Shin Nihongo no Kiso I (English Translation) Vol. 1 (Shin Nihongo no Kiso I) (in Japanese) [Japanese]

I love the way this is laid out, and the worksheet it comes with has proven helpful as well. This is a really good way to practice reading Japanese once you've gotten started learning some basic stuff on your own.

This is a very good book, but as the previous reviewer pointed out, you will need to pick up the English translation etc. as it is entirely in Japanese (full-on Hiragana, Kanji, Katakana, the works). If you are serious about learning the language, this is probably the best place to start - but similar texts such as 'Japanese for Busy People' are a little less daunting. Since you could probably learn 3 European languages in the same time that it would take you to acheive a respectable level of Japanese, I would only recommend this if you are serious about learning to really read and write the language. If you are happy to focus more on speaking etc., then you would be better off with another text, cause this is a bit of a slog. Happy studies.

Having studied Japanese both at university and in Japan, I have come across a myriad of beginner's titles but none of them are comparable to Shin Nihongo No Kiso I & II. These texts give a thorough grounding in the language and prepare the students for further study. This is also the text used by many Japanese language schools in Japan as it quickly yet succinctly gives students a grasp of the spoken language which can be used immediately. The texts must also be praised for its methodical approach to grammar which is where many other texts fail. Please note that the main text must be bought in conjunction with two additional supplementary books, grammar notes and the English translation...