The first place I started was in getting my Japanese study texts.  I am not saying everyone should start with these, but I did and I liked the content.  So I am showing them here.  There are many other texts out there that follow a similar path.

First, I began with Japanese for Busy People I.  This text book starts at the absolute beginning.  If you do not have any concept of the Kana, I would recommend the Romanji (or English Phonetical version).  Along with these textbooks there are accompanying workbooks.  I recommend these too.  Usually in my Tutoring sessions we cover the workbook pages.

Japanese for Busy People I

After book 1, I moved onto Book 2 of the same series.  I did however switch to the Kana/Kanji version.  This is a lot more difficult to begin with because you are learning the Japanese characters as well as trying to understand the content, but with dedication, it actually is worthwhile.

Japanese for Busy People II

I am currently working through this and am about two thirds complete.  I still have a ways to go and it is slow going as I don’t study as much as I’d like.  My current goal is to catch up on all the vocabulary and memorize the words from everything in both books up until where I am.

The interesting thing is that as I am learning the new material, I think to myself “Man this is hard.”   Then after a couple chapters have progressed, I look back at what I covered and say “oh yeah, that was not too bad.”   It is just that as you are learning, it seems difficult because it is new.  But once you learn it, you find that each chapter is only a small part of the sum of what you have learned.

I have yet to progress to Book III, but I will link to it here if any of you are interested or have progressed that far.

Japanese for Busy People III