One Japanese Reading Resource – Starter Level: 「絵の中のねこ」

When learners begin reading Japanese stories,
many enjoy books that also let them look and notice.

This book, 絵えの中なかのねこ, invites you to explore Japanese
through pictures and simple language —
with a playful focus on cats in illustrations.

Image source: ASK Publishing official website

A picture book built for noticing

This book is part of the
レベル別日本語多読べつにほんごたどくライブラリー にほんご よむよむ文庫ぶんこ series,
and it belongs to the very first (Starter) level —
just like 一ひとつ二ふたつ三みっつ.

In this story, you look at illustrated pages filled with cats
and naturally ask yourself:

• What are the cats doing?

• How many are there?

• Where do they appear?

Because the book is picture-focused,
it encourages you to see words and images together.

A gentle way to meet words

You don’t need:

• grammar explanations

• long vocabulary lists

• complete sentences

You only need curiosity and your eyes.

The book does not tell you:
“Memorize these words.”

Instead, you simply notice again and again:

• simple nouns

• short phrases paired with pictures

• words connected to what you see

This is how vocabulary gently settles
without pressure.

Why cats help learners

Cats are familiar.
They are playful.
They are curious.

For many people, cats are fun to look at,
even before thinking about Japanese.

This makes words feel like something you discover,
not something you are forced to learn.

Learning Japanese by noticing

In 絵えの中なかのねこ, your attention moves from:

“What does this mean?”

to:

“What do I notice here?”

This shift — from translation to noticing —
is a key step toward natural learning.

It moves you closer to Japanese itself.

Pictures first, words will follow

When you look at the illustrations, you can:

• count objects

• describe actions (in your mind or out loud)

• connect words to images

• guess and check meaning without stress

This kind of reading builds a gentle confidence
that comes from experience, not memorization.

Who this book is for

This book is especially good for:

• learners who finished their first Japanese story

• visual learners

• people who enjoy playful Japanese input

• those who like animals and gentle reading

If Japanese reading feels heavy or intimidating,
this book makes it feel light.

Because of its pictures and simplicity,
even people who have never read a Japanese sentence
might enjoy it.

Where to find the book

If you would like to purchase this book,
you can find official information here:

(This book is part of a graded reader series and may be sold as part of a set.)

Final note

This is not a vocabulary book.
It is not a test.

It is an invitation:

An invitation to look,
an invitation to notice,
an invitation to enjoy Japanese as it appears naturally.

In the next articles, I will continue introducing books from this series,
slowly and carefully —
always keeping Japanese comfortable and approachable.