prospect. Finally, the works of classic author Natsume Soseki, including 'Botchan,' 'Sanshiro,' 'Wagahai wa Neko de Aru,' and 'Kokoro,' are introduced as highly regarded texts for pushing advanced learners, despite their initial difficulty. The video concludes by encouraging continuous learning and consistency.