Learn Japanese Through a Simple Travel Story: JLPT N5 Reading

Introduction

Welcome! This article will guide you through learning basic Japanese reading skills specifically designed for the JLPT N5 exam. We’ll do this by reading and understanding a short, realistic travel story. Don’t worry about perfect grammar; our goal is to get you comfortable with seeing Japanese written words and understanding simple conversations.

The Travel Story: A Trip to Kyoto

Let’s read a little story about someone visiting Kyoto. This is designed to be easy, using vocabulary and phrases you’ll likely encounter when traveling or talking about travel experiences.

Title: My First Time in Kyoto

“こんにちは！(Konnichiwa!)” I said to the shopkeeper. “すみません。(Sumimasen.) What is this?” I pointed at a beautiful, colorful fan. (This means “Excuse me” and is very important for politeness!). The shopkeeper smiled and replied, “これは、折り紙の売上です。(Kore wa, orizumi no uri desu.) It’s paper folding material.” I bought it because I wanted to try making origami – folding paper into shapes. It was a wonderful first day in Kyoto.

Later, I met my friend Kenji at the station. “こんばんは！(Konbanwa!)” he greeted me. “どこに行きますか？(Doko ni ikimasu ka?) Where are you going?” “I want to see Fushimi Inari Shrine,” I replied. “それは有名ですね。(Sore wa yuumei desu ne.) That’s famous, isn’t it?” Kenji nodded and said, “はい、有名です。(Hai, yuumei desu).” (Yes, it is famous).

We took a train to the shrine. The red torii gates were incredible! I wanted to take a photo, so I asked a man, “写真を撮ってもいいですか？(Shashin o totte mo ii desu ka?) Can I take a picture?” He said, “はい、どうぞ。(Hai, douzo.)” (Yes, please!).

After visiting the shrine, we ate ramen for dinner. “おいしい！(Oishii!)” I exclaimed – meaning “Delicious!”

Vocabulary & Phrases

• こんにちは (Konnichiwa) – Hello (used during the day)
• すみません (Sumimasen) – Excuse me / Sorry
• これは (Kore wa) – This is
• 折り紙 (Orizumi) – Paper folding
• 売上 (Uri) – Material for sale
• こんばんは (Konbanwa) – Good evening
• どこに行きますか？ (Doko ni ikimasu ka?) – Where are you going?
• 有名 (Yuumei) – Famous
• 写真 (Shashin) – Photo
• 撮る (Toru) – To take (a photo, etc.)
• いいですか (Ii desu ka?) – May I? / Is it okay?
• どうぞ (Douzo) – Please / Here you are
• おいしい (Oishii) – Delicious

Common Mistakes & Corrections

Here’s where we address potential issues beginners face:

• Incorrect Politeness: It’s easy to forget polite phrases. Always start sentences with “すみません” or use “どうぞ” when offering something.
• Word Order Confusion: Japanese sentence structure is different from English (Subject-Object-Verb). Pay attention to this in the story. For example, “写真を撮ってもいいですか？” translates literally to ‘photo take I may?’ but sounds correct in Japanese.
• Pronunciation: Practice pronunciation! Listen to native speakers online to get a feel for the tones and rhythm.

Practice & Next Steps

Try reading this story aloud several times. Then, try translating it into English yourself. You can also look up any words you don’t understand.

For more practice, search online for simple Japanese stories for beginners. Focus on recognizing common phrases and building your vocabulary. Good luck!