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If you’re an expat who didn’t major in Japanese during your college days and you’re starting to learn Japanese from scratch here in Japan, it can be daunting to say the least. You’re not alone.
I didn’t really start studying Japanese until I was several months into the first year of my Japan stay. Teaching English at a nearby 英会話 (eikaiwa – English conversation school) was comfortable.
Admittedly, I had also fallen into a comfortable routine, which didn't include much studying.
One reason I walked away from eikaiwa teaching was that I seldom had the chance to use Japanese. I felt like I was being coddled. There’s nothing wrong with that, as the hand-holding can be a great safety net when you first get here.
It's fine until you actually have to communicate for yourself, in Japanese, away from the shelter of your eikaiwa bubble. What do you do when there’s no staff member to speak for you? Walk away? With this being Japan and all, I figured the time would come to have speak for myself, in Japanese.
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Learning Japanese Out Of Necessity
One instance of this, way before I knew about Transferwise, was sending money home for the first time.
My first couple of transfers were manual. I remember going to the post office and trying it once on my own because I didn’t want keep asking Japanese teachers to go with me every month.
Luckily, I was able to get money transferred, but it was tough! Doing the charades for “I need to send money home” or “What’s the remittance fee?” is enough to make any Japan Post Office clerk slowly back away from you as if you had a mild case of leprosy. Not to mention I felt really stupid and semi-embarrassed for not know enough Japanese to say what I wanted to say.
I had other reasons for wanting to learn Japanese, too:
There were times when I would get lost on the train or on the street (no iphone at the time) and having trouble even getting basic directions. Or there were other times when another foreign colleague would act like a pompous prick (sorry, it’s true) because they knew more Japanese than me.
I got tired of feeling stupid to be quite frank. Knowing you have things you want to say and not being able to express them... is one of the most debilitating feelings you can possibly have.
ENTER THE GENKI JAPANESE TEXTBOOK
*When I started on my Japanese journey, I chose this textbook after doing a bit of research. Back in 2008, it was a pleasant surprise to know that several American universities were using the very same book to teach their introductory, Japanese 101 courses. when I saw the book in my local, Japanese bookstore, in plain English, I had to buy it.
Ahh yes, my old faithful Genki textbook. We've been through a lot together. This book was mana from heaven when I was getting started.
The perfect supplement to the Genki I textbook. This workbook gave me a chance to start expressing myself in basic Japanese. USEFUL!
I went Genki crazy when I was getting started. I bought the teaching manual, too! I wanted to understand inside and out.
The original, full set of student and teacher CDs cost me right at about $180.00 back in 2008! I was crushed when Genki discontinued the expensive CD set for a WAaaay more affordable mp3 CD version. I could’ve saved so much money that way. You guys have it good! Looking back, though, it was still money well spent.
CLARITY
Genki was the first textbook I ever used and it literally took me from knowing almost nothing to being functional.
There are very few textbooks that are and clear and as intuitive as the Genki I textbook.
This is, without a doubt, one of the clearest, easiest-to-understand presentations of elementary Japanese that I've ever seen.
EFFECTIVENESS
Is Genki One Effective?
Sort of...
Genki is crazy effective at helping you learn polite, 丁寧な日本語 (what I like to term "ます"-style) Japanese.
While this isn't a bad thing, knowing casual Japanese is important, because that's how native speakers on TV, and the natives all around you (if you live in Japan) will speak.
PRICE
Genki is a great value for a one-off price.
You do have to tack on a little bit for the work book (which I think is ABSOLUTELY necessary should you study with this series).
It falls slightly higher on the price range as far as texbooks go.
But you pay once and benefit many times over.
Not a recurring fee like say, a Japanesepod101
SUPPORT
This is the ultimate weakness for one of the ultimate Japanese textbooks.
If you're studying on your own, even when you buy the teacher's manual and have the answers (which I did), you ARE still gonna have questions...
In a classroom that's using Genki, it's no problem because you have a teacher to go to for explanations.
It kinda feels like you're out of luck if you're a Genki self-studier
Please note that this post does contain affiliate links, and I do get commission when you purchase from links on this page. Even though I am a proud Genki One owner and user, Genki doesn't get any
special treatment here...time to pick it apart.
WHAT IS GENKI ONE?
Genki One: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese is a beginner's Japanese textbook from the Japan Times authored by Eri Banno, Yutaka Ohno, Yoko Sakane, and Chikako Shinagawa.
