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文庫BunkoJapanese classics, made readable with AI

青空文庫 · classics from Aozora Bunko

Read Japanese classics in the original

Famous Japanese short stories with furigana on every kanji, an English translation beside every sentence, and notes on the words and grammar you need — graded by JLPT level. Free.

Start at N5 Browse the library

89stories
111easy retellings
N5–N1all levels

What is in each edition

Furigana you control

Readings on every kanji. Hide them for the words you already know.

Sentence by sentence

An original English translation next to each Japanese sentence.

Notes on every page

The vocabulary and grammar that matter, with JLPT levels.

Graded by level

Measured difficulty for every story, plus retellings for N5 and N4.

Why bunko.ai

Real Japanese stories, finally within reach

Graded readers are written for learners. These stories were written for Japanese readers, and with AI we can give you everything you need to read them anyway: a translation of every sentence, readings for every kanji, and notes on the words that would stop you. Every page is checked twice before it's published.

How we make them →

N5Beginner reading

All N5 stories →

Cover of 赤いろうそくと人魚 (Akai Rōsoku to Ningyo)

赤いろうそくと人魚
The Mermaid and the Crimson Candles
Retold for N5 · after Ogawa Mimei

Cover of 赤い蝋燭と人魚 (Akai Rōsoku to Ningyo)

赤い蝋燭と人魚
Red Candles on the Shrine Hill
Retold for N5 · after Ogawa Mimei

Cover of 飴だま (Amedama)

飴だま
The Samurai and the Last Sweet
Retold for N5 · after Niimi Nankichi

Cover of 注文の多い料理店 (Chūmon no Ōi Ryōriten)

注文の多い料理店
The Restaurant That Asked Too Much
Retold for N5 · after Miyazawa Kenji

Cover of 毒もみのすきな署長さん (Dokumomi no Sukina Shochōsan)

毒もみのすきな署長さん
The Police Chief and His Favourite Pastime
Retold for N5 · after Miyazawa Kenji

Cover of 双子の星 (Futago no Hoshi)

双子の星
The Star Twins by the Silver River
Retold for N5 · after Miyazawa Kenji

ごんごろ鐘新美南吉N5 · easy

ごんごろ鐘
The Bell Called Gongoro
Retold for N5 · after Niimi Nankichi

Cover of ごん狐 (Gongitsune)

ごん狐
Gon's Chestnuts
Retold for N5 · after Niimi Nankichi

Cover of 箱の中のあなた (Hako no Naka no Anata)

箱の中のあなた
The Stranger in the Viewfinder
Retold for N5 · after Yamakawa Masao

Cover of 花咲かじじい (Hanasakajijii)

花咲かじじい
Grandpa Blossom
Retold for N5 · after Kusuyama Masao

Cover of 一房の葡萄 (Hitofusa no Budō)

一房の葡萄
Grapes from the Teacher's Window
Retold for N5 · after Arishima Takeo

Cover of いちょうの実 (Ichō no Jitsu)

いちょうの実
Departure Morning on the Ginkgo Tree
Retold for N5 · after Miyazawa Kenji

N4Elementary reading

All N4 stories →

Cover of 去年の木 (Kyonen no Ki)

去年の木
The Tree the Bird Sang To
Niimi Nankichi · N4

Cover of 赤いろうそくと人魚 (Akai Rōsoku to Ningyo)

赤いろうそくと人魚
The Mermaid and the Crimson Candles
Retold for N4 · after Ogawa Mimei

Cover of 赤い蝋燭と人魚 (Akai Rōsoku to Ningyo)

赤い蝋燭と人魚
Red Candles on the Shrine Hill
Retold for N4 · after Ogawa Mimei

Cover of 飴だま (Amedama)

飴だま
The Samurai and the Last Sweet
Retold for N4 · after Niimi Nankichi

Cover of 毒もみのすきな署長さん (Dokumomi no Sukina Shochōsan)

毒もみのすきな署長さん
The Police Chief and His Favourite Pastime
Retold for N4 · after Miyazawa Kenji

Cover of どんぐりと山猫 (Donguri to Yamaneko)

どんぐりと山猫
The Wildcat's Acorn Trial
Retold for N4 · after Miyazawa Kenji

Cover of 双子の星 (Futago no Hoshi)

双子の星
The Star Twins by the Silver River
Retold for N4 · after Miyazawa Kenji

ごんごろ鐘新美南吉N4 · easy

ごんごろ鐘
The Bell Called Gongoro
Retold for N4 · after Niimi Nankichi

Cover of ごん狐 (Gongitsune)

ごん狐
Gon's Chestnuts
Retold for N4 · after Niimi Nankichi

Cover of 箱の中のあなた (Hako no Naka no Anata)

箱の中のあなた
The Stranger in the Viewfinder
Retold for N4 · after Yamakawa Masao

Cover of 花咲かじじい (Hanasakajijii)

花咲かじじい
Grandpa Blossom
Retold for N4 · after Kusuyama Masao

Cover of 一房の葡萄 (Hitofusa no Budō)

一房の葡萄
Grapes from the Teacher's Window
Retold for N4 · after Arishima Takeo

N3Intermediate reading

All N3 stories →

Cover of 赤いろうそくと人魚 (Akai Rōsoku to Ningyo)

