Hiragana Times Information
About Hiragana Times
The magazine that introduces the real Japan to the world
Hiragana Times is truly a unique magazine, in which you can study a language while learning information about Japan. Each Japanese paragraph is followed by its English translation, and furigana are placed above each kanji to make Japanese study even easier. This concept was recognized at the NTT magazine contest where Hiragana Times was awarded the Grand Prize twice and the Best Editing Award once on separate occasions. Furthermore, the articles are often used in English and Japanese examinations by universities, schools and other institutions. Hiragana Times has been published since 1986 and has readers in more than 100 countries. Readers are mainly in their 20s and 30s, but the number of middle-aged and elderly readers has been rapidly increasing in recent years.
Many exciting articles for readers
Read fascinating interview articles, for example, "Business Spotlight" and "People in Japan." In addition, Hiragana Times features articles that introduce Japan such as those in the “Insight into Japan” section, including "Close up Japan", "Cross-Cultural Barrier, " "Japan Watching," “Japan in the World” and "Japanese History Makers." Hiragana Times also features pages of practical information such as "Visa Q&A," “Working in Japan,” "Hot Products" and “Topics and Events,” in which a wide variety of interesting information about the latest trends, events, books and new products is available. The magazine also runs special features that cover a range of interesting Japan-related topics, as well as a monthly “Cover Story” about travel.
[ Latest Issue page ]
Revolutionary multi-level hiragana texts with audio!
Since the January 2009 issue, standard Japanese texts have been added below the texts in the 11-page “Insight into Japan (text sample)” section. Now Japanese learners will be able to learn also standard Japanese sentences with kanji while reading the hiragana texts. As appropriate English words are positioned just below each hiragana word or phrase, you will be able to understand the meaning of the hiragana texts on the spot without having to use a dictionary.
[ Multi-level hiragana texts information ]
A Digital version of Hiragana Times is also available
The digital version of Hiragana Times contains exactly the same contents and layout as the printed magazine and can be viewed page by page on the Web and enlarged or reduced simply by clicking on the screen. By printing every page on your printer, you will be able to create your own Hiragana Times magazine. The audio of the “Insight into Japan” (11 pages) is accompanied by this Digital version. English and Japanese sentences are recorded alternatively sentence by sentence. Since recordings are created in MP3 format, you will be able to download them onto an iPod or other mobile devices.
[ Digital version Sample ] How to use
Contents
- Close up Japan (Sample)
- Cross-Cultural Barrier (Sample)
- Japan Watching (Sample)
- Japan in the World (Sample)
- Japanese History Makers (Sample)
Click here to go to the subscription page
How to purchase the Hiragana Times
- On sale on the 20th of every month in Japan
- Available in Japan at middle-sized bookstores. We recommend the foreign book section of a larger book store.
- Available outside Japan at Japanese bookstores or Japanese centers in major cities of the world.
- The price in Japan is 450 yen. Outside Japan the price varies.
- To obtain a subscription, please fill in the subscription page on the site.
Readers' Service, the Hiragana Times
TVB Akebonobashi Bldg. 4F, 1-18, Sumiyoshi-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0065
Phone:03-3341-8989 FAX:03-3341-8987
info@hiraganatimes.com
