Japanese Animal Stories
Cats, foxes, deer, koi — Japan through the animals in its stories.
N55 pagesHaru Pets - ハルのペット
Haru introduces her cozy home filled with unique animal friends.
Pre-N55 pagesBird's Adventure - 鳥の冒険
A curious bird finds and brings home a glittering treasure.
Pre-N55 pagesRed Umbrella's Journey - 赤い傘の旅
A magical red umbrella finds purpose and joy on a skyward journey.
Pre-N56 pagesSunny Spots - 日なたの場所
Mike the cat seeks the warmest sunspots for a perfect day.
Pre-N55 pagesLet's Go to the Zoo - 動物園へ行こう
Yuta's fun, educational Saturday adventure at the zoo.
N217 pagesA Stray Day: One Cat's Record - 迷い猫、一日の記録
A tabby cat slips out of a Koenji apartment at dawn and explores the quiet city streets alone.
About japanese animal stories
Animals carry a lot of cultural weight in Japan: cats (招き猫), foxes (kitsune), deer (the messengers of Nara), koi (perseverance). These stories cover Japan's relationship with its animals, from city neko to the deer of Miyajima — and the vocabulary that comes with them.
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350+ stories in the app
The free web library is a curated slice of the Shinobi app, which has 350+ unique graded stories with native audio, tap-to-translate, and SRS review.