The 20 Best Textbooks for JLPT N3

When learning for your Japanese Language Proficiency Test or JLPT, you need to purchase the correct textbooks to be able to train or learn efficiently. These books can be bought on many different online book sites, including Amazon.

The 20 best textbooks for JLPT N3:

New Kanzen Master JLPT N3 Grammar Textbook
New Kanzen Master JLPT N3 Kanji Textbook
New Kanzen JLPT N3 Reading Comprehension
New Kanzen JLPT N3 Listening (with a CD)
Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 Grammar
Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 Kanji
Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 Reading Comprehension
Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 Vocabulary
Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 Listening Comprehension (with CD)
JLPT N3 Official Practice Workbook
JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 Grammar
JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 Katakana
JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 Kanji
JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 (with 2 CD’s) Listening
JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 Reading
JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 Vocabulary
Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese
An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese (with 2 CD’s)
Try! Japanese Language Proficiency Test N3 (with a CD)
Mimi Kara Oboeru – New JLPT N3 (with a CD) Mastering “Listening” Through Auditory Learning

JLPT N3 textbooks come in different series, made by different companies. There are four parts to the JLPT exam, and these are split into four sections: vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening. When purchasing textbooks for JLPT, you will find that these books are bought for their specific purpose, for example, there is a textbook for vocabulary and another textbook for grammar, etc. There are, however, textbooks with all four skills included in one book.

The 20 Best Textbooks for JLPT N3 Learning

N3 learners need to have the correct textbooks for learning. It all depends on how a student learns, as to which textbook or series of textbooks he/she will purchase. Students need to be at an upper-intermediate level to be able to pass this level. The N3 level will enable the student to use the N3 exam marks to apply for work or school applications. This level is considered the upper-intermediate Japanese speaking level.

1. New Kanzen Master JLPT N3 Grammar Textbook:

The New Kanzen Master JLPT N3 Grammar textbook has 159 pages and is written in Japanese and English. It enables the student to grasp Japanese grammar well. There are in-depth grammar explanations in this book. This book also improves sentence construction and explains how to use structures correctly in sentences. It also prepares the student for their N3 Grammar examination.

This textbook does not only prepare the student for the JLPT N3 examination, but it gives the student a deeper understanding of the structure of the sentences. It also explains the small differences found in grammar sentences that look very similar. It also allows the learner to avoid making common mistakes.

This book is divided up into five sections:

Mondai Shokai is the introduction of the textbook. It provides information and tips on what type of questions are asked and how to solve these questions.

Jitsuryoku Yoseihen is a section that provides similar sentence constructions, which are paired together. There are English explanations and sentences to help you understand these differences. Then there are questions where you choose the correct grammar structure.

Jitsuryolu Yoseihen Part 2, is all about sentence structure and word positioning. There are sentences with four words missing, and the student has to provide the correct grammar structure to complete the sentences correctly.

Jitsuryolu Yoseihen Part 3, this is a problem-solving section, where students will learn how to read and gather important information. There is also information about where to place verbs (they always come last in a sentence structure) and when not to use conjunctions.

Mogi Shiken is the mock test section. It covers everything in the textbook and provides the same format as the actual examination.

The New Kanzen Master JLPT N3 series is the most popular series, and 92% of all learners use this series as their main textbooks for learning.

2. New Kanzen Master JLPT N3 Kanji Textbook

The New Kanzen Master JLPT N3 Kanji textbook has 115 pages. It is written in Japanese and English and includes an answer key. This textbook is for learners who are entering the intermediate phase and have completed the N4 examinations. The student would have completed 300 kanji for the N4 examination and will now learn another 345 kanji for the N3 examination.

This book explains the theoretical side of kanji. It is designed to teach you kanji in the statement, and it teaches the actual expressions. It has exercises for practicing reading of every different expression or context.

This textbook is divided up into five chapters, and at the end of the book, there are two mock examinations to prepare the learner for the N3 examination:

Chapter 1: “Single kanji that form whole words.”

This chapter teaches the student single kanji’s, which form whole words. The student will learn which reading to use when there is only one kanji.

Chapter 2: “Kanji from which many words are derived.”

This chapter explains why the learner why the individual kanji is important, and how to understand vocabulary when a word consists of more than one kanji.

