About this ebook
The ninja of Iga and Koga. The 47 Ronin and the two-year wait behind Japan's most famous act of loyalty. Takeda Shingen, the warlord who said his people (not his walls) were his castle.
Fully revised and expanded edition — updated breakdowns, new Before You Read history primers, review exercises with a complete answer key, and a new bonus essay on why the Takeda clan fell so quickly.
What's Inside?
Line-by-Line Breakdowns: Each essay unfolds one sentence per page, with furigana on every kanji, a complete vocabulary list, and grammar and culture notes right where you need them.
Free Audio: Every essay recorded by a professional native speaker at two speeds — natural pace for training your ear, slow and clear for catching every syllable.
Free Anki Flashcard Decks: Master the vocabulary with the popular spaced-repetition app. Decks include audio and pitch accents for most words.
Kanji in Focus: A full page for every important kanji — stroke order, readings, component parts, and a memory hook.
Full Japanese Texts: After the breakdowns, read each essay straight through with no gloss — real reading practice, no training wheels.
English Summaries: A close English version of each essay to check your understanding. Challenge yourself with the Japanese first!
App Access at No Extra Charge: Your unlock code (inside the book) opens every essay in the free Makoto+ Japanese Explorer app for iOS and Android — tap any sentence for audio, word-by-word breakdowns, translations, and built-in quiz games.
Who is this for? Upper-beginner to intermediate learners. If you know hiragana and have a few hundred words under your belt, you're ready.
Quick — think of Japan. Samurai come to mind, but there's much more to the story. Reading real content is the fastest way to grow your Japanese, and it helps when the content is worth reading.
Questions? Our personal contact details are in the book. We answer.
