Audiobooks in Japanese

The West’s fascination with the Far East and Japan, in particular, is no longer news. It’s been going on for decades and even centuries now. Nevertheless, what is interesting is that more and more English-speaking people are starting to learn Japanese. This is due to numerous reasons, some of which are due to Japan’s popular culture (mangas and anime).

Learning a new language is never easy, especially when it’s so foreign and different like Japanese and its Kanji alphabet. As such, going about it the classic language-course way isn’t really going to work. What can instead do the trick are innovative language learning techniques and tools like Japanese audiobooks and sites like Japanesepod101.

Audiobooks in Japanese to guide language learning

Like audiobooks in any other language, the ones in Japanese are audio files of narrators reading the chosen text with perfect diction and pronunciation. Most audiobooks are read by professional voice actors who handle written material any other day of the week. Therefore, they sound calm and composed, as well as relaxing and suitable for any set of ears.

Nonetheless, listening to audiobooks isn’t just for those who look for an appropriate voice-over for their favorite titles. These read-aloud titles are perfect for people learning a foreign language like Japanese. Listening to content instead of reading provides better material comprehension. Well, at least, that’s what numerous scientific studies suggest.

Audiobooks improve reading speed, listening skills, and decrease mistakes for Japanese language learners. Furthermore, they help expand Japanese language vocabulary in a new and fun way. You can listen to Japanese while commuting to class or work while working out or walking your dog, or in any other situation that you can imagine.

Best-selling Japanese audiobooks

So, what are some of the most popular Japanese audiobooks? Well, aside from worldwide best-selling titles like the Harry Potter or Hunger Games books, there are those that are exclusive to the Japanese audiobook market. And of those, two set themselves apart from the rest due to their sales numbers and overall quality.

Kokoro

Although Japanese literature is full of great names like Akutagawa Ryunosoke or Dazai Osamu, their works aren’t necessarily the best for beginners. The reason is hard-to-read and sometimes dated language. Nevertheless, another great author, Natsume Soseki, has great books in straightforward Japanese that are also available in audio form.

Kokoro is a fascinating story about an unusual relationship between a student and his teacher. It’s Japanese through and through. And although it is quite long, Kokoro is split into 110 short chapters, all simple to read and listen to. All this makes it one of the most popular and best-selling Japanese audiobooks for people learning this beautiful language.

Botchan

A great way to understand a country and its language is to come to terms with its sense of humor. To do so in Japanese, you can listen to another great book by Natsume Soseki. His Botchan novel is a funny story about a newbie teacher from the city sent to a rural part of his country where he experiences weird and obnoxious encounters with the locals.

Just like Kokoro, Botchan is written in straightforward and plain Japanese. As such, it will be easy to listen to it, even if you’re just getting started with the language. And if you understand its humor and jokes, well, you can proudly boast how you understand Japan like a native speaker. So, look it up on Audible or any other audiobook site.

TTS technology

In addition to exploring Japanese audiobooks, you can use Speechify to turn emails, webpages and more into Japanese speech. 

FAQs

How do I get Japanese audiobooks?

You can purchase both audiobooks in Japanese and those written by Japanese authors at Audible or any other online bookstore.

Are there Japanese audiobooks?

Of course. Japan is one of the largest audiobook markets in the Far East.

Is there a Japanese version of Audible?

Yes, you can use Audible in Japanese and find appropriate titles from both Japanese titles and those just translated into their language.

Where can I buy Japanese audiobooks?

The best place to look for Japanese audiobooks is Amazon’s e-book service—Audible. Aside from having the largest collection of Japanese audiobooks, it also has foreign titles in Japanese that will help you learn their language more easily.

What is an audiobook in Japanese?

In Japanese, audiobook is katakana (オーディオブック).

Can you get audiobooks in different languages?

Yes, audiobooks are available in almost every living language..

What are some Japanese audiobook titles?

• The Spider’s Thread
• Rashomon
• In a Grove
• Kokoro
• Botchan

Which audiobooks are available in Japanese?

Japanese audiobooks include both fiction and non-fiction titles, textbooks, biographies, as well as fairy tales, and short stories. In other words, Japanese audiobooks cover all forms of literature.

What is the difference between audiobooks and podcasts?

Audiobooks are books read aloud by narrators, while podcasts are more like online radio shows where hosts talk about all sorts of topics.

What are the benefits of listening to audiobooks?

Audiobooks increase reading speed, improve vocabulary and text comprehension, as well as allow for multitasking.