TheJapanShop.com (thejapanshop.com) has a 5.0 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 61 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Education & Training and its reputation is excellent. Praise is nearly unanimous, with 100% rating it 4 stars or higher. Last updated 2026-08-10.
The japan Shop is a great source of learning materials if you are seriously trying to learn Japanese. Their magazine and other reeading materials have proven very helpful as I prepare for the NLPT4
Thank you! Glad the magazine's proving useful for N4 prep — that's exactly the level we (mostly) aim it at. Keep at it and thanks for reading. Clay & Yumi
I have been using TheJapanShop and the various magazines and tutorials they provide for many years now and I’ve seen them grow into a wonderful resource for learning Japanese. Clay and the team are very friendly and helpful and the fact that continue growing in content and users is evident they provide a first class product for a very fairly priced subscription, there is even a free tier!
ありがとうございます! We've just been figuring things out over the years. Grateful you stuck around for it. Thank you again! Clay & Yumi
Good and interesting texts &audio for beginners and beginners plus of japanese. Much material every issue.
Thank you! That's our motto: The Fun Japanese not Found in Textbooks. I'll work on keeping it that way :) Clay
I love the "Yonde Miyo- Beginner Stories" from Beri- Beri- Shoshinsha! They are short, so you can fit some reading exercise even in a busy schedule, and they are fun!
ありがとうございます, Berna! "Short enough for a busy schedule" was exactly the goal — reading a little beats reading nothing, every time. So glad Yonde Miyo fits into your day. Thank you again! Clay & Yumi
Great materials and great pricing. The fact that you get free updates to purchases is just icing on the cake! Can wholeheartedly recommend this shop!
Thank you so much, Nicholas! A wholehearted recommendation is worth more to a small shop like ours than any ad we could buy. Genuinely grateful. Thank you again! Clay & Yumi
I’ve had an absolutely great experience with the products from The Japan shop throughout the past 6 years. When I was a beginner I needed a lot of help and Learn Japanese with Stories and its line-by-line explanations were just what I needed. Now that I am an upper intermediate I still buy books from The Japan shop. There is always something new there that catches my interest, such as Culture and History bundles, Haiku books and, of course, the monthly Makoto magazine. The contents is very educational and I love the accompaning sound files. In other words, and without exaggeration, a lot of my knowledge of Japan and Japanese probably can be attributed to the materials from the Japan shop. Thank you for this lasting experience.
Thank you, Olga! That's incredibly kind, but the credit is entirely yours for showing up for six years. You put in the work so good job! We're just glad the line-by-line explanations were there when you needed them. Thank you again! Clay & Yumi
I have purchased several books and I love that they include audio from Yumi, a native Japanese speaker. When books are updated, I receive notification and can download the new version. Great company!
Thank you so much, Lorraine! Yumi enjoys recording but hearing it is appreciated puts a smile on her face. I'll let her know. Thank you again! Clay
Love their Makoto publication, it's a super helpful learning resource! I appreciate that they cater to multiple levels of Japanese skill, so you can always read up to and a bit past your limits, and going back to old issues is still useful.
ありがとうございます, Robert! "Reading a bit past your limits" is exactly how the magazine's meant to work — that little stretch is where the growth happens. So glad the back issues still pull their weight too. Thank you again! Clay & Yumi
It's hard to find good readers in Beginner - Intermediate Japanese that keep you engaged. The Japanshop does a good job of keeping the language easy enough while being entertaining enough to be engaged while reading.
Thank you, Alex! The beginner-intermediate gap is a lonely place for readers. That's one reason why most of our material is there. We really appreciate you, and we're glad it's keeping you engaged. Clay & Yumi
If you are learning Japanese this is a great resource! I've been a customer for years and seen my purchases actually increase in value as their add more content. They are not out for a quick buck, but want customers for life. I cannot recommend them enough for anyone looking to flesh out their learning material, beyond the standard textbooks. Clay being a learned speaker and Yumi being a native speaker, means you get the benefit of a team who knows the tricks and traps in learning Japanese, while still providing authentic conversationally spoken Japanese
You are awesome! Thank you so much for that. You made our day. Yes, learn from my mistakes and don't worry, I have plenty more mistakes to share. Hehe. I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. Clay
I love Makoto learning! I have used several other learning programs and Makoto ranks among the top 3. I enjoy the variety of learning techniques like: stories, word of the day, etc. In addition, whenever I reach out to Clay and Yumi, they will respond within the next 24 hours, so they are very proactive and interactive. As a Shogun member, I can highly recommend Makoto!
Thank you, Doug! That's a great honor. We appreciate you :)
Great teaching tools with a great teaching team!
Thank you, Pascal! Thank you so much for your support over the years and thank you for leaving the review. がんばりましょう！ Clay & Yumi
Their books helped me pass jlpt N5 (I'm autodidact) and I'm now preparing for jlpt4 on their bundle too. They know what's important and how to explain it!
Thank you, Alice! "What's important and how to explain it" took us a lot of trial and error to figure out, so that line means a lot. Cheering you on for N4. Clay & Yumi
Easy order, smooth and fast.
Awesome! Just what love to hear. If you have any questions or suggestions, please reach out to us. Clay & Yumi
Lots of different books and interesting snippets about Japan which makes it fun for the beginner. The sound files are a useful addition as it helps with understanding how words should sound. Overall excellent for a beginner and beyond.
Thank you, Mark! Culture and language really can't be separated especially with Japanese. I'm glad you are enjoying the content and thank you so much for taking the time to write this review.
Very helpful in all aspects and quick response to emails as well
Glad to help--let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. Clay
Great products, great support.
Thank you so much!
Great content, great prices and updates for life.
Thank you, Steve! So glad the content's hitting the mark. Thanks for being here. Clay & Yumi
I bought a beginner bundle as a gift for my son. We downloaded it on a tablet we all use at home. My son learned enough Japanese to use with their clients at work. And I learned enough Japanese for my trips to Japan thus far. I might actually take the JLPT one of these days...who knows?
That's awesome! I'm glad it could help both of you. :) JLPT is great for motivation and without motivation, you won't keep at it. Of course, trips to Japan are motivation enough--just keep going!
Good service, extensive offer Whenever there where problems, I would have immediate response. They really care for their customers, and they offer a broad variety of beginner friendly courses. Also with "Makoto" they provide a japanese learning language magazine which I'm always looking forward to the next issue.
Thank you so much, Marc! Knowing you're waiting on the next issue is exactly the kind of pressure that keeps us on schedule. Hehe. Thank you again! Clay & Yumi
61 reviews matching