Children’s Stories to Learn Japanese
Learn Japanese through the stories generations of Japanese speakers grow up knowing! Read folktales, legends, fables, and classics in level-matched Japanese. You’ll build useful vocabulary while discovering familiar characters, values, and cultural references found throughout Japanese storytelling.
9 stories
Momotaro
A boy born from a peach shares dumplings with three animals and leads them to recover his village's food.
Kintaro
A strong mountain boy saves his animal friends and earns an invitation to train in the capital.
Kasajizo
An old couple gives straw hats to snow-covered Jizo statues and receives an unexpected New Year gift.
Urashima Taro
A fisherman visits the Dragon Palace beneath the sea and returns home to find that centuries have passed.
Princess Kaguya
A girl found inside glowing bamboo grows into Princess Kaguya and must one day return to the moon.
Issun-boshi
A thumb-sized boy sails to the capital, serves a princess, and faces an ogre with a needle sword.
Crane Wife
A man rescues a crane, but curiosity breaks the promise that allows his mysterious wife to stay.
Old Man Who Made Flowers Bloom
A kind old man follows his dog's guidance and uses magical ash to cover a dead cherry tree with flowers.