赤いろうそくと人魚
The Mermaid and the Crimson Candles
Ogawa Mimei · N3

Cover of 赤い蝋燭と人魚 (Akai Rōsoku to Ningyo)

赤い蝋燭と人魚
Red Candles on the Shrine Hill
Ogawa Mimei · N3

Cover of 飴だま (Amedama)

飴だま
The Samurai and the Last Sweet
Niimi Nankichi · N3

Cover of 箱の中のあなた (Hako no Naka no Anata)

箱の中のあなた
The Stranger in the Viewfinder
Yamakawa Masao · N3

Cover of 一房の葡萄 (Hitofusa no Budō)

一房の葡萄
Grapes from the Teacher's Window
Arishima Takeo · N3

Cover of いちょうの実 (Ichō no Jitsu)

いちょうの実
Departure Morning on the Ginkgo Tree
Miyazawa Kenji · N3

火事とポチ有島武郎

火事とポチ
Pochi and the Night of the Fire
Arishima Takeo · N3

Cover of きりぎりす (Kirigirisu)

きりぎりす
A Small Cricket
Dazai Osamu · N3

Cover of 狐 (Kitsune)

狐
The Fox in the New Clogs
Niimi Nankichi · N3

Cover of 待つ (Matsu)

待つ
Every Day at the Little Station
Dazai Osamu · N3

Cover of 港に着いた黒んぼ (Minato ni Tsuita Kuronbo)

港に着いた黒んぼ
The Stranger Who Came Ashore at the Harbour
Ogawa Mimei · N3

Cover of 夏の葬列 (Natsu no Sōretsu)

夏の葬列
A Procession in Midsummer
Yamakawa Masao · N3

N2Upper intermediate reading

All N2 stories →

Cover of ああ華族様だよ　と私は嘘を吐くのであった (Aa Kazokusamada yo to Watakushi wa Uso o Haku Node Ata)

ああ華族様だよ　と私は嘘を吐くのであった
A Nobleman, of Course," I Lied
Watanabe On · N2

Cover of 愛撫 (Aibu)

愛撫
The Touch of a Paw
Kajii Motojirō · N2

Cover of 赤い蝋燭 (Akai Rōsoku)

赤い蝋燭
Something Red from the Village
Niimi Nankichi · N2

Cover of 文鳥 (Bunchō)

文鳥
A Java Sparrow for the Study
Natsume Sōseki · N2

Cover of 畜犬談 (Chikukendan)

畜犬談
My Case Against Dogs
Dazai Osamu · N2

Cover of 注文の多い料理店 (Chūmon no Ōi Ryōriten)

注文の多い料理店
The Restaurant That Asked Too Much
Miyazawa Kenji · N2

Cover of 毒もみのすきな署長さん (Dokumomi no Sukina Shochōsan)

毒もみのすきな署長さん
The Police Chief and His Favourite Pastime
Miyazawa Kenji · N2

Cover of どんぐりと山猫 (Donguri to Yamaneko)

どんぐりと山猫
The Wildcat's Acorn Trial
Miyazawa Kenji · N2

Cover of 双子の星 (Futago no Hoshi)

双子の星
The Star Twins by the Silver River
Miyazawa Kenji · N2

ごんごろ鐘新美南吉

ごんごろ鐘
The Bell Called Gongoro
Niimi Nankichi · N2

Cover of ごん狐 (Gongitsune)

ごん狐
Gon's Chestnuts
Niimi Nankichi · N2

Cover of 葉 (Ha)

葉
Leaves, Still Green
Dazai Osamu · N2

N1Advanced reading

All N1 stories →

Cover of 悟浄歎異 (Gojōtanni)

悟浄歎異
Gojō Looks On in Wonder
Nakajima Atsushi · N1

Cover of 秘密 (Himitsu)

秘密
A Taste for Secrets
Tanizaki Jun'ichirō · N1

インドラの網宮沢賢治

インドラの網
Beneath Indra's Net
Miyazawa Kenji · N1

Cover of 形 (Katachi)

形
The Scarlet Surcoat
Kikuchi Kan · N1

Cover of 蜘蛛の糸 (Kumo no Ito)

蜘蛛の糸
A Thread of Spider Silk
Akutagawa Ryūnosuke · N1

Cover of 名人伝 (Meijinden)

名人伝
The Making of a Master
Nakajima Atsushi · N1

Cover of 蜜柑 (Mikan)

蜜柑
Tangerines Thrown at Dusk
Akutagawa Ryūnosuke · N1

Cover of 三国志 (Mikunishi)

三国志
The Three Kingdoms: An Author's Foreword
Yoshikawa Eiji · N1

Cover of 文字禍 (Mojika)

文字禍
What the Letters Whisper
Nakajima Atsushi · N1

Cover of 桃太郎 (Momotarō)

桃太郎
The Boy from the Peach
Akutagawa Ryūnosuke · N1

Cover of 桜の樹の下には (Sakura no Ki no Shita ni wa)

桜の樹の下には
At the Roots of the Cherry Trees
Kajii Motojirō · N1

Cover of 山月記 (Sangetsuki)

山月記
Moonset on the Mountain Road
Nakajima Atsushi · N1