作品Free Graded Reading
秋が きましたAutumn Has Come
Aki ga kimashita
by 小川 未明 · Ogawa Mimei
JLPT N4Short Story
Kids search for a craftsman on a quiet autumn day.
About this story
About this storyA grandmother sends children to find a flute repairman on a quiet autumn day.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japaneseにわの コスモスが、きれいに さきました。しずかな 秋の いい ひよりです。ピイー、ピイーと いう、ほそい ふえの 音が しました。「ラオの すげかえやが きたから、この きせるを たのんで おくれ。」と、おばあさんが おっしゃいました。「はい。」と いって、きよは うけとって そとへ でました。しばらく して、きよは かえって きました。「いくら さがしましても、ラオやさんが みつかりません。」と いいました。この とき、また ピイー ピイーと いう 音が しました。「あんなに きこえて いるでしょう。」と、おばあさんは おっしゃいました。「ぼくが さがして あげるよ。」と、武ちゃんは かけだしました。武ちゃんは、おうらいを あちらこちらと みまわしました。けれど、やはり わかりません。「ラオやさんは どこに いるのだろう、ほんとうに おかしいな。」
Read the full text with furigana + instant lookups in Yomimaru →
What you'll learn
What you'll learnA grandmother asks Kiyo to find a pipe repairman, but he cannot be found. Take-chan then goes out to play baseball with friends.
Language difficultyBeginner · 15/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| コスモス | cosmos flower |
|---|---|
| ラオ | pipe (for smoking) |
| きせる | pipe (for smoking) |
| ユニホーム | uniform |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～がします (sound) N5Used to describe sounds, smells, or sensations. 'ピイー、ピイーと いう 音が しました' means 'There was a sound of peep, peep.'ピイー、ピイーと いう、ほそい ふえの 音が しました。
- ～ておくれ (casual request) N4A casual way to ask someone to do something, equivalent to '～てください' but more familiar.この きせるを たのんで おくれ。
- ～かも しれない (maybe) N4Expresses possibility. '遠方の 音が、ちかく きこえるのかも しれないね' means 'Maybe the sound from far away sounds close.'秋だから 遠方の 音が、ちかく きこえるのかも しれないね。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Kiseru (Smoking Pipe)A 'kiseru' is a traditional Japanese smoking pipe, often with a metal bowl and mouthpiece. 'Rao' likely refers to a type of pipe or a repairman for such pipes. In the past, people would take their pipes to a 'raoya' for repair when the mouthpiece needed replacement.
- Japanese Baseball (Yakyuu)Baseball is extremely popular in Japan. Children often play in open fields ('harappa') and wear uniforms. It's a common theme in children's literature.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat did the grandmother ask Kiyo to do?
- Find the pipe repairman and ask him to fix the pipe.
- Go to the store and buy a new pipe.
- Play baseball with Take-chan.
- Clean the garden.
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipUse context to guess unfamiliar words like 'ラオ' and 'すげかえ'—they likely refer to a pipe and its repair.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
同級More at N4
- Easy Japanese news at N4Yominews · free, furigana on every kanji
- Free N4 graded Japanese textsYomibunko · graded texts, free
- The full JLPT N4 grammar list57 points · free study cards
- Which kanji you need for N4Study guide · what to know
- JLPT reading comprehension strategiesStudy guide · reading strategy
Fresh reads in your inbox
A short monthly note when we add new graded stories. No spam.
