Can you guess the snack?

The cover invites learners to ask, “What could these colourful shapes be?” A collage of popular Japanese snacks creates a fun puzzle before the reading even begins.

Every page begins with the question 「この おかしは なに？」 (What snack is this?).

Learners read a simple clue, such as:

• 「ちゃいろ。ちいさい　 きのこ。」 → きのこの山
• 「ほそい。 チョコレート スティック。」 → ポッキー
• 「ピンクと 　ちゃいろ。さんかく。」 → アポロ

They guess the snack before turning the page to discover the answer.

Authentic photographs introduce learners to popular Japanese snacks that can often be found in supermarkets and Asian grocery stores around the world. The repeated question-and-answer pattern builds early reading confidence while making learning fun.

The final page celebrates the colourful world of Japanese snacks and encourages learners to talk about their favourite treats.

This reader helps learners build reading confidence through curiosity, authentic Japanese language, and the discovery of Japanese snack culture.

Special thanks to Glico, Lotte, and Meiji for kindly granting permission to feature their products in this book.

Language Features

Students will practise:

• Reading the simple question 「この おかしは なに？」
• Reading hiragana
• Recognising basic katakana with hiragana support (furigana)
• Using simple descriptive words (e.g. colours, size, shape, and position)
• Using picture clues to predict meaning
• Building beginner vocabulary
• Developing reading confidence through repeated question patterns
• Discovering popular Japanese snacks and everyday Japanese culture

Details:

Japanese Reader Level: 1
Recommended for: Complete Beginners
Language Focus: Simple question pattern (この おかしは なに？)
Vocabulary Theme:
Cultural Theme: Everyday Japanese snack culture

Character Count: 325
Pages: 20
Product Type: A5 saddle-stitched booklet
ISBN: 978-1-925808-02-5

Perfect For

• Students progressing from words to simple Japanese phrases
• Primary school Japanese programs
• Beginning secondary school students
• Adult beginners
• Home learning
• Japanese language classrooms
• Introducing Japanese snack culture through authentic photographs

📚 Teaching & Learning Resources

Every reader includes free access to our Resource Library.

Included with every reader:

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

Also available for schools and teachers:

• 🖥️ Class Sets with Online Flipbooks

💜 A Note from Mariko Sensei

As a child, I always looked forward to afternoon snack time. Now and then, I was allowed to choose a special Japanese treat, and that was always exciting.

Some of my favourites were Apollo, Choco Baby, and Kinoko no Yama. I loved pouring the tiny Choco Baby chocolates from the box and eating them one by one. But my favourite of all was Caplico—an ice cream cone-shaped chocolate snack that always made me smile.

I created this reader so learners can enjoy discovering the colourful and playful world of Japanese snacks while building confidence in reading Japanese. Many of these snacks can now be found in supermarkets and Asian grocery stores around the world, so I hope you’ll have fun looking for them and trying them yourself.

Happy reading!

— Mariko Sensei

📖 Your Next Japanese Reader

Now that you’ve practised reading simple questions and recognising popular Japanese snacks, continue your reading journey with more authentic Japanese culture.

Try these readers next:

• これなに？ — Continue guessing everyday objects and discover beautiful traditional Japanese wagashi.
• どうぶつ —Read simple descriptive sentences using ～です and ～じゃないです..
• からだは なにいろ？ — Build confidence reading simple descriptive sentences while learning colours and body parts.

📚 Explore More Japanese Reader Packs

Continue your Japanese reading journey with our carefully graded Japanese Reader Packs.

• Beginner Hiragana Readers Starter Pack (Levels 1–3) — A carefully graded introduction to reading Japanese through words, phrases, questions, and simple sentences.
• Primary & Elementary School Japanese Readers Pack — Authentic Japanese readers designed for young learners, with engaging cultural topics and visual support.
• All Japanese Readers Pack — Our complete collection of graded readers, providing a structured pathway from Level 1 to Level 9.

These Japanese readers are intended for individual use and extensive reading (tadoku).

© Mariko Earle. All rights reserved.