Recommend an intermediate level book?

[krayziesensei]

Hi, I haven't spoken to a Japanese person in 6 years, so my fluency has probably gone to hell. I applied and got an interview to return to the JET Program for 2015, so I want to start brushing up on my grammar, etc. I used Minna no nihongo while I was in Japan and liked it, but the books are hard to come by in the States. My level when I left was probably JLPT 2, but now I'm probably between a level 3 and level 2. Can anyone recommend a good book at around that level. Everything I see at the local bookstore is for beginner level learners.

[Gizmotech]

If you're mid? Tobira? (上級へのとびら)

Should be able to buy it on amazon, as it's a fairly standard intermediary book for universities.

If you really need to restart, grab a set of genki I and II. They've been updated since you were last in Japan (have a huge "genki" on em now).

Alternatively, go to imabi.net and start reading through his PAGES of instruction. It's pretty good as a reference (but not as useful as a textbook)

[Ini]

what are the ones with the owl and the gorilla on the covers?

[Gizmotech]

I dunno.

[Ini]

nihongo sou matome!

I'm not good with names....just go in the shop and look for the gorilla

[coop52]

That' s a good series, and the Kanzen Master series is good for that level. Also, get Donna Toki Dou Tsukau. It's a really useful grammar dictionary for all JLPT levels. They have a vocab book out now, but I haven't checked it out yet.

[lulabelle990]

Look for an N3/N2 study book. The intermediate grammar dictionary by kodansha is a good idea too~ You can just go over all grammar. They also have a Kanji dictionary that i've found to be very handy over the years

[lulabelle990]

You will struggle to find books in normal book shops. Have a look for specific Japanese shops in your country. I can give you a few if you live in the UK. They will be a bit more expensive, but they are readily available.

[Penguee]

what are the ones with the owl and the gorilla on the covers?

日本語そうまとめ？ I think they are JLPT books though.

[Penguee]

I used this horrible, crappy book for intermediate Japanese. I really just upped my level by reading manga. You get lots of weird speech stuff and all that "lovely" 擬態語　And　擬音語

[naginataonthebrain]

Tobira is great for grammar I hear, and my friend who just took the JLPT (N2) used the nihongo sou matome books and said they were very useful.

[jwkelley]

I would go with Japanese for Everyone if you want to review. Covers everything in Genki I and II and cheaper.

[Ebi]

日本語そうまとめ？ I think they are JLPT books though.

Even if you're not taking JLPT, I thought they were pretty helpful. I liked that they were almost entirely written in Japanese so you had to learn using the target language. But I think it depends on what you're looking for.

[krayziesensei]

Thanks for all the replies! I'll start searching amazon

[Mahjonggmania]

日本語のチャレンジ also has an owl and a gorilla on the covers.

I enjoy these books since it separates the sections of the JLPT levels.
For example level 4 has 1 book for kanji, 1 book for reading comprehensions and 1 for grammar. So if necessary I can spread the books out and create some sort of mind map I guess rather than trying to flick backwards and forwards between the 1 book.

[krayziesensei]

Thanks again for the recommendations I ended up ordering Tobira and 日本語そうまとめ for N3.

[jwkelley]

Comparison of Japanese Textbooks Table - Learning Japanese Wiki (RtKWiki)