Learn Japanese with Stories 2 - Japanese Reader Collection Volume 2: Momotaro, the Peach Boy

Read the most beloved folktale in Japan, broken down sentence by sentence for upper-beginner learners. Almost every Japanese child can sing the Momotaro song before they can read it. The peach-born hero, his three animal companions, the journey to Oni Island — Momotaro is the story that lives in Japan's cultural water supply, referenced for the rest of a learner's life in conversations, manga, anime, and idiom. This volume gives you the language to read it in Japanese, with line-by-line vocabulary, grammar notes, native-speaker audio, and a simple English translation for self-checking. New in the 2026 edition: Bonus unlock code inside the book — redeem at MakotoPlus.com to study every sentence from this book interactively, on the web or in the mobile app (search "Makoto Japanese Explorer" in the App Store or Google Play) New watercolor illustration and audio QR codes on every story's opening page Hook teaser and Before-You-Read intro for each section, pointing you toward the grammar and vocabulary patterns to watch for Resized furigana — ruby now sits closer to the base text, the way good Japanese typography should Running headers, page numbers, and sumi-e section ornaments throughout Updated front matter and refreshed layout series-wide What's inside: Five sections, each presented three ways: with line-by-line vocabulary, in plain Japanese for unscaffolded reading practice, and in English summary Word-by-word breakdowns with furigana over every kanji Grammar spotlights, cultural notes, and reading tips throughout Full Exercises sections (Comprehension Questions, Particle Fill-in, Grammar Pattern Hunt, Translation Comparison + Answer Key) for Momotaro and the Tortoise Free MP3 audio downloads — natural speed and slowed down — recorded by a native speaker Free Anki decks…