Yookoso! Invitation to Contemporary Japanese Student Edition

This book was requested by the professor. I think this book has been published for some years. It's not very up to date.

Expense but this book is well constructed and I am using it for my Zoom Intermediate II Japanese class taught by an instructor. That’s about the right level to start with this book. Beginners will be lost.I would recommend using this book with the workbook that has lots of practice exercises to help you learn and self-learn. The book comes with access to online learning website, which accompany the book and workbook, easy to use.While this book introduces the Japanese alphabet (Hiragana and Katagana) and Kanji, you really need to be able to read at least Hiragana and Katagana fairly well to use this book on your own. Only chapter 1 presents exercises and dialogues in Romanji Japanese. The rest of the chapters are all in combo of Hiragana, Katagana and Kanji. So if you can’t read those well, you will struggle a lot with this book and give up.

This is my first time studying Japanese but my second time learning a foreign language in a formal class using an actual textbook. The textbook itself isn't that bad. Admittedly, it's not filled with interesting pictures and severely lacks in color. It's mostly filled with dialogs so you have to figure out (with your teacher, perhaps) what is going on. I think it's a little better to learn it that way instead of blind formulaic memorization. I also really like the fact that the book provides, for no extra charge, mp3s of the dialogs online. They really help you understand the context of the dialog.On its own, you probably won't learn much with this textbook. However, pair it with their workbook, and you've got Japanese Magic! I feel that the listening exercises work at a speedy, yet reasonable, pace. The written (non-listening activities) really help you practice your Japanese.

This workbook, though it may seem expensive, is a great purchase. The pages and print are of amazing quality, and it's a hardcover book. I have been able to successfully take notes in the book in pencil, and not smudge or dull the print when I erase it. This is obviously beneficial to those who keep their books for later revision, and to those who are looking to resell them in the future. Also, this is one of the easiest language learning book I have used. Their are many pictures to show actions, or for relation to time or place. Also, This book very quickly but carefully brings you to fluently read Hiragana and Katakana. My Instructor also mentioned, "This Yookoso! text book is used for Japanese "A" and "B" ( 1st year, 2nd year)." So this book will last you TWO CLASSES, not just one. If you would like an amazing dictionary selection to go along with your text and work book, I recommend "Kudansha's Furigana Japanese Dictionary". It will also last you many years and is of great quality.

This is not a good book for people who want to study on their own because there are a lot of interactive exercises that requires pairing off with other students. I also think it requires a teacher to pronounce the words and clarify the discussions. Yes, they have recordings online, but it is sometimes hard to match up the recordings with the passages. They did not do a good job of labeling the online files.If I could improve anything, it would be the organization. It's difficult for me to find things when I try to refer back to earlier chapters.I like the cultural notes.

Honestly the teaching style of this text book is very old... And I wouldn't recommend it if you are learning Japanese. But chances are you're buying this book because you have to, and if I was reviewing the actual material I would give it 2 stars, maybe three. But since this is a review for the seller, the book came in excellent condition. There was a little wear and tear, but nothing that isn't expected. I've been using it for two semesters now and it's holding up fantastically.

I got it for college and it was new. We used it quite a bit in my class.

If you are taking college level Japanese this is probably the textbook you will be using. It relies to heavily on romaji at the beginning, the website for the book is seriously outdated, and I don't think the book has been updated in 14 years. There are a lot of things that should be taught early in a Japanese course, this book spends the first section not teaching those.