Learn Japanese with Stories #1: Hikoichi

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More by Clay Boutwell & Yumi Boutwell : Learn Japanese with Stories #1: Hikoichi

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Four classic Hikoichi folktales — every sentence broken down for upper-beginner readers of Japanese.

Hikoichi is the clever young man of Kyushu legend who outwits lords, tengu, and the occasional smug retainer with nothing but quick thinking and a straight face. This volume gathers four of his most beloved stories, presented in full Japanese with line-by-line vocabulary, grammar notes, native-speaker audio, and a simple English translation for self-checking.

New in the 2026 edition:

Bonus unlock code inside the book — redeem at Makoto+ to study every sentence from this book interactively, on the web or in the mobile app

New watercolor illustration and audio QR codes on every story's opening page

Hook teaser and Before-You-Read intro for each story, pointing you toward the grammar and vocabulary patterns to watch for

Full Exercises section for each story: Comprehension Questions, Particle Fill-in, Grammar Pattern Hunt, Translation Comparison, and Answer Key

Resized furigana — ruby now sits closer to the base text, the way good Japanese typography should

Running headers, page numbers, and sumi-e section ornaments throughout

What's inside:

Four full Hikoichi stories, each presented three ways: with line-by-line vocabulary, in plain Japanese (no furigana, for real reading practice), and in English summary

Word-by-word breakdowns with furigana over every kanji

Grammar spotlights, cultural notes, and language tips throughout

Free MP3 audio downloads — natural speed and slowed down — recorded by a native speaker

Free Anki decks for pre-study

Bonus unlock code for Makoto+ Sentence Explorer

No sign-up required to access the audio

The four stories:

1. The Young Lord — The lord lines up five identical children and asks Hikoichi to pick the real heir. One quiet observation does the work.

2. The Hanami — A cherry-blossom picnic turns into a lesson in thinking ahead. The retainers laugh first. Hikoichi laughs last.

3. The Living Umbrella — A "living" umbrella that opens by itself when it rains. Some things are too good to be true.

4. Tengu's Straw Raincoat — Hikoichi sets out to outwit a long-nosed mountain spirit with nothing but a hollow bamboo pipe. The trade goes well. The cover-up does not.

Who this is for: Upper-beginner to lower-intermediate learners. You'll need solid kana and a working sense of basic grammar.

Questions or requests for future readers? The authors' personal email addresses are inside the book.

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