🎌 Discover Shiritori with This Level 1 Japanese Reader

Shiritori Japanese Word Game (しりとり) is a Level 1 Japanese Reader that helps beginning learners build confidence reading Hiragana and Katakana through one of Japan’s best-loved childhood word games.

Shiritori is simple: one person says a word, and the next word must begin with the final Hiragana sound of the previous word.

In this reader, learners can see the word chain develop page by page through authentic photographs:

とら → らくだ → だるま → まいこ → こいのぼり → りんご → ゴーカート → トマト…

The photographs give beginning readers strong visual clues, helping them connect Japanese sounds and written words with meaning.

🎯 Language Features in This Level 1 Japanese Reader

Students will practise:

• Reading individual Japanese words
• Recognising Hiragana sounds within words
• Recognising Katakana words such as ゴーカート、トマト、トイレットペーパー and アイスクリーム
• Connecting the final Hiragana sound of one word with the beginning of the next
• Using photographs to predict and confirm meaning
• Reading long vowel marks ー
• Recognising that words ending in ん cannot continue a Shiritori chain
• Building Japanese vocabulary through meaningful visual contexts

📖 Level 1 Japanese Reader Details

Reading Level: Level 1
Recommended for: Beginning Japanese readers
Text Type: Words / Japanese word game
Language Focus: Hiragana sounds, Katakana recognition & word connections
Vocabulary Theme: Everyday objects, animals, food & Japanese cultural vocabulary
Cultural Theme: Traditional Japanese childhood word games
Script: Hiragana & Katakana with reading support
Character Count: 95
Pages: 21
Product Type: A5 saddle-stitched booklet
ISBN: 978-1-925808-09-4

Perfect For

• Absolute beginner Japanese learners
• Learners beginning to move from Hiragana recognition to reading complete words
• Primary and elementary Japanese programs
• Early secondary Japanese beginners
• Students learning Hiragana and beginning Katakana
• Visual learners who benefit from authentic photographs
• Japanese vocabulary development
• Guided and independent reading
• Classroom literacy activities
• Building confidence before progressing to simple Japanese sentences

📚 Teaching & Learning Resources

Every reader includes free access to our Resource Library, designed to support both classroom teaching and independent learning.

Included with every reader

• 🎧 Audio recordings narrated by Mariko Sensei
• 📖 English translation
• 💻 Quizlet vocabulary activities

🏫 Teaching a Class? Explore the Shiritori Class Set

Bring Shiritori (しりとり) into your classroom with printed readers for every student and a matching Online Flipbook for whole-class display.

Choose 10, 15, 20, or 25 printed readers with password-protected Online Flipbook access, allowing students to follow the word chain in their own books while the teacher displays the same pages on an interactive whiteboard or classroom screen. The current Class Set listing confirms these four options.

👉 Explore Shiritori (しりとり) Class Set & Online Flipbook

💜 A Note from Mariko Sensei

Growing up in Japan, Shiritori was one of those simple games that everyone knew how to play. We played it as children with friends and family, taking turns thinking of a word that began with the last sound of the word before it.

The fun was trying to think quickly—and, of course, avoiding a word ending in ん, because that meant you lost!

I created this reader to introduce learners not only to Japanese words and sounds, but also to a game that has been enjoyed by generations of Japanese children.

Through the photographs and word chain, learners can practise reading Hiragana and Katakana while experiencing Japanese in a playful and meaningful way.

I hope this book encourages you to start making your own Shiritori chains—and perhaps even play with your friends!

Happy reading!

— Mariko Sensei

📖 Your Next Japanese Reader

Now that you’ve started reading individual Japanese words, you’re ready to take the next step with simple phrases and questions while continuing to discover Japanese culture.

🪁 Kites (たこ) — Continue at an accessible level with simple Japanese words and strong visual support while discovering colorful Japanese kites.

❓ What Is It? (これなに？) — Build confidence with simple Japanese question-and-answer patterns supported by engaging photographs.

🍫 Japanese Snacks (にほんのおかし) — Continue early Japanese reading through a fun guessing quiz using simple clues, colors, shapes, and photographs of popular Japanese snacks.

📚 Explore More Japanese Reader Packs

🌱 Beginner Hiragana Readers Starter Pack — Start with carefully graded Levels 1–3 readers that progress from simple words to sentences and stories.

🏫 Primary & Elementary School Readers Pack — Explore 15 Japanese readers from Levels 1–4 for young learners and school Japanese programs.

📚 Progressive Japanese Reader Collection — Explore the complete collection from Level 1 through advanced Japanese reading.

📌 Important Information

This Japanese Reader is designed for individual use and extensive reading (Tadoku).

Copyright © Mariko Earle. All rights reserved.

Please do not copy, reproduce, distribute, or share any part of this book without permission from the copyright holder.