This textbook covers everything from greetings to counters to time, from health to shopping to seasons, and more. In addition to the textbook, Genki has a supplementary workbook (sold separately) that helps students to drill, reinforce, and cement the concepts they learn in the Genki One Text.
SEVEN REASONS GENKI ONE IS PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS
What makes Genki I such a popular textbook? I could probably create a list a mile-long, but instead let's talk about seven reasons this Japanese Textbook is arguably the best in its class:
- 1. Genki is a Non-Intimidating Intro To Japanese
- 2. Predictable Lesson Structure
- 3. The Yomikakihen Section
- 4. The Genki Workbook
- 5. The CD
- 6. A Book With a Sense of Humor
- 7. Loads of Pictures
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1. Genki Is A Non-Intimidating Intro To Japanese
Why is it that some people who live in Japan choose to scrap learning the language altogether? One major reason is because Japanese can be intimidating as hell! There are symbols you can’t make heads or tails of, and conversations that sound more like you just stepped off an alien mothership than an American Airlines flight (with less than ideal service).
When I started studying Japanese, Genki was like a book from heaven. It was the first book, after having tried several other phrase-type books, that gave me the training I needed to start producing basic language sourced from my own brain.
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2. Predictable Lesson Structure
I like that Genki lessons don’t throw any super-weird curveballs. For the beginner, you know what to expect in each and every lesson. This predictable structure gets improving, and building your Japanese skills step by step, lesson by lesson.
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3. The Yomikakihen Section
In addition to the 12 lessons, you have 12 supplementary yomikakihen ( 読み書き編 - よみかきへん - reading and writing) lessons that go along with each unit. You get to start learning hiragana, katakana, and kanji basics in a way that is useful.
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4. The Genki Workbook
This is where I really started to feel like I might be able to improve, that I might have a chance to fully express myself in Japanese someday. The workbook lessons give you an opportunity to write down your thoughts and ideas through simple Japanese exercises. Here’s why the textbook is cool!
- It’s Gets You Writing About You – I REALLY enjoy how this textbook asks you questions that get you thinking about Japanese that’s relevant to your own life.
- The Exercises Don’t Suck Monkey Toes – Nothing turns me off a book more than when the exercises are dry, dull, or lame.
Genki's workbook is actually interesting. Grab it on Amazon, here.
- It’s A Workbook With a Sense of Humor – Any text book that mentions hangovers, breakups, and even cutting class is my kind of book! It’s serious Japanese that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
I think the pictures on this page might give you a sense of what I mean:
These pictures are a mild of example of the tone that the Genki takes. Super informative, but in a fun & interesting way.
- Mistakes Are Okay! - I can’t tell you how many screw ups I have in this book. Some of them I’ve corrected, some of them I haven’t. The beauty is, when you go back and re-read, you can get a great idea of where your Japanese was, and how much you’ve improved. This workbook allowed me to have fun embracing my mistakes. I still make them to this very day
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5. The Genki MP3 Audio
This is the other part of the course that really stands out to me. The listening on the beginning audio files give a voice to many of Genki’s interesting characters. The Japanese is spoken at a speed that beginners can understand without making you feel like a simpleton.
It’s also pretty cool that Genki uses an mp3 CD (would you believe that some Japanese textbooks are still using compact discs?!? Yes...in 2019! I kid you not). Being able to quickly and easily get your listening on your smart phone is a essential.
Why not listen on the go?
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6. A Book With a Sense Of Humor
You know one of my honest-to-goodness pet peeves? Dry teachers! You know, the kind of teacher where even if you take a nap before class, you still feel like your eyes are gonna roll back into your head from boredom. Not cool!
Luckily, Genki is a textbook the keeps lessons and exercises fun and light-hearted. Some of the pictures are giggle-worthy. But it's the funny stuff that makes the Japanese stick 🙂
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7. Genki Is Loaded With Pictures
To some of you reading this, you may be thinking this sounds a bit juvenile, but I have to wholeheartedly disagree with you there. I can't say that I think or dream in big blocks of text. My mind conjures pictures.
In addition, I think the pictures make Japanese so much less intimidating. Save the big blocks of text and super serious reading passages for the upper intermediate and advanced levels.
IS GENKI STARTING TO SOUND PRETTY GOOD TO YOU?
That's good! If it already sounds like a book that will GENUINELY help you improve, then you may want to try it.
