I don’t remember if it was a recent or old post but I saw someone recommending Audible Japan and found it was a great idea.
I tried listening to こころ for five minutes but was feeling like I didn’t even know this language at all:) exept a few things here and there.
Any things more adapted that you’d recommend?
(Actually just posting this I realize Satori Reader does a pretty good job at that for free and targeted to learners, but, well. Still glad to get your thoughts.)
(Totally side-question, does 12 keys keyboard becomes faster than rōmaji one once you get used to it?)
Thank you!
1 comment
FYI, someone asked the same question (regarding Audible audiobook suggestions) a few hours before you did, so you can [look here](https://www.reddit.com/r/LearnJapanese/comments/1369dy7/audiobook_recommendations_n3n5/) for some answers.
You can also buy the *Read Real* bilingual reader series: *Read Real Japanese Short Stories* and *Read Real Japanese Essays*. They have audio narration of all the stories and essays (it used to come with CDs but I think you can now just download the MP3s from the book’s website).
In general, I found it to be more challenging to read than the Satori Reader stories, especially the short story reader. The step up in difficult was a nice, as it made the transition to actual native Japanese books and novels a bit easier. If you can handle the more advanced stories on Satori Reader, try out the Read Real series.
As for the 12-key kana keyboard, I think you just need to try it out and decide. You can read [this article](https://japaneselevelup.com/kana-input-vs-qwerty-romaji-smart-phone/) for some opinions. Also watch the embedded video in article, as well as read the reader comments below the article for differing opinions.
I personally like the 12-key keyboard not necessarily because of speed (I think I can type equally as fast on both keyboards) but because the kana keyboard reinforces certain aspects of Japanese for me.
Firstly, the kana keyboard is formatted similarly to the [五十音 (gojyuuon) chart](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goj%C5%ABon). If you know this Japanese alphabetization order, it’ll really help you whenever you need to find things in lists, like looking up a word in a physical Japanese dictionary, or looking for a book on shelves of a Japanese bookstore / library.
Also I like how it gets rid of the middleman of using romaji, so I can think directly in Japanese by using kana. When visualizing the kana of words so I can type them, I no longer see it in romaji in my mind, but only in kana, which made me a better speller.
Lastly, it’s way easier to emote with ASCII emotes with the kana keyword because of all the shortcuts. If you text a lot with Japanese friends, you’ll see these all the time.