Tobira

I don't really like using textbooks to study Japanese. They're just so dry. But Tobira is a different. Each chapter is themed on a different slice of Japanese culture. There are texts to introduce each topic as well as questions and exercises. With each chapter, you are also given a list of kanji, vocab and grammar to learn.

This is my second time going through the textbook and I think I've perfected my method. I would read the 読み物 (long-form text), 会話文 (conversation text), 文ノート (grammar guide), 文化ノート (cultural guide) and 言語ノート (language guide) sections of each chapter and ignore everything else. I don't think going through the questions and exercises are that useful, given that a lot of them are intended for the classroom. I also have other means to learn kanji and vocab so I ignored that portion too.

One thing that this textbook could do better at is testing grammar. Each chapter contains ~15-20 new grammar points with an explanation of each as well as example sentences. So you are given all the tools you need to understand the grammar point, but the textbook doesn't give you a means to check whether you understand it.

Other than the lack of grammar testing, I think it's a great book! The cultural information that's presented is genuinely really interesting. This textbook will help you improve your Japanese, not only in levelling up your language proficiency but also in your ability to connect with Japanese people through a shared understanding of their culture.