Marugoto Japanese Language and Culture Elementary 1 A2 – JF Standard Coursebook

Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture Elementary 1 A2 is a Japanese coursebook series for adult learners who have completed beginner-level study and want to develop practical communication skills for familiar, everyday situations.

Based on the JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education, which is aligned with the CEFR framework, the course focuses on what learners can actually do in Japanese. Each lesson uses practical Can-do goals, helping students build the ability to communicate naturally rather than study grammar in isolation.

At Elementary 1 A2 level, learners aim to handle simple conversational exchanges about familiar topics such as family, weather, daily life, travel, health, shopping, and celebrations.

The level consists of two complementary books:

• Katsudoo (かつどう) – Coursebook for Communicative Language Activities
• Rikai (りかい) – Coursebook for Communicative Language Competences

Both books cover the same 9 topics and 18 lessons. They may be used independently or together for a more complete Japanese-learning program.

Variant 1: Katsudoo – Communicative Language Activities

Marugoto Elementary 1 A2 Katsudoo focuses on building practical speaking and listening skills through a large amount of natural Japanese audio input.

Learners listen to realistic conversations, practice useful expressions, and gradually develop the confidence to communicate in familiar everyday situations.

Key features include:

• Strong emphasis on listening and speaking
• Practical communication-based activities
• Approximately 3 hours 11 minutes of audio materials
• Can-do learning goals
• Full-color pages
• Extensive photographs and illustrations
• Strong intercultural communication focus
• Portfolio-based progress management
• CEFR-compatible learning structure
• 9 topics and 18 lessons
• Recommended course length: approximately 40–60 hours

Variant 2: Rikai – Communicative Language Competences

Marugoto Elementary 1 A2 Rikai focuses on systematically developing the language knowledge needed for communication, including vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing, and kanji.

It complements Katsudoo by helping learners understand how the Japanese language works while using the same topics and communicative goals.

Key features include:

• Structured grammar and vocabulary study
• Reading and writing practice
• Kanji vocabulary development
• Approximately 3 hours 4 minutes of audio materials
• Can-do-based learning
• Full-color pages
• Extensive photographs and illustrations
• Portfolio-based progress management
• CEFR-compatible learning structure
• 9 topics and 18 lessons
• Recommended course length: approximately 40–60 hours

Topics & Lessons

Topic 1 – Me and My Family

• Lesson 1: I Live in Tokyo
• Lesson 2: My Hobby Is Listening to Classical Music

Topic 2 – Seasons and Weather

• Lesson 3: It Is Spring in Japan Now
• Lesson 4: Nice Weather, Isn’t It?

Topic 3 – My Town

• Lesson 5: This Park Is Spacious and Beautiful
• Lesson 6: Please Go Straight

Topic 4 – Going Out

• Lesson 7: Is 10 O’Clock Okay?
• Lesson 8: Have You Already Gone to See the Night View?

Topic 5 – Foreign Languages and Cultures

• Lesson 9: Japanese Pronunciation Is Easy
• Lesson 10: I Want to Go to Japan Someday

Review & Test 1

Topic 6 – Eating Outdoors

• Lesson 11: What Will You Bring?
• Lesson 12: That Looks Delicious

Topic 7 – Business Trips

• Lesson 13: I Have Met Mr. Tanaka Before
• Lesson 14: May I Use This?

Topic 8 – Health

• Lesson 15: You Should Exercise
• Lesson 16: I Go Running and Swimming

Topic 9 – Celebrations

• Lesson 17: I Received It for My Birthday
• Lesson 18: I Think a Party Would Be Good

Review & Test 2

Why Choose Marugoto?

• Designed for adult learners of Japanese
• Suitable for learners progressing beyond Starter A1
• Focuses on practical, real-life Japanese
• Uses natural listening input from the beginning
• Includes Japanese culture and intercultural communication
• Uses clear Can-do learning goals
• Based on the JF Standard and CEFR
• Full-color layout with strong visual support
• Suitable for classroom learning and self-study
• Katsudoo and Rikai can be used separately or together

Free Online Learning Resources

A variety of supplementary resources are available online.

For Katsudoo Learners:

• Audio materials
• Writing task sheets
• Multilingual vocabulary indexes
• Expression indexes
• Can-do conversation summaries
• Multilingual Can-do checklists

For Rikai Learners:

• Audio materials
• Multilingual vocabulary indexes
• Expression indexes
• Kanji vocabulary lists
• Japanese self-check resources
• Composition worksheets

For Teachers:

• Teaching guidance
• Vocabulary indexes
• Expression indexes
• Kanji vocabulary resources

Product Information

Product Name: Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture Elementary 1 A2
Japanese Title: まるごと 日本のことばと文化 初級1 A2
Level: Elementary 1 / A2
Framework: JF Standard / CEFR-based
Target Learners: Adult learners of Japanese
Number of Topics: 9
Number of Lessons: 18
Format: Full-color Japanese language coursebook
Available Variants: Katsudoo / Rikai
Katsudoo Focus: Listening, speaking and practical communication
Rikai Focus: Grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing and kanji
Katsudoo Audio: Approximately 3 hours 11 minutes
Rikai Audio: Approximately 3 hours 4 minutes
Recommended Study Time: Approximately 40–60 hours

Important Note

Katsudoo and Rikai are separate books. Please select the desired version before ordering.

Katsudoo is recommended for learners who want to strengthen practical speaking and listening, while Rikai is better for systematically learning grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing and kanji. For balanced A2-level study, using both books together is recommended.