# Japanese Graded Readers — Read stories in Japanese > Illustrated Japanese graded readers for language learners with audio narration. (iPhone/iPad app by White Rabbit Press.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-graded-readers/id1223472704 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [White Rabbit Press](https://appshunter.io/developer/1374009528) - Category: Education, Books - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 3.50/5 from 32 App Store ratings · 33 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 9+ - Requires: iOS 9.0 · 22 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2018-04-06 - Data updated: 2026-07-06 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-graded-readers/id1223472704/reviews.md ## What is Japanese Graded Readers? Japanese Graded Readers is the perfect app for Japanese language learners who want to practice their reading. You can also improve your Japanese vocabulary and grammar by reading our illustrated stories. Our graded readers are from various genres such as tales, horror stories or texts about Japanese culture. WHAT ARE GRADED READERS? Graded readers are books specially written for language learners. They use a limited set of grammar and vocabulary. These simple stories allow learners to enjoy reading without struggling. Studies show learners who use graded readers improve not only their reading skills and many other language abilities. ADVANTAGES OF READING JAPANESE WITH GRADED READERS: • Read Japanese without a dictionary: Deliberate repetition of new vocabulary enables readers to infer meaning from context. Graded readers increase skills and confidence because they can be read and enjoyed without a struggle. • Contextual illustrations aid comprehension: We created artworks that will help you understand new vocabulary and difficult concepts. Thanks to them, you will never have to reach for a Japanese dictionary while reading. • Narrated by professional Japanese voice talent: Native-Japanese voice talents tell the stories with the proper pronunciation. These audio narratives are recorded by professionals who allow the reader to immerse themselves in our stories. • Kana reading provided for all kanji characters: Each kanji is transcribed in furigana. Furigana lets the reader know how to pronounce Japanese characters. You’ll only have to be proficient in hiragana to being able to our read graded readers. • Simplified grammar, vocabulary, and plot: Each story is written for a specific audience. We select grammar difficulty and vocabulary based on the Japanese language proficiency of our readers. Our graded readers are categorized into five levels of difficulty. You will be able to enjoy our stories regardless of your Japanese skills. JAPANESE GRADED READERS LEVELS: • Level 0: Beginner level using very basic Japanese. Each graded reader includes less than 400 words. These stories are suitable for students starting to learn Japanese and trying to pass JLPT N5. • Level 1: Stories with a length between 400 and 1500 words. They are perfect for both JLPT N5 and N4 students. • Level 2: Elementary level using basic Japanese vocabulary. The length of these Japanese texts is between 1500 and 2500 words. These stories are tailored for learners trying to pass JLPT N4. • Level 3: Intermediate level stories using everyday Japanese. Level 3 graded readers are made for learners between JLPT N3 and N4. They include 2500 to 5000 words per story. • Level 4: Upper-intermediate level texts using standard Japanese vocabulary. This level has the longest stories with 5000 to 10000 words per text. Those graded readers are perfect for people at JLPT N3 or N2. WHAT USERS SAY ABOUT JAPANESE GRADED READERS: “I found I could understand all of the stories perfectly despite not knowing all of the words. An excellent chance to test my own knowledge of the Japanese language.” Alannah “These stories are great to enlarge your vocabulary e.g. for JLPT N4 preparation. Thanks to furigana, they are easy to read and the length of each story is well adapted.” Anna “These stories are easy to read, interesting and will help boost your comprehension of written Japanese. Some are fairy tales, others give you snippets of Japanese culture.” James ## Key features - Illustrated stories for language learners - Vocabulary and grammar practice - Categorized by difficulty level (0-4) - Audio narration by native speakers - Furigana for all kanji - Stories from various genres ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Kachikachiyama | $3.99 | one-time | | Doushitekoumori | $2.99 | one-time | | Doushite Umi wa Shiokarai | $2.99 | one-time | | Futatsunopan | $3.99 | one-time | | Hanasakajisan | $2.99 | one-time | | Hitofusanobudo | $3.99 | one-time | | Kinkoyaburi | $3.99 | one-time | | Sanbikinokobuta | $2.99 | one-time | | Aritokirigirisu | $1.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (10 of 33) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-graded-readers/id1223472704/reviews.md ### 3/5 — Developers listen *2026-05-16, version 1.1.3* 1st: graded readers app is awesome idea. 2nd: not enough books 3rd: your pricing model does not work for an app. Consider getting a larger catalog then charge like a 4$ subscription per month for access to all. You will earn more. Get more downloads. And be more successful. ### 2/5 — Beware *2026-03-19, version 1.1.3* Downloading stories can be frustrating ### 1/5 — Useless *2024-11-13, version 1.1.3* The app takes my money, but then does not deliver content. ### 1/5 — Sound doesn’t work *2024-08-08, version 1.1.3* Sound doesn’t work ### 1/5 — Can’t purchase stories *2023-01-31, version 1.1.3* I’ve been trying to purchase stories and it won’t let me. It will say purchases, say I’ve spent money, then never finish “purchasing” the story so I can’t read any of the stories I’ve bought :( ### 1/5 — Not Worth the Time *2022-02-24, version 1.1.3* App hasn’t been updated in three years. Tried to purchase a book, and the process never completes, just a Processing message with an activity spinner that never stops. Support website doesn’t even exist. ### 3/5 — This app has great potential but falls short, too pricy, not enough content. *2021-08-06, version 1.1.3* I downloaded this app because I wanted something with very simple stories to practice my reading ability in Japanese. The first thing to note is that the free app only comes with one sample story, and it’s not the complete story. Each story costs between $3-$6 depending on its difficulty. Quite pricy for such short stories but I wanted to give it a go all the same. The stories are neatly presented with helpful pictures and also can be read by a narrator for you. I also like that it includes an option to turn on and off the furigana. Unfortunately even if you’re willing to splash out and purchase all the stories, there’s only a couple available at each reading level. Disappointing to say the least. I also had technical issues when purchasing the stories as they didn’t show up in my library. Each time I had to use the restore purchases button to have the app confirm I had made the purchase. If more books were made available at each level and the price of each lowered (or perhaps a bulk discount to buy all the books at a particular reading level), I could see myself using this app often. As it stands currently, I’ll enjoy the stories I’ve paid for and continue searching for a better reader. ### 5/5 — Fixed issue *2021-06-22, version 1.1.3* Idk if my last review went through but I fixed my issue by pressing the ‘restore purchases’ button in options ### 5/5 — Great for beginner level *2021-06-16, version 1.1.3* It is hard to find good immersion resources for beginner level, since my vocabulary is so small and my listening ability weak. This one is great, with engaging stories, good quality audio, and well-chosen vocabulary. I only wish it had more stories available. ### 5/5 — Abandoned *2021-03-09, version 1.1.3* It’s been 2 years since any updates. I’m still giving it 5 stars because it’s great for what it is. There is no Level 4 books yet even though they mention it. Hope things will be updated soon ## Frequently asked questions about Japanese Graded Readers ### What is Japanese Graded Readers? Japanese Graded Readers is an app designed for Japanese language learners to practice reading. It offers illustrated stories written with limited vocabulary and grammar, categorized by difficulty levels. The app aims to improve reading skills, vocabulary, and grammar through contextual illustrations and audio narration. ### How does this app help me learn Japanese? The app helps you learn Japanese by providing simplified stories that allow you to infer meaning from context, reducing the need for a dictionary. Contextual illustrations aid comprehension, and audio narration by native speakers helps with pronunciation. The graded levels ensure you can read stories appropriate for your proficiency. ### What are the different levels of difficulty? The app offers five levels of difficulty, from Level 0 (Beginner, under 400 words, suitable for JLPT N5) to Level 4 (Upper-intermediate, 5000-10000 words, suitable for JLPT N3/N2). Each level uses specific vocabulary and grammar tailored to the learner's proficiency. ### Is this app free to use? The app is free to download and use, offering some content for free. Additional stories and features are available through in-app purchases, allowing users to expand their reading library and learning resources. ### What kind of stories are available? The app features graded readers from various genres, including tales, horror stories, and texts about Japanese culture. These stories are written with simplified grammar and vocabulary, and include contextual illustrations to aid understanding. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.1.3 — 2018-08-21 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. - New sample pages added so you can try before you buy - Increased image size - Various small bug fixes ### 1.1.0 — 2018-08-07 - Show/Hide Furigana from Settings. - Long-tap on text to reveal Furigana (when Furigana is hidden). - Story images now larger. - Fixed story typos. ### 1.0.3 — 2018-07-08 First version. Let us know if you have any problems! ### 1.0.2 — 2018-05-15 Japanese Graded Readers is now available for iPhone devices. ### 1.0.0 — 2018-04-06 No release notes. ## Apps similar to Japanese Graded Readers | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Japanese Flashcards – Manabi](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-flashcards-manabi/id1180710626) | 4.2 (33) | Free | Education | | [Immersion Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/immersion-reader/id6443721334) | 4.0 (26) | Free | Education | | [Kanji Quizzer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-quizzer/id1071476932) | 4.7 (211) | Free | Education | | [Satori Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satori-reader/id1382950847) | 4.8 (199) | Free | Education | | [Learn Japanese: Manabi Reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-japanese-manabi-reader/id1247286380) | 4.3 (140) | Free | Education | | [Japanese Reading & Audio Books](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-reading-and-audio-books/id1247290877) | 4.0 (21) | Free | Education | ## Related topics [10ten japanese reader](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/10ten-japanese-reader) · [japanese reading practice](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/japanese-reading-practice) · [cookbook japanese](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/cookbook-japanese) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-06.*