Haruki Yamamoto
Award‑winning novelist · Graded stories for Japanese learners
Writes every graded story inside ReadNihongo.
By the numbers
Creative process
Each piece starts with a real‑life situation, then Haruki grades the vocabulary to JLPT N5–N4 and sprinkles in kana hints. Furigana fades as you master kanji, letting you stay immersed even when you stumble onto new words.
“Stories are the safest way to make mistakes. I write so learners can stumble, smile, and keep going.”
Highlights
- 🏆Reader favoriteTop‑rated graded stories for beginners
- 📈1k+ copies soldAcross Kindle and paperback editions
- ✍️20 published titlesFrom N5 to early N4 difficulty
What readers say
“Haruki’s stories feel like a friendly guide through real Japan.”
“I finally enjoy reading practice—dialogue is natural and fun.”
“Perfect difficulty curve. I learn without losing flow.”
“Haruki’s stories feel like a friendly guide through real Japan.”
Milestones
- Jan 2025
Idea
We set out to build the reading companion we wished existed—graded stories with furigana and instant lookups.
- Jun 2025
Launch
First public release with story packs, vocabulary lookups, and furigana toggle across devices.
- Aug 2025
SRS reviews
Integrated spaced repetition built from the words you encounter while reading.
- Oct 2025
Offline packs
Stories you open are cached for reading without a connection—perfect for the commute.
- Dec 2025
10K learners
A growing global community reading together in our Discord and sharing progress.
In her own words
A short message on writing stories for learners.
Connect with Haruki
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