Interactive Japanese: An Introductory Course, Book 1 (International Series)

Whether you are an absolute beginner or have a smattering of the language, Interactive Japanese 1 can set you firmly and confidently on the path to fluency. By introducing the language step by step, with each step explained and illustrated in a realistic and usable way, this text navigates you through the fundamentals of the Japanese language. In addition, the numerous notes on social and cultural aspects of Japan help you use the language in an appropriate fashion while providing some of the background information you need when interacting with Japanese people.
Interactive Japanese 1 and its cassette tapes (sold separately) teaches the basics of Japanese conversation with a focus on commonly used daily expressions, question and answer techniques and the conversational strategies you need to interact with Japanese people either as a visitor to Japan or as a host in your own country.
Besides being an introduction to Japanese conversation, Interactive Japanese 1 teaches the basics of the writing system. You learn to read and write all the hiragana, twenty-four kanji, and acquire dictionary skills as well. This text also exposes you to katakana and a considerable number of additional kanji without requiring their mastery. Romanization is included for all Japanese script in the first three lessons. From Lesson 4 this romanization is progressively replaced by the hiragana and the kanji covered in the textbook. This step by step introduction of Japanese script steadily raises your reading and writing level in parallel with the improvement in your speaking and listening.