How to Use MATCHA’s Easy Japanese Website - for Language Learners
MATCHA is an inbound tourism media company that publishes articles about Japan in ten different languages. The topics range from sightseeing, culture, etiquette, and helpful information for all your travel-planning needs in Japan.
Information on MATCHA is currently available in Japanese, English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Thai, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Spanish, and easy Japanese.
What is easy Japanese? This level consists of simplified words and phrases and is an ideal language to read in for those learning. You may have seen this type of writing in news reports or newspaper articles in other languages.
MATCHA’s Easy Japanese website features articles on our Japanese website made into simplified Japanese. The grammar and vocabulary is suitable for readers learning the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N4 Level.
| Features of MATCHA's Easy Japanese Website |
| ・Translations of our regular Japanese articles into Japanese for beginners ・Easy Japanese uses vocabulary and grammar equivalent to the JLPT N4 level |
Using MATCHA in Easy Japanese
- 1. Try Reading an Article
- 1-1. Why Are There Text Links in the Articles?
- 1-2. Can the Same Article Be Read in a Different Language?
- 2. Original Articles Are Available in Easy Japanese
- 3. A Free Japanese Syllable Table for MATCHA Readers
Try Reading an Article
URL: https://matcha-jp.com/easy/9532
Let’s try reading an article! The Japanese kanji characters have furigana written above, while katakana is displayed with their English equivalents. Vocabulary that may be difficult for N4 level learners are annotated in English.
Why Are There Text Links in the Articles?
Some characters in the text will be highlighted in blue. When clicked, this blue text will take readers to a separate page displaying a related article or an explanation of the word.
Example: Edo Period, Tokyo
Can the Same Article Be Read in a Different Language?
Scroll to the very bottom of the page to find the language tab (“kotoba” in Japanese). Click on the drop-down menu labeled "Easy Japanese" to bring up a list of languages the article has been translated into. Then, select your desired language from the menu.
Another quick method is to substitute the "easy" written in the URL with the initial assigned to each language's website. However, articles that are awaiting translation will be redirected to an error page.
Language Homepage URLs
| English | https://matcha-jp.com/en |
| Thai | https://matcha-jp.com/th |
| Korean | https://matcha-jp.com/ko |
| Simplified Chinese | https://matcha-jp.com/cn |
| Traditional Chinese | https://matcha-jp.com/tw |
| Indonesian | https://matcha-jp.com/id |
| Vietnamese | https://matcha-jp.com/vn |
| Japanese | https://matcha-jp.com/jp |
After reading an article in easy Japanese, check the meaning of the text by re-reading it in your own language! Please note that the context may change or additional information may be added depending on the translation.
Original Articles Are Available in Easy Japanese
Picture from What Would You Do? How To Eat Miso Soup
Nearly all the articles on our Easy Japanese website are translated from our regular Japanese articles. However, manga (comics) articles are exclusively created for the Easy Japanese website.
These articles introduce Japanese language learners to various subjects through manga! Learn about Japanese words that easily confuse learners, unique customs you'll encounter while living or sightseeing in Japan, and much more.
Have fun learning Japanese while reading about the country’s customs in comic form!
A Japanese Syllable Table for MATCHA Readers
MATCHA has created a Japanese syllable table helpful for studying and reading our articles in easy Japanese! The cat drawn at the top of the table is Matchan, our company's mascot.
The Japanese syllable table can be downloaded from the Easy Japanese website. Fill out the questionnaire at the bottom of the page to receive a table with katakana characters so you can start studying!