Best books for JLPT N1 (2026)
For N1 we would pick Shin Kanzen Master N1 Grammar and N1 Reading, or Try! N1 if you want English explanations, plus the official workbook for one real timed test. Reading is scored on its own at N1, a third of the total, so do not skip the reading book.
| Book | What it covers | Exam section | Who it suits | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shin Kanzen Master N1 Grammar ↗3A Network | CoversN1 grammar patterns grouped by meaning, each followed by drills | Exam sectionGrammar | SuitsLearners who passed N2 and now need the N1 patterns | LanguageJapanese with some English |
| Shin Kanzen Master N1 Reading ↗3A Network | CoversHow to read each kind of N1 passage, with practice passages and questions | Exam sectionReading | SuitsLearners who know the grammar but read too slowly to finish | LanguageJapanese with some English |
| Try! JLPT N1 (Revised Edition, English) ↗Ask Publishing | CoversN1 grammar taught through short scenes, then practice questions | Exam sectionGrammar | SuitsSelf-studiers who want explanations in English | LanguageJapanese with English explanations |
| JLPT Official Practice Workbook N1, Vol. 2 ↗Bonjinsha, for the test makers | CoversOne full N1 test made from real past questions, with listening audio | Exam sectionAll sections, including listening | SuitsAnyone 2 to 4 weeks out, as a timed rehearsal | LanguageJapanese only |
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links go to amazon.com. Picks checked on Amazon on October 22, 2026.
If you only buy one
- If you passed N2 and want the most thorough grammar book: Shin Kanzen Master N1 Grammar
- If you know the grammar but read too slowly: Shin Kanzen Master N1 Reading
- If you want grammar explained in English: Try! N1
- If you are ready and want one real test before exam day: Official Practice Workbook N1 Vol. 2
Shin Kanzen Master N1 or