Japenese Baby Bosk With English Japanese English Baby Books

We are preparing for a BIG trip to Japan this fall for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. As I noted in my recent post Ideas to Learn about Japan in Boston, we are using the time before our trip to learn about Japan.

Books are a natural starting point. (The library card is the original passport, right?) First, we started with some general books about Japan. After exploring those books, we then dug deeper with books by Japanese authors and books more generally about Japan.

Bonus: Scroll to the bottom of this post to download a PDF of the entire list that you can print out and take with you to the library!

Disclaimer: This list is by no means complete but I hope it can be useful as a starting point for you! The books included on this list can be found in the United States. Specifically, I based it on what I could find using our local library system. The books selected also are reflective of my kids age (6 and 2).

Books About Japan

All About Japan: Stories, Songs, Crafts and More by Willamarie Moore and illustrated by Kazumi Wilds

Willamarie Moore and Kazumi Wilds take you on a journey to Japan. In this illustrated book, you are introduced to Japanese people, places and traditions. This includes folktales, recipes, crafts, songs and more.

I Live in Tokyo by Mari Takabayashi

In this illustrated book by Mari Takabayashi, we follow Mimiko, a seven year old living in Tokyo. Mimiko takes the reader month-by-month through a year's worth of fun, food and festivities celebrated in Tokyo. In addition to sharing highlights of the Japanese year, we get insight into the daily life of an average seven year old living in Tokyo.

Scholastic Rocket Discovery Country Profiles Japan

Blastoff! Discovery: Japan

As part of Scholastic's Blastoff! Discovery series, Blastoff! Discovery Japan provides elementary school students an overview of Japan. Topics include landscape, customs, celebrations, school and work and wildlife.

Japanese Children's Favorite Stories Compiled by Florence Sakade and Illustrated by Yoshisuke Kurosaki

Originally published in 1953, Japanese Children's Favorite Stories is a wonderful collection of Japanese fairy tales and folk stories. Mr. 6 LOVES this book. With stories of long-nosed goblins, tiny warriors, and spider weavers, the twenty stories in this book have captured our imagination.

My First Book of Japanese Words by Michelle Haney Brown and Illustrated by Aya Padron

My First Book of Japanese Words: An ABC Rhyming Book of Japanese Language and Culture by Michelle Haney Brown and Illustrated by Aya Padron

Michelle Haney Brown uses the familiar ABC framework to introduce Japanese language and culture to preschoolers. Beautiful imagery accompanies each page. In addition to a description of the featured word, you are able to see the word in Kanji, Hiragrana and its Romanized forms.

Japanese Nursery Rhymes Carp Streamers Falling Rain and Other Traditional Favorites by Danielle Wright and illustrated by Helen Acraman

Music is the best way to learn a language. This book/CD combo features 15 nursery rhymes. Each rhyme is written in Japanese characters, Romanized characters and English translation. Mr. 2 loves singing along to this book!

Lonely Planet Kids: City Trails Tokyo

As someone whose formative travel experiences were shaped by Lonely Planet books, I was excited to go through its kid-offering in Lonely Planet Kids City Trails Tokyo.

This book did not disappoint. In fact, Mr. 6 is obsessed with it! Combining illustrations with real life imagery, the book takes us through Tokyo, clearly focused on topics and places that interest kids. Not only has the book helped us understand Japan a bit better, it is also very useful as a trip planning aide!

Japanese Traditions: Rice Cakes, Cherry Blossoms and Matsuri

Japanese Traditions provides a month-by-month look at Japanese celebrations, culture, food, and traditions, in a fun, lighthearted manner.

Books by Japanese Authors

Taro Gomi

One of Japan's most prolific children's book authors, Taro Gomi has more than 400 books in Japan. In addition, his works have been published in more than 15 languages worldwide. Some of the titles we have enjoyed over the years include:

The Crocodile and the Dentist
Everyone Poops
Over the Ocean
I Really Want to See You, Grandma
My Friends
Bus Stops

Allen Say

Caldecott Medal winner Allen Say draws on his experience as a Japanese American in his children's books, many of which are based on his family history. We enjoyed three of his books: Grandfather's Journey, Tea with Milk and Kamishibai Man.

Say's illustration is very unique, looking like a blend of photography and painting. The stories are appropriate for elementary age children (and perhaps Pre-K). For us, they evoked conversations about understanding family history and how Japan has changed over time.

Mitsumasa Anno

Anno is an award-winning author and illustrator of 40+ works. We enjoyed Anno's Magic Seeds which is a twist on Jack and the Beanstalk. In addition, it introduces multiplication as a concept in a story format. We also enjoyed Anno's Counting Book and Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar. These books each explore different mathematical concepts in a story format. Therefore, they can be read purely for the story elements or be used to supplement math lessons.

Hatsue Nakawaki and Komako Sakai (Illustrator)

A sweet book for babies and toddlers, Wait! Wait! follows a young child's exploration and play.

Sumo Boy by Hirotaka Nakagawa and Yoshifumi Hasegawa

Hirotaka Nakagawa and Yoshifumi Hasegawa (Illustrator)

To begin with, Sumo Boy fights for justice using sumo moves. This story includes an end note explaining sumo terms and moves.

Kazuaki Yamada

Kazuaki Yamada is best known for My Red Balloon. My Red Balloon tells the story of a little girl, her friends, a bus and a red balloon. In addition to a sweet story of friendship, the book has play-like illustrations that perfectly match the story.

Above all, A Concert in the Park is an imaginative tale with adorable illustrations. The story brings together a boy and forest animals into a glorious orchestra in the park.

