ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石 (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone)
Hurray! I just finished my first full book in Japanese: ハリー・ポッターと賢者の石. I got the book from pottermore.com shop, the only place to get eBook versions of Harry Potter. I converted it myself to kindle format, since the PotterMore shop still does not provide Kindle Paperwhite readable versions (and still does not, which is strange, since I explained them that it is dead-simple to convert to kindle format!). Using the Japanese-English dictionary for Kindle it is a real pleasure to read, since the 魔法 words are not actually in my daily Japanese repertoire.
There is another reason why I can fully recommend starting reading Japanese books with Harry Potter: Most of the books written for intermediate Japanese learners, who are far from reading all the necessary 2000+ kanji, are quite boring children’s books. So I never got the hang of reading them. With Harry Potter you have an excellent story, and in addition, the Japanese version seem to start with a quite easy use of kanji and using a lot of furigana at the beginning, and is getting progressively more difficult (or more standard reading style).
All in all, I am very happy, since I finally got the feeling that I actually read Japanese instead of stumbling around. And even more – I am looking forward to the next book, time allowing.
So the EBook you bought from potter more had Furigana?
Yes, but of course not for all kanji. I guess the level is somehow around Junior High School grade.
How frustrating! The ebook I got from Potter More does not have furigana, nor does it support vertical script. I’m almost better off with the paper book!
Huu? Really? What I got from PotterMore has decent ruby as well as proper vertical layout. Which device are you using?
Ah, isn’t there a book of Harry Potter written in Romaji, not in kanji and furagana. I love Japanese and I understand quite a lot, you know from Anime and Manga, but I never took the disturb to learn the alphabet.
Hi Esterina,
I don’t know about a version written only in romaji, not even one only in furigana.
My copy of Harry Potter to Kenja no Ishi (Philosopher’s Stone) kanji but but 99% of the kanji has furigana which makes reading and learning kanji sooo much easier! The book isn’t 100% furigana but it’s very close!
CD Japan sells them for ¥680/~€6,80
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/NEOBK-1634333
They split the books up in 2 parts. Maybe because this way it’s easier to take with you.
Thank you Robert. 🙂
I mean Norbert :p 🙂
No problem, here in Japan I am Noruberuto 😉
Hahah lol, 🙂
Hello, thanks for sharing! I’m around 20s and have been known harry potter since elementary school,but never bother myself to buy/read (back then even my schools didn’t have the novel series.).
Currently, I’ve been learning japanese, and want to try read Harry Potter in japanese language. I dunno about my own level, but i’ve been learning kanji for N5 and N4 . Is that enough to read Harpot japanese series?
And wow, do you live in japan now? How? Did you studying or working? I really want to go to japan, (and live there if I could) , but I think my chance is so low if we talk about money (and I admit my english and japanese are still messy), and I failed to receive monbukagakusho scholarship 2 years ago (and I was so stupid to not to applied again last year), this year is my last chance and my chance to get the scholarship this year is so low.. And then I’ve been trying to learn japanese (self-taught,), so i hope i can reach N2 and working in japan.. but the thing is, because I’m already 20s, I have so much worries that I can’t pursue my dream until I’m 30 or more.. I’m so regret myself when I was younger I don’t have the proper aim / dream.. So, do you have any advice, maybe about how to do the proper study, or else? Thanks a lot..
Hi
thanks for your comments, let me see what I can answer: First of all, with N4 level it will be quite hard to read HP, but one can try. I started reading early, and the first books I had to look up practically every other word. It will drive you crazy, but you will learn a lot 😉 If you manage N3 then you should be fine (but still need to look up often). That is the big advantage of digital books, lookups are fast. My first book was the “Neverending Story”, in Japanese paper back, looking up words was much more pain!
Now for job and all that: First of all, it is easy to get a 1-year work visa for all kinds of stuff, but that leaves you with a time bomb. The best way is getting a company to sponsor you (i.e., a job), or getting into a university. I came here in my late 30ies, working at the university (funny that you write “..already 20s…when I was younger…” — at that time I was still studying at the university back home in my home town).
You have still loads of chances, first of all you need to get some connections to people working in your field of interest in Japan. Then they can help you getting a sponsorship for the visa.
Good luck!