THREE THINGS I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THE GENKI ONE
Nobody likes to be negative, but when you're doing a Genki One Textbook Review, it's absolutely necessary to discuss some the book's bad points:
- 1. Needs More "Real-World" Japanese
- 2. Not Enough Kana Practice
- 3. Expected More From The Kanji Section
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1. NEEDS MORE "REAL-WORLD" JAPANESE
While Genki rocks overall, this is one small gripe that I had after having looked at the Nihongo Matome series to prep for a JLPT test. Genki is a bit light on expressions and Japanese that you might hear out in the wild (on a train, in a grocery store). While you will pick up a ton of useful Japanese, there are so natural expression gaps.
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2. NOT ENOUGH EMPHASIS ON KANA
This is one of the biggest takeaways you should be able to pull from a beginning Japanese resource. Kana are such a big part of being able to propel your Japanese. But, I think not focusing on kana allows the textbook to focus on other important parts of the language. So this con definitely isn't a deal-breaker for me.
While I do feel like the textbook didn't place a large emphasis on the kana symbols you DO get to make up for it in the workbook. You'll write answers to so many questions using hiragana, katakana, and basic kanji symbols. By the time you finish the workbook, you'll be better than you think.
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3. EXPECTED MORE FROM THE KANJI SECTION
The kanji section of this book leaves a lot to be desired, but I think that’s for a reason. If this book focused on everything it would be overkill for a beginner. Besides, Genki also makes a book to help beginners with their kanji. I have that one, too. It’s pretty good stuff:
EVERY GOOD JAPANESE TEXTBOOK HAS NEGATIVES...
Even the popular Genki One Textbook. But if you're just getting started, it still might be the perfect book for you!
WHAT'S A GENKI LESSON LIKE?
A lesson is broken into four parts: 1) A Dialogue, 2) Vocabulary, and 3) Grammar, and 4) Practice
- 1) Dialogue - This 12-lesson textbook has dialogues that build as you go. The early dialogues have full English translations and even kanji with furigana (small hiragana characters written above or below kanji symbols to make reading simpler) to get you used to seeing basic characters.
- 2) Vocabulary - Each lesson has a list of useful, theme-based, vocabulary words. Some of the words come from the dialogue you listen to at the beginning of the unit.
- 3) Grammar – This is where Genki shines in my humble opinion. Genki takes basic Japanese grammar rules, explains them thoroughly, simply, and in plain English you can understand.
There are also straightforward examples of these grammar rules written in plain English. While I can’t say that every point was crystal clear after reading a grammar section (I would have to ask Japanese friends to help on occasion), the vast majority of them were crystal clear.
Sections that explained the conjugation of – “る,” “う,” and irregular verbs were pure platinum to me. It’s something that you won’t get from a phrase book, and once you start speaking and hearing Japanese on a regular basis, you’ll encounter conjugated verb forms all the time!
- 4) Practice - There are essentially two areas to practice what you're learning in the instructional sections of Genki. The first one comes immediately after the grammar section of the main textbook. The second
(nitty gritty practice) comes from the corresponding unit in the workbook.
Genki One Is For...
The person who wants to take Japanese classes but can't find a school that offers good ones in your area. Or, you can find classes that match your work schedule.
JLPT Takers
Yes I know many of you out there want to get Japanese certification (I've passed N3 and N4).
Genki played a big role in that.
I didn't do all of my test prep with Genki, but I did go through Genki I and II before I ever passed N3.
COMPLETE Beginners!
If you can’t speak a lick of Japanese…and I do mean none! Not a single solitary word, not an “arigatou,” not a “konnichiwa,”
Students who learn best by reading and listening.
Semi-Beginners
Maybe you started learning a little but you want to dig deeper. Genki is that first step to taking that beginner's curiosity a bit further.
Genki One Isn't For...
True Blue Tourists-
If you are sincerely just visiting and you don’t plan on coming back or doing any extended stays, those Lonely Planet phrasebooks may work better.
Genki is a much more thorough look at Japanese and takes time to digest and internalize.
Lazy Bums
In my best Mick voice
(Rocky’s original trainer):
“Don’t be a bum!”
Textbooks don’t read or study themselves. Unless you have a power I don't know about, just having the book won't make you better.
Genki is work. Yes, it can be fun, but it requires effort & regular review.
Students Who Love Video
At the time of this writing, Genki does recommend a textbook companion site that does have some video lesson content.
However, those videos absolutely pale in comparison to the textbook's quality and utility.
HOW DOES GENKI MEASURE UP TO OTHER COURSES?
Well, that’s a tough question for me to be a objective about, but this being a review and all…screw it!
If I had to pit Genki against any other popular textbook/software out there, from Pimsleur, to Japanese for Busy People, to Rosetta Stone, or anything in between, here’s what I say:
As an intro to Japanese Genki One would beat or provide serious competition for even the best beginner textbooks on market today. It’s a solid course that delivers.
WHAT DO OTHER PEOPLE THINK OF GENKI
See what other people are saying about Genki on Amazon.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
You would think that with all the stuff I’ve said about it, it would cost a fortune.
But the good thing is...it's crazy reasonable! This is what I paid when I bought at my local bookstore.
$49.98 Genki Japanese I Textbook and Companion CDs
$24.99 Genki Japanese I Workbook
$67.99 Genki Japanese I Teacher’s Manual and CDs
$41.69 Genki Picture Cards on CD Rom
Keep in mind, that Genki has discontinued the physical CDs in favor of a mp3 disc that's far cheaper.
It's the same great educational content at a fraction of the price.
Total Cost $184.65
Definitely worth every penny that I paid! The cool thing about Genki is if you don’t want to buy everything at once, buying in chunks is just fine, too.
WHERE CAN I BUY GENKI ONE?
Your local bookstore should have Genki. For those of you living in Japan, I've seen Genki in nearly every major bookstore chain that I've walked into (usually it's in the test prep area for foreigners).
Or you can have Genki One sent right to your doorstep via Amazon. Please note that the prices I paid in my local bookstore may not reflect Amazon's prices. Whatever its current price, I think you still get WAY MORE value than what you're paying.
IS GENKI THE BEST TEXTBOOK TO LEARN JAPANESE?
Yes, BUT I say this with a glaring caveat! It was the best book for ME to learn Japanese as a complete and utter newbie. I literally knew a few Pimsleur phrases and that was it. It was an incredible way to go from nothing to something in a relatively short period of time (four to six months).
GENKI TEXTBOOK REVIEW: MY RATING
Genki provides value above and beyond what you pay. I give Genki One 4.5 out of 5 stars.
This would be 90%. If we were giving this text a school grade, I'd say in the B+ to A- range.
If you’re looking for a solid resource that can make even some of the trickier basic Japanese concepts plain, try Genki I: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese. It’s the ultimate Japanese textbook for beginner.
GENKI ONE REVIEW: THE WRAP UP
If you’re just kicking things off with Japanese. I wish you nothing but the best!
I know learning Japanese can often seem frustrating or even intimidating. No two people have the same study methods, either, so you can end up getting all kinds of conflicting advice when you start out. Yep, I've been there, too.
Despite the cons we discussed earlier, there are very few books that successfully accomplish what Genki does. You get an inexpensive, easy-to-understand intro to Japanese that tells you like it is.
Get
Genki One
as a Bundle!
The Genki workbook and texbook go together like peanut butter and jelly. If you want to get the most out Genki, I HIGHLY recommend bundling the two.
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Genki I Demo Lesson
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Video Review
Prefer video reviews over written ones? Click the button below to see my full video review of Genki I: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese.
Textbooks ain't your thing? Another great option to get started learning Japanese is Japanesepod101.
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Genki blows. Elementary Japanese by Yoko Hasegawa is a way better course. FYI.
No way! Genki doesn’t blow. Genki is an awesome textbook for beginners. We’re gonna have to agree to disagree on that one.
I can’t claim to have read Yoko Hasegawa’s “Elementary Japanese,” it very well may be a good book…
But I stand behind the Genki Textbook because I learned so much from it when I knew first got here, when I knew absolutely nothing.
I do appreciate you sharing your thoughts, though.
How old were you when you got to Japan? Genki is geared towards a middle-school audience. So It is really hard to use if you are over 12.
a middle school audience? i think that’s why it’s for COMPLETE beginners, weird how that works out. cause i guess foreigners learning english in the states just get thrown with shakespeare from the get-go.
I’m gonna agree with you, Angelica. Why overcomplicate things if you don’t have to. I think simple helps things to stick, especially when you’re starting out. I like Genki and I’m sticking by it because it gave me a start when I knew nothing.
I didn’t think so, Wolfgang. I appreciate your point of view, but I really don’t think it was made for middle schoolers. When I started studying on my own, I did my research to see what some of the best U.S. Colleges were using as a 101 intro to Japanese and some of the best schools (even some of the Ivy Leagues) were using this book. I don’t know who’s using what, now, but I honestly found it effective.
I use this book in my college course. My only complaint with it so far really isn’t its fault at all. I used the Adventures in Japanese books for 3 years in high school, and the class I’m taking now uses this instead, and they don’t line up very well. So one page might be too hard for me, but the next one is too easy.
Last week, we actually did that activity on the page you posted! Even the teacher was making fun of the pictures.
I appreciate you posting about your experience with Genki. I really love it’s sense of humor. It makes a difficult subject so much more easy to stomach.
I’m finishing up the first Genki textbook in college. Mary San, Takeshi San and Yamashita sensei haunt my dreams! But it is amazing to look back at the beginning and realize how far it’s taken me. Good review!
Hahahah! I could see how that could happen. Gotta love Mary, Takeshi and Yamashita san. It makes a huge difference, right?!? I gotta second you on that, the book is amazing. Thanks for sharing, Victoria!
Thank you for your post! I lived in Japan for over 6 months and was in the same situation as you: using English at work, hanging out with English speakers… I came back and couldn’t speak a word!
I felt guilty but Genki’s giving me hope again haha 🙂
As you said the text book is a great tool, it gives me a lot of motivation when I see I can actually make sentences (almost) by myself.
Really and truly my pleasure, Louise!!
I thought so, too. If only for the foundational basics, it was effective in getting me started. It’s kinda up to me what I do with that knowledge now, though. Just actively have to keep studying and keep training. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Louise. So glad to hear you found it useful!
Hi I was looking for a Japanese text book and found this blog. I was wondering if you could answer a couple of questions:
Was buying the teachers guide nessasery or can you get buy with just the text books?
Also what do you think about the second text book after this one? Is that worth getting to?
Many thanks!
So sorry for the late reply! I don’t know why I’m just seeing this. No, the teacher’s guide isn’t necessary and you’ll still get a solid foundation. Yes the second textbook is worth getting. The 1st book in the series is a little stronger, but the second one is good, too. I’ll make sure to review the second book, too (and show all the positives and negatives). I hope that helps. Happy studying.
I am so sorry I’m just seeing this. I bought the teachers guides, but I don’t think they’re absolutely necessary. If you have the answer keys…that can be enough. I genuninely like Genki 2, too! It’s harder, but it should be. Yes, it’s absoluely worth buying.
Yo Ash! (I still love pokemon even though I was a little too old 4 it
back in 98). Your review for Genki is awesome & elaboate. I used
Genki II for my last semester of Japanese. Very informative indeed. Even though my Japanese is mechanical, I still review. I can Read, Write & speak but not understand yet. Nevertheless great review & thanks for posting!
Thanks you for the kind words. Japanse is like that isn’t it? You almost have to review it often or you get dull with certain aspects of it (namely grammar and kanji for this guy)
I uised Yokoso for my 2nd & 3rd semesters. I used Learn Japanese by Dr. Okane & Dr. Young. My brother & his wife work in Japan. My sister in law is great with kana. My bro said he blows at kana so I recommended him Learn Japanese by Young & Okane since it’s romanized. My bro said it would of made his life in Japan so much easier.
This was very insightful thank you for that. I was told that after genki 2. You should be on a B1 level of sorts. Would you agree?
Hey Tony. Hmm…Genki 2 is significantly more challenging than Genki 1 especially in the mid to late units. However, I don’t think Genki 1 and Genki 2 are enough to get you to N1 level (even if you know it cold…backwards and forwards). But it will give you a crazy, solid foundation to build on.
Was reading the Genki book a daily thing for you? Or like, a lesson/week kinda thing?
Did you ever have those days when you felt like procrastinating? If so, what was your motivation?
Oh my gosh, ThunderFlame! Great questions. Honestly, frustration motivates me like you wouldn’t believe. I had several happenings that made me frustrated enough to study (even if only a littel) every day for about 6 months-ish. After that point, you start seeing/recognizing more around you and those a-ha moments become motivation, too. I won’t say I was perfect, though. YES, I had moments of procrastination. When it hits, I give myself a break…do something I REALLY love doing (martial arts or training in my case). Usually that helps. If it doesn’t I lighten my load a bit. Most times procrastination hits me when I’m overwhelmed in the rest of my life. Hope that helps, my friend.
hello! thanks for sharing your honest opinions on the textbook! i am a semi-beginner – learnt in a Japanese language school for about a year back in 2009 and was ready to take N5 but i didn’t (which i regret now) – and i am planning to get Genki 1 as a refresher. however, i am curious, if i should finish Genki 1 on my own, would it prep me enough for a N5 pass? appreciate your thoughts on this! 🙂