Chapter 3: “Kanji used in context in political, economic, or other contexts.”

Kanji is used in context with politics, economy, society, education, culture, and lifestyle. In this chapter, you learn Kanji and vocabulary related to politics and economy, etc.

Chapter 4: “Kanji with both on-yomi and kun-yomi to be learned.”

When learning kanji it is very important to know both the kun- and kun-yomi. This chapter focuses on these kanji and their readings.

Chapter 5: “Kanji with many different readings.”

This chapter teaches the student kanji with many different readings by trying to get two or more of them in a single sentence.

Mock tests:

This session consists of 2 mock tests and covers everything learned in the textbook. The tests are formatted in the same way as the actual examination.

3. New Kanzen JLPT N3 Reading Comprehension:

The New Kanzen JLPT N3 Reading Comprehension textbook comprises of 159 pages, is written in Japanese and English, and has an answer key. There are 33 example exercises, 64 practice exercises, and a practice test in this textbook.

It is filled with all types of reading material, from advertisements to business articles. It enables the student to read the contents, summarize important information, and select correct answers. The question and answers are multiple-choice.

This textbook consistents of 5 sessions:

Mastering the basics: This section covers basic reading skills in Japanese, different styles that are used, how the sentences are structured, and both questions and answers. It also teaches the learner how to ready quicker, how to read long sentences, and what to do if you don’t know a word.
Reading different kinds of text: The learner will learn how to read instructions, emails, articles, etc.
Finding out what you need to know: This session helps the learner to summarize what they have read. The student will read the article quickly and make notes of important facts or sequences.
Exam type question: This section shows the exam display that is shown in the actual exam. It displays the same types of questions asked, making it easier for the learner to be prepared for the examination.
Mock test: The mock test is formatted exactly like the real examination, with the exact amount of questions and time limit.

4. New Kanzen JLPT N3 Listening (with a CD)

This textbook is divided into eight sessions:

Question sample: This session introduces the questions, which will be asked in the examination.
Becoming used to distinctive sounds: This session teaches the sounds of different words and sentences and helps the learner to hear the spoken Japanese accent.
Verbal expression skills training: This session teaches the learner the importance of context, and it helps the student to understand the verbal expressions.
Quick response skills training: This section increases the learner’s ability to process what they read very quickly. It involves both listening and speaking.
Tasked-based comprehension skills training: In this session, the learner will learn to process larger amounts of information. It comprises listening and understanding a whole conversation.
Key point comprehension skills training: In this section, the learner will learn to identify key points in a conversation.
General outline comprehension skills training: In this section, the learner is taught to understand not what the person is saying, but their intention is.
Mock test: This test is similar to the test used in the examination.

5. Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 Grammar:

This textbook is designed to be finished in six weeks. This book helps with simple grammar structures in different sentences. The Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 books are considered to be the easiest books for foreigners to work from.

6. Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 Kanji:

This book is designed as a six-week course. It gives the student all the kanji they will need to be able to complete and pass the exam. The student will learn 336 kanji and about 800 words.

7. Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 Reading Comprehension:

This textbook is designed to be completed in six weeks. It starts with easier spoken Japanese and moves onto N3 reading material.

8. Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 Vocabulary:

This textbook has pictures, words, and phrases to help the student learn vocabulary and simple sentences.

9. Nihongo So-matome JLPT N3 Listening Comprehension (with CD):

This book is a new addition! It focuses on all the different aspects of the test. It is suitable for learners who know the basics and are moving on to the intermediate level. It comes with a CD, and the student is encouraged to listen and process the conversation or comprehension, as quickly as possible.

10. JLPT N3 Official Practice Workbook:

This textbook is filled with old exam questions and answers for the JLPT N3 exams. It is helpful as it gives the student an idea of what types of questions will be asked during the actual N3 exam.

The JLPT N3 Official Practice Workbook is a very good supplementary textbook with questions, which are used during the actual exam.

11. JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 Grammar:

This textbook is divided up into three sections. The first section goes over work done in previous textbooks. The second section is a practice section to apply your current knowledge. It includes grammar, vocabulary, and common expressions. The last section covers two ‘mock’ test questions and answers.

The JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master Series is a series that some individuals prefer.

12. JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 Katakana:

This textbook helps the student with the basic structure of the Katakana characters. It is divided into three sections. The first section helps you to improve your knowledge of the katakana characters. The second section is the practice section, where the student will do practical exercises. The third section has two ‘mock’ test questions and answers.

13. JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 Kanji:

This textbook helps the student to identify the kanji characters and build on existing knowledge. The book is divided up into three sections.

The first section goes over the basic knowledge of kanji characters, learned in the earlier edition. The second section is where you know the basics and need to apply your knowledge of types of texts. It also goes over the kanji knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and expressions, which are usually used. The last section consists of two ‘mock’ tests, which the student will do, to see whether they will pass their N3 exam or not.

14. JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 (with 2 CD’s) Listening:

This textbook is divided into three sections. The first section teaches the student how to listen properly. The second section is practicing listening skills, and the third section is practicing JLPT comprehension.

15. JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 Reading:

This textbook is divided up into three sections, but before you start reading this book, you will need knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, and the ability to process information. The first section is to improve the students reading skills. The second section goes over different texts and different types of content. The third section consists of two ‘mock’ tests.

16. JLPT Preparation Book Speed Master – Quick Mastery of N3 Vocabulary:

This textbook is a great vocabulary book. It is divided into sections. The first section consists of 54 Units, with different themes; for example, ‘weather’ is one theme. There are a lot of written sentences in this book, making it very valuable. The second section consists of vocabulary and sentences rather that themes.

17. Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese:

The textbook consists of all four of the different language skills tested in the JLPT exam, speaking, writing, listening, and reading. The student should have completed at least 300 hours of JLPT learning before purchasing this book.

This book is divided up into 15 chapters and covers vocabulary lists, reading, grammar, kanji, and listening. The student will also get a link to the Tobira official website, where they can get access to multimedia audio activities and other help needed.

The Tobira: Gateway to Advanced Japanese textbook is a useful supplementary book for N3 learners.

18. An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese (with 2 CD’s):

This textbook is said to be a best-seller for intermediate Japanese studies. Not only does this book include all four language skills, speaking, writing, listening, and reading, but it gives the student an understanding of the Japanese culture. There are 15 chapters, which cover speed reading, listening skills, grammar exercises, and lists of kanji. Two CD’s come with the textbook, which allows the student to hear the spoken language.

An integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese textbook is another good supplementary textbook, which can be used with a main series of textbooks.

19. Try! Japanese Language Proficiency Test N3 (with a CD)

This series of textbooks consists of 5 books, one for each level. This book provides extra practice for the JLPT N3 exam. It is divided into eleven chapters, and it concentrates on different real-life conversations. Grammar, listening, and reading are all included in the book, and there is a CD, which will help the student prepare for the listening part of the exam.

Try! Japanese Language Proficiency Test N3 is a wonderful supplementary book and CD for listening exercises.

20. Mimi Kara Oboeru – New JLPT N3 (with a CD) Mastering “Listening” Through Auditory Learning:

This textbook is at the N3 level. It comprises of three main skills: basic skills, applied skills, and practical skills.

Basic skills consist of listening, vocabulary, expressions, and grammar. It also has a section on understanding the feelings of the speaker. There are applied skills, which involve problem-solving during the actual test. It teaches the student how to use different techniques to solve the listening comprehension test. Two CDs are available with this book for auditory comprehension and listening exercises.

The Mimi Mara Oboeru – New JLPT N3 textbook is a very good supplementary textbook, which can be added to the main series used.

How Does One Prepare for the JLPT N3 Exams?

The JLPT exam is organized by the Japanese Ministry of Education, and it is for foreign students who wish to become fluent in spoken Japanese. These students often want to attend a Japanese school or university, or they want to apply for a job in Japan.

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test consists of 5 different levels. N5 is the beginner level, N4 teaches basic Japanese level, N3 is an upper-intermediate level, then we get N2 and N1 being the most advanced Japanese learning level. N3 is a much larger jump from N4 than from N5 to N4.

JLPT N3 is an in-between level, and is a good level to get a position in any company in Japan or to be able to enter a university for study. For a student to pass the JLPT N3 exam, they must know about 650 kanji and 3750 vocabulary words.

The best way to prepare the JLPT N3 is to purchase textbooks that you will learn from. These textbooks must suit your learning style. It is recommended that students use more than one set of textbooks to acquire all the vocabulary and kanji.

The textbooks can be purchased on Amazon and other online educational book sites. It is interesting to know that if you are not satisfied with the book’s contents, you can return the book to Amazon.

Choosing the correct textbooks is very important, and each textbook has a different concept or way of teaching. They use different layouts and different teaching methods. It is purely one’s way of learning as to what textbooks you would prefer. These textbooks are filled with illustrations and exercises to help you learn the Japanese language.

Many textbooks come with CDs. These CDs provide listening exercises, as well as help the student with their pronunciation of words and sentences.

Most N3 textbooks are divided up into 5 different books, vocabulary, kanji, comprehension, listening, reading, and grammar. However, some textbooks cover all five subjects in one textbook.

The student needs to know their vocabulary and kanji to be able to pass their N3 exam. Reading sessions in N3 require a large amount of furigana, and a large amount of reading is expected. The student will find that the speed of the narrator, in the listening sections, will be increased, compared to N4. The student needs to have a good knowledge of the grammar patterns.

At the end of each textbook, there is a ‘mock’ test, for you to complete. If you pass these mock tests, you should pass your JLPT N3 exam.

Why is Learning with a Textbook so Important?

Textbooks are still widely used in our society. They are still very important for the learning of a language. Textbooks today have beautiful illustrations, and the JLPT N3 books do not only have text in them, but they also have pictures and diagrams, which make the books interesting and easy to learn from. Textbooks also should be used as a foundation, along with other useful learning materials, or other supplementary textbooks.

A textbook, which is made for a specific subject, would have all the needed exercises and reading material needed for the exam. Supplementary material can be added for extra scope on the topic and extra practice.

Other methods used to learn for your JLTP N3 exam:

Podcasts: Finding good Japanese podcasts can help you with your N3 exam preparation. The more we are exposed to hearing a language, the faster we will learn.

Music: Listen to Japanese music and understanding the lyrics will improve your general understanding of the language.

Audiobooks: Purchase audiobooks, which are a direct reading of a Japanese story. The student can practice pronunciation and reading using a storybook and an audiobook at the same time.

Movies: There are many Japanese movies, which can be watched. One way to learn a language, and learn pronunciation, is to view other people conversing. It is helpful to watch movies that have English subtitles. This enables the English student to understand what has been said.

Books: Reading other written material will increase your ability to read and understand a language. If there is a movie, which is made from an existing book, one could purchase both, and first, watch the movie and then read the book. This will help with the general understand of the language.

Online teaching sites: There are numerous teaching sites, where you can find all types of affordable tuition to prepare you for your JLPT N3 exams. These sites are udemy (link), italki, cambly, and teachable. These sites either provide online courses, presentations and learner videos, or online teaching with a Japanese teacher.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using a Textbook

Advantages

Textbooks are usually used as a foundation when learning a subject.
They are very useful to the teacher and the student because they have all the important methods, instructions, and answers, which are needed when learning the subject.
Textbooks that are made for a specific exam, usually cover the exam topic thoroughly.
They also have important exercises, which the student will need to complete to able to pass the examination.
New language textbooks are made differently from previous additions. Teachers have formulated these books to keep the student’s interest. They usually have interesting illustrations and phrases set out in such a way that the student does not lose interest.
Chapters are set out well so that the student does not find the material tedious.

Disadvantages

Some textbooks do not cover all the work, which could be asked in an examination.
Old textbooks consist mainly of writing with little or no illustrations, which could make learning tedious.
Old textbooks may not cover the correct amount of work, as these exams usually change over time. So it is important to select textbooks, which are up to date.
Textbooks are old fashioned and are no longer used as the main source for education.
Some students find reading difficult and may become bored with the learning material.
If a student purchases a textbook, which does not suit their learning style, they will not benefit as well. One cannot always view these books before purchasing them.

Time to Study!

Once you’ve picked the best textbooks for you, it’s time to carve out plenty of time to study. But, with these best textbooks for the JLPT N3, you will be fully prepared to pass this difficult test.