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How to use

Designed to help you progress once you’re comfortable with the basics. Use it as supplementary material alongside your studies.

Pick a school grade or JLPT level and do this each day:

  1. Handwrite the passage in a notebook.
  2. Read the passage out loud.
  3. Understand the meaning of the passage (if you need help, check the English translation).
  4. Take note of the grammar points (try understanding them in Japanese first; if you need help, refer to the English translation).
N3高1 · High School 1October 18, 2026

わがさしょくにんのわざ

きょうとのちいさなこうぼうで、わがさをつくりつづけているしょくにんがいる。やまもとさんは、そふからうけついだぎじゅつにもとづいて、かさをいっぽんずつてさぎょうでしあげている。さいきんはわかいきゃくからのちゅうもんもふえ、いろやデザインをじゆうにえらべるようになった。でんとうてきなぎじゅつはかわらないばかりでなく、あたらしいくふうもすこしずつくわえられているそうだ。「ふるいやりかたをまもりながら、じだいにあわせてへんかしうるのが、ほんとうのでんとうだとおもう」とやまもとさんははなす。

文法

  • 「~に基もとづいて」は、判断はんだんや行動こうどうのよりどころとなるものを示しめす表現ひょうげんで、「~を根拠こんきょにして」という意味いみを持もつ。
  • 「~ばかりでなく」は、一ひとつの事柄ことがらだけでなく、それに加くわえて別べつの事柄ことがらも成なり立たつことを表あらわす表現ひょうげんで、「~だけでなく」とほぼ同おなじ意味いみを持もつ。
  • 「動詞どうしのます形けい+得うる」は、ある事ことが起おこる可能性かのうせいがあることを表あらわす、ややかたい書かき言葉ことば的てきな表現ひょうげん。
English

The Skill of a Traditional Umbrella Craftsman

In a small workshop in Kyoto, there is a craftsman who continues to make traditional Japanese umbrellas (wagasa). Mr. Yamamoto finishes each umbrella by hand, one at a time, based on techniques passed down from his grandfather. Recently, orders from young customers have increased, and customers can now freely choose colors and designs. Not only does the traditional technique remain unchanged, but new ideas are also gradually being added, it seems. 'I believe that true tradition is something that can change to fit the times while still preserving the old ways,' says Mr. Yamamoto.

  • ~に基づいて means 'based on ~', indicating the grounds or basis for a judgment or action.
  • ~ばかりでなく means 'not only ~ but also ~', indicating that in addition to one thing, another thing is also true, nearly synonymous with ~だけでなく.
  • Verb stem + 得る means 'can ~' or 'it is possible that ~', a somewhat formal written expression indicating the possibility of something occurring.
All High School 1 paragraphs