Which Japanese textbook should you actually buy?

We read the JLPT prep series, the beginner courses and everything in between — then tell you what to buy for your situation, and what to skip.

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Cover of Shin Kanzen Master N2 Reading Comprehension

Cover of Genki: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese I

Cover of Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese

Cover of Nihongo So-matome N2 Reading Comprehension

Cover of Quartet: Intermediate Japanese Across the Four Language Skills I

Cover of Nihongo So-matome N2 Grammar

Cover of JLPT Official Practice Workbook N2 Vol. 2

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16 books reviewed to date

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Cover of Shin Kanzen Master N2 Reading Comprehension

Cover of Nihongo So-matome N2 Reading Comprehension

Shin Kanzen Master vs So-matome, for N2

If you have enough time, choose Shin Kanzen Master. If the exam is close — or the exam is not the point — the answer changes.

Workload, difficulty, explanation style, self-study fit — compared volume by volume, with a verdict per skill.

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