Haruo Yamashita and Kazuo Iwamura

Haruo Yamashita and Kazuo Iwamura collaborated on this sweet series about the adventures of mice septuplets. In brief, this is a brilliant series for toddlers and preschoolers.

Seven Little Mice Go to School
Seven Little Mice Have Fun on the Ice
Seven Little Mice Go to the Beach

Ken Kimura

In 999 Tadpoles, Mother and Father frog and their 999 tadpoles face dangers as they search for a new home after outgrowing their pond. Ken Kimura brings humor and Yasunari Murakami's illustrations bring this tale to life. There are two other titles in this series: 999 Frogs Wake Up and 999 Frogs and a Little Brother.

Kazuno Kohara

Author-Illustrator Kazuno Kohara has written four books, including The New York Times best illustrated book of 2008 (Ghosts in the Houes!). We enjoyed The Midnight Library, a sweet story about a little librarian and her three assistant owls who work at the library that is only open at night.

Mei Matsuoka

Japanese-English author-illustrator Mei Matsuoka has more than ten books to her name. Footprints in the Snow follows Wolf, who sets out to counter stories about mean and nasty wolves by writing a story about a nice wolf.

Books Inspired by Japan

Books by Chieri Uegaki

Chieri Uegaki is a second generation Japanese-Canadian whose stories center on the Japanese American experience. In Ojiichan's Gift (just recently published), Mayumi lives in North America but travels to Japan each summer. In Japan she works with her Ojiichan (grandfather) in his garden. As Ojiichan ages and has to leave his home, Mayumi finds a way to keep the memory of the garden alive for both of them.

Take Me Out to The Yakyu by Aaron Meshon

Aaron Meshon's delightful picture book compares a boy's experience of attending baseball games in both the US and Japan. Filled with observations about the differences between countries, the book provides a child's-eye perspective of life in a different country. This was certainly a book we came back to again and again.

Little Kunoichi Series by Sanae Ishida

Seattle-based Sanae Ishida has three delightful books in the Little Kunoichi series. InLittle Kunoichi: The Ninja Girlwe meet Little Kunoichi. Little Kunoichi lives on a super secret island, comes from a family of ninjas and goes to a special ninja school. We meet Little Kunoichi's friend Chibi Samurai in Chibi Samurai Wants a Pet. And we join Little Kunoichi on an adventure with the quirky artist and inventor Ba-Chan in Ba-Chan: The Ninja Grandma.

The Sound of Silence by Katrina Goldsaito and illustrated by Julia Kuo

Katrina Goldsaito explores the Japanese concept of ma, the silence between sounds, in The Sound of Silence. After a musician tells Yoshio that her favorite sound is silence, Yoshio searches across Tokyo, a very noisy city, for silence.

Not only does this book have a meaningful story, but also the illustrations have incredible detail that bring the story to life. The Sound of Silence is a great read for families interested in mindfulness.

The Way We Do It in Japan by Geneva Cobb Iijima and illustrated by Paige Billin-Frye

Gregory's mother Jane comes from Kansas and father Hidiaki comes from Japan. As they leave their home in San Francisco to live in Tokyo, we follow Gregory as he navigates the changes in culture. Mr. 6 really identified with Gregory as he started Japanese school and made new friends. This book presents cultural differences as matter-of-fact, in a similar manner to another book we love This is How We Do It.

Tokyo Friends by Betty Reynolds

Tokyo Friends brings together Katie, a young American girl living in Tokyo, and Keiko and Kenji, two young Japanese siblings. Katie, Keiko and Kenji teach each other the customs of their respective countries as they explore Tokyo. In addition, the friends explore Japanese holidays and celebrations month by month. Together with the cultural explorations, Reynolds also adds Japanese translations of items illustrated throughout the book.

Yoko's Paper Cranes by Rosemary Wells

Rosemary Wells' career as an author and illustrator spans more than 40 years and 120 books. Included in her prolific works is a 6-book series featuring Yoko, a Japanese cat living in America. We read Yoko's Paper Cranes, a story that emphasizes maintaining long distance family links and traditions. It celebrates several aspects of Japanese culture including origami.

My Awesome Japan Adventure: A Diary about the Best 4 Months Ever! by Rebecca Otowa

Rebecca Otowa writes and illustrates this diary of an American fifth grader who is on a four month exchange in Japan. We get the chance to experience Japanese culture through the eyes of Dan. Topics include Japanese breakfast, mochi, holidays, ninja, family life and riding the train.

The Origami Master by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer and illustrated by Aki Sogabe

A story of friendship, Shima the Origami Master and the warbler inspire each other through their origami creations. In addition, the book includes directions on how to make an origami bird.

I Am Tama, Lucky Cat

Drawing on the legend of Maneki Neko―"beckoning cat," I am Tama, Lucky Cat provides an explanation as to why waving cats are found at temples across Japan.

The Two Foolish Cats

Suggested by a Japanese folktale, The Two Foolish Cats argue over who should get the larger ricecake and go to the wise, old monkey to settle the matter.

Book Series Set in Japan

Some chapter book series with books set in Japan

Beyond books specifically about Japan, a number of book series have books set specifically in Japan. A few of these series include:

Dodsworth in Tokyo by Tim Egan (We love the Dodsworth series!)
Magic Tree House: Night of the Ninjas by Mary Pope Osborne
Flat Stanley's Worldwide Adventures- The Japanese Ninja Surprise
Geronimo Stilton- The Way of the Samurai
Thea Stilton: Thea Stilton and the Cherry Blossom Adventure