Learning Japanese Hiragana and Katakana: A Workbook for Self-Study

Wife loves books from this publisher. made with good paper so your pencil will not ruin it

I am reviewing this as someone who is completely brand new to the language (I had TOTALLY no idea about the Japanese language prior to this book). I feel like this makes a difference with this book as other reviewers may have some degree of familiarity with the language. It's definitely an excellent introductory resource but to truly master the writing systems, this one may be not enough on its own and you may have to seek or create additional resources.PROS:-Great introduction/background about the two kana systems in the beginning of the book.-Great explanation about the distinctive differences in pronunciations between English/Japanese for certain characters-Clear explanations of stroke orders for each character-Provides interesting "history" of how each character evolved and came to be-Ample sized boxes to practice each character (some resources I have seen have pretty narrow, small boxes and aren't enough to practice some characters that have more intricate strokes involved)-Helpful review sections every few characters that introduce you to Japanese words with the characters you have just learned and provide further writing practice. These were really helpful in setting a "pace" for me to study. There is also extensive review towards the end where you practice everything you have learned.-Great price!CONS (these may be more of a concern for those who are unfamiliar with the language):-Although there are ample sized boxes, the number of boxes provided simply may not be enough to "drill" the characters into memory. More practice is definitely needed on your own. I should note that the book also provides additional photocopiable grid paper at the end where you can practice further.-Section for half-voiced sounds, etc. seems rushed. Although it is understandably based on things discussed earlier in the book, the sections dedicated to it are quite small. Flashcards, etc. may be needed.-There are great English "equivalents" provided of how the characters are pronounced. However, there is no way for you to remember what sounds each makes (I used tofugu.com quirky mnemonic chart to help me remember).-As other reviewers have mentioned, the binding does it make it a bit difficult to write in the book at times.Overall, I give it five stars as it is a phenomenal resource even for someone like me who did not have a single clue about the language. I am almost done with the book and now I can pick out characters in Japanese texts and sound out some of them even though I still have quite a bit of to learn.

I was looking for some easy to use practice books to start learning hiragana/katakana and I decided to buy this one (along with a couple others.) I've primarily been using this one, and it makes the learning process seem so easy and seamless! I love that it gives you little reviews in between learning the kana because it's like a little break but you're also enforcing what you've already learned. I especially love the Part 3 - Final Review section (Part 1 is Hiragana and Part 2 is Katakana) because it combines a bunch of different exercises that feel more fun that strenuous in nature! Things like crossword puzzles, matching games and other simpler exercises. I would 100% recommend this for a new learner to get their toes wet into the script writing and reading process! Love it!

Overall, I would say this is a good starting point for learning kana.The introduction is not for the faint of heart. It introduces a lot of information, especially technical information about the Japanese language that was hard for me to follow, as someone who isn't as linguistically savvy.The kana practice pages are nice and big, but I would highly suggest you get a spiral bound kana book so you don't have to fight the spine of the book. Its pretty expensive online to get a spiral bound kana practice book, so I might even suggest printing the practice kanji pages, three hole punching them yourself and making your own notebook to practice in.This book does offer online resources, but it is not necessary to own the book to access these resources.I do appreciate the little review section at the end of the book.Overall, I think the book is a good place to start but I have buyer's remorse since I really wish I'd saved my money for a spiral bound kana practice book. Lesson learned!

It’s important to underline the fact that I have been interested in studying Japanese AS A HOBBY. Not as a means of earning a living or to support a change of residence. In that sense, this nicely produced book is a good and helpful tool for learning the phonetic alphabet.

I've been using the "Learning Japanese Hiragana and Katakana: A Workbook for Self-Study" alongside my Duolingo sessions, and I must say, it’s a game changer! While the workbook is fantastic on its own, combining it with Duolingo really brings out its strengths.This guide nails it when it comes to teaching the writing and characters of Japanese. It offers that extra bit of practice that I was craving. If you're diving into learning Japanese and want a solid grasp of Hiragana and Katakana, this workbook is your go-to. It complements digital learning tools beautifully by reinforcing sentence structure and continuous practice.Would I recommend it? Absolutely, especially if you're pairing it with an app like Duolingo to keep the momentum going. For anyone serious about learning Japanese, this combo is a powerhouse!