Romaji🔊Issunboushi
Issunboushi (One-Inch Boy)
A boy the size of a finger. A rice bowl boat. A needle sword.
Read storyFree Japanese stories for learners.
Five free graded stories arranged from Romaji to JLPT N3.
Romaji🔊
Beginner🔊うさぎとかめ
The Rabbit and the Turtle
A slow turtle wins by never giving up.
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N5🔊桃太郎
Peach Boy
A peach-born hero gathers animal friends and heads to Ogre Island.
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N4🔊浦島太郎
Urashima Taro
A fisherman visits a sea palace and returns to a changed world.
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N3🔊かぐや姫
Princess Kaguya
A tiny girl from bamboo grows into a princess with a secret.
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Saya’s Blog
Short reads from Saya’s everyday life, in Japanese and English.
Latest article · 1 min read
ろっぽんぎでイルミネーションがはじまりました
東京の六本木から、冬のニュースです。
Here is some winter news from Roppongi in Tokyo.
Explore Japanese through pictures
Manga and illustrations, with free samples to try.
Choose your Japanese reading path
Start with Romaji or Beginner, then move through JLPT N5, N4, and N3. Continue with the practice path that matches your current goal.
Free Japanese Reading FAQ
Are these Japanese stories free?
Yes. These selected stories are free to read and give learners a clear starting point before exploring the full Gaku reading library.
Can beginners read these stories?
Yes. Start with the Romaji story or the Beginner story first, then move into JLPT N5, N4, and N3 stories when you are ready.
How should I practice Japanese reading?
Read once for the story, check the meaning, then read again while noticing useful words, grammar, and repeated sentence patterns.