There are numerous Japanese textbooks available for beginners. Yet, after learning the fundamentals and starting to look for resources for intermediate students, the selection is not as broad. When I came to this point, I was seeking textbooks for those who can read and communicate in simple, everyday language but who lack the knowledge necessary for more complex reading and discussion. This would correspond to levels N3 and N2 of the JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) or levels B1 and B2 of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

Most of the textbooks focused exclusively on either grammar, vocabulary, or kanji. Some of them even included all of these, but the delivery was dull and unengaging. I was searching for something that would be equivalent to the textbooks I used for teaching English: the SpeakOut or Interchange series, which covered all four language skills simultaneously (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) and had interesting topics.

Eventually, I did find what I was looking for. These three diversely written books work well together and make the ideal package for this level of Japanese study. (Note: I am not affiliated with the publishers in any way.)

Marugoto 中級1 and 中級2

Marugoto, published in 2016, is a beautifully designed set of 2 books covering a broad range of topics such as food, music, chat, manga, sports, tradition, health, theater, etc. Each book has nine units, consisting of five parts each:

• Listen and Understand

• Have a Conversation

• Talk at Length

• Read and Understand

• Write

The learners simultaneously build knowledge in vocabulary, grammar, useful expressions, and spoken and written language. There is a wealth of activities ranging from listening and fill-in-the-gap exercises to writing prompts and role-plays, with a lot of repetition of vocabulary and grammatical forms, which is awesome since it ensures memorization. Having a teacher or a partner to practice speaking with is a plus, but not a must. Audio skits that can be downloaded from their website are abundant and come in the form of sentences, short dialogues, long dialogues, and long monologues. Additionally, as you are undoubtedly aware if you are reading this post, there are several forms of the Japanese language depending on the relationship between the speaker and listener, and this book does a fantastic job of covering all of the forms with lots of examples.

The answer key to the exercises is included so you can check your knowledge for yourself. The only exception is the free writing and speaking parts, where you would need someone to check them for you. To consolidate the knowledge even further, there is a test at the end of the book, as well as the script of all the audio skits.

It’s important to note that most of the book is in Japanese, with only the preface written in English. (The exceptions are brief explanations in English that have been added in instances where Japanese translations would have been too challenging. But there aren’t many of them. The majority of the kanji, however, have furigana (reading) above them, making it simple to check their meaning.

The selection of topics and the good balance between the text and the illustrations make it an entertaining and visually pleasing learning experience.

Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese

Tobira, first published in 2009, also provides a wealth of well-structured units revolving around topics similar to Marugoto’s: geography, speech, technology, sports, food, religion, popular culture, theater, education, and shopping. Each unit consists of the following parts:

• Getting Started

• Reading and Vocabulary List

• Dialogue and Vocabulary List

• Conversation and Presentation

• Grammar Notes

• Kanji List

• Language Notes

• Culture Notes

As you can see, unlike Marugoto, a vocabulary list is included after certain parts, with a translation to English, which makes it easier to understand the text. The grammatical explanations and concluding remarks for each unit are also in English.

The biggest difference from Marugoto is that each unit commences with a comparatively long passage that requires a certain amount of time to read. This is a positive trait since it permits the mind to absorb and contextualize new knowledge. The grammar explanations that come afterward are somewhat technical but at the same time very useful. After these, there are two versions of a dialog to illustrate how the keywords or grammar are used in formal and casual speech. This permits easy comparison and is utterly useful. The exercises include fill-in-the-gap activities, listening with multiple-choice questions, writing sentences, and speaking and writing prompts. The only downside of this book is that there is no answer key; you have to find a way to check your answers online or ask someone for help.

Compared to Marugoto, it is a bit less interesting for visual learners, but on the positive side, its longer passages will force you to spend more time with the material, which will help your knowledge consolidate.

Shadowing: Let’s Speak Japanese

This book, from 2010, might appear as a less obvious choice since it doesn’t offer a comprehensive study program like the previous two. It is composed of 8 units. Each unit consists of a series of mini-dialogues separated into two groups: intermediate and advanced. The units differ by the level of formality between speakers. They begin with casual dialogues between couples and friends, move to coworkers and seniors, and end with business interviews and long presentations, each illustrating a different level of intimacy and formality. The book comes with a CD containing all the audio files.

The idea is that you do each lesson following the steps prescribed by the book:

• Content Comprehension (through reading and listening)

• Know the Sounds (synchronized reading + silent shadowing)

• Mouth Movement (reading the script + repeating aloud without looking at the script)

• Mouth Movement and Pronunciation (repeating after listening without reading)

• Practice (acting out without looking at the script)

Audio files represent the core of this method, and the voice actors did a great job. Their voices are truly memorable, which helps enormously when remembering the script. Curiously, I find it easy to recall some of the scripts even several months after studying certain dialogs.

Shadowing, as a learning technique, seems to be more effective than flashcards. We memorize not only words but also the pitch, collocation of the words within the sentence, and emotional and social context, while also practicing listening, which makes this book a perfect companion to Marugoto and Tobira.

These three books complement each other and provide more than enough material for learners at the intermediate level. I hope you find this list useful and that it helps you shorten the time you spend looking for the ideal book.