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A laptop with the YouTube logo on the screen.

Best YouTube Channels For Learning Japanese

Jasper Shapiro

YouTube is a great resource for Japanese language learners, as you can find videos on almost any Japanese-related topic imaginable. From grammar explanations to listening practice, YouTube provides a wealth of Japanese language content. However, with so many videos and channels on the YouTube platform, you may be confused about where to start.

In this article, I’m sharing five YouTube channels that I recommend so you can find what works for you.

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Satori Reader dictionary annotation.

How Satori Reader Improves On Automated Dictionary Lookups

Brian Rak

These days, there are many tools out there designed to make reading Japanese easier. For example, browser plugins like Rikaikun and Yomichan allow you to view the definitions of Japanese words just by hovering over them with your cursor. This lowers one of the biggest hurdles to looking up unfamiliar words in the dictionary — the sheer time and effort it takes to do.

However, while these tools are very useful, the automated approach is not perfect, and students often find that they still struggle to understand the meaning of what they read.

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A man reading a Japanese short story on a tablet.

Best Japanese Short Stories For Beginners On Satori Reader

Jasper Shapiro

Although Satori Reader’s Japanese short stories are mainly written with intermediate learners in mind, there are also stories that are tailored for beginner Japanese learners. The stories listed in this article contain simpler vocabulary and grammar so that even beginners can experience the joy of reading stories in Japanese.

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A woman reading a Japanese book.

The Best Manga For Japanese Learners

Jasper Shapiro

Reading Japanese is essential for any learner who wants to improve, and one of the best resources for reading Japanese is manga. Manga trains you to comprehend Japanese dialogue while making studying more fun.

From comedy to sports, there’s bound to be a manga series that you’ll enjoy. In this article, you’ll find manga series that I’ve read and personally recommend.

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A woman listening to a Japanese podcast.

The Best Podcasts For Japanese Learners

Jasper Shapiro

Listening to a Japanese podcast is one of the best ways to learn Japanese. Podcasts expose you to new vocabulary and grammar, and they train your ears to understand how Japanese people speak.

They’re also fun to listen to, as you get to learn more about Japanese culture and enjoy the stories podcasters share.

In this article, you’ll find Japanese podcasts for beginners, intermediate, and advanced learners and what makes each of them unique. You can find all of these podcasts on Spotify and YouTube.

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間 vs 間に: What’s The Difference?

Brian Rak

The word 間 (あいだ) can be used to create sentences that mean “While Action A, Action B.” But did you know that the meaning changes in an important way depending on whether you use に after the word 間?

This grammar point came up in a discussion within Satori Reader, a Japanese language learning app. Since 間 is such an important grammar point, we wanted to clarify the difference to help you more accurately comprehend what you read in Japanese.

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How To Pass The JLPT N2: A Detailed Study Guide

Jasper Shapiro

The JLPT (Japanese-Language Proficiency Test) has five levels ranging from N5 to N1, and N2 is the second hardest among them. To pass the JLPT N2, test takers need to be able to comprehend clearly written and spoken Japanese used in various contexts in everyday life.

As a Satori Reader user (and intern) with three years of studying under my belt, I decided to put my skills to the test by taking the JLPT N2.

In this blog post, I’ll share my tips for how to study for the JLPT N2 and the resources I would recommend for anyone who aspires to pass the exam.

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5 Reasons Reading Is The Best Way To Learn Japanese

Jasper Shapiro

One of the biggest challenges in learning Japanese is to balance the many different aspects of studying the language. From memorizing thousands of kanji, to learning sentence structure, to practicing speaking and listening, there are a lot of facets to the language. Becoming fluent requires that you make progress in all of them.

Media can be a great way to combine multiple modes of study. But the best way to learn Japanese is reading.

Let’s dive into why and how reading improves your Japanese.

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