Children growing up with Japanese at home often understand and speak far more than they can read or write. The materials below help close that gap, from Japan’s own school textbooks to fun drills you can do at the kitchen table.
家で日本語を使って育つ子は、読み書きよりも「聞く・話す」がずっと先に進んでいることがよくあります。日本の教科書から、台所のテーブルでできる楽しいドリルまで、その差をうめる教材を集めました。
Textbooks / 教科書
Japanese school textbooks (free for eligible children abroad)
JOES distributes the same textbooks used in Japan, free of charge (you pay shipping and handling), to children with Japanese nationality who plan to live abroad for a year or more. Families planning to stay abroad permanently are not eligible. Children who attend a hoshuko (Saturday Japanese school) use these textbooks there.
日本国籍があり、海外に1年以上滞在する予定の小・中学生には、海外子女教育振興財団(JOES)から日本と同じ教科書が無償で配られます(送料・手数料は自己負担)。永住予定の場合は対象外です。補習授業校に通う子は、学校でこの教科書を使います。
Ohisama [Hajime no Ippo]: Japanese for Children
Made for multilingual children learning Japanese at Saturday schools, at home, or abroad. Lots of pictures and photos, with activities that grow vocabulary and curiosity together. A workbook is also available.
補習校や家庭、海外など、いろいろな言語環境で日本語を学ぶ子どものための教科書。イラストや写真が多く、ことばと一緒に好奇心も育つ活動が入っています。ワークブックもあります。くろしお出版。
Drills & workbooks / ドリル・練習帳
Many heritage kids can chat in Japanese but freeze when it's time to write. Our workbooks start from the letters they already hear every day, at their own pace.
話せるのに、書くとなると手が止まる。継承語の子によくあることです。J-Family の練習帳は、毎日耳にしている音の文字から、その子のペースで始められます。
Hiragana grouped by similar shapes, with memorable phrases and 8–10 picture words per letter. Scan the QR codes to watch how each letter is written and hear how it sounds — helpful even if you don't speak Japanese yourself.
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A trace-and-write hiragana workbook, including dakuten, small tsu and long vowels. No videos, so your child can focus on steady handwriting practice.
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Practice katakana words and simple sentences that mix katakana and hiragana. The next step after hiragana, in the same J-Family Nihongo Kazoku series.
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From Japanese counters (hitotsu, ikko, hitori, ichimai…) to hundreds, thousands, time and months. QR-code videos explain each page, so you can learn alongside your child.
View on Amazon →Unko Drill: Kanji
Every example sentence is a poop joke, and kids who hate kanji practice suddenly ask for more. One book per grade.
例文がぜんぶ「うんこ」で、漢字ぎらいの子も笑いながら進めます。学年ごとに1冊。文響社。
Courses & classes / 通信教育・教室
Shinken Zemi / Kodomo Challenge (Benesse)
Japan's biggest home-learning course, following the Japanese school year. Families abroad can sign up for the overseas edition.
日本の学年に合わせて進む、定番の通信教育。海外受講もできます。
Z-kai
A home-learning course known for thinking-focused materials. From abroad, the elementary tablet course works on your own iPad; the Z-kai tablet itself can't be used outside Japan.
考える力を重視した通信教育。海外では小学生タブレットコースなどが受講でき、Z会専用タブレットは使えないので手持ちのiPadなどで学びます。
Hoshuko (Saturday Japanese schools)
Japanese schools abroad, supported by Japan's Ministry of Education, that teach kokugo and other subjects, usually on Saturdays, using Japanese school textbooks. Not every city has one, so check what's near you.
文部科学省が支援する海外の日本語の学校。主に土曜日に、日本の教科書で国語などを学びます。すべての都市にあるわけではないので、近くにあるか確認を。
Kumon kokugo (Japanese) abroad
Some cities have Kumon centres where Japanese instructors teach the Japanese-language kokugo course. Availability depends on where you live, so ask your local Kumon.
都市によっては、日本人の先生が国語を教える公文の教室があります。地域によって違うので、お住まいの国の公文に確認を。
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Information checked October 2026. Prices and availability may change. 2026年10月時点の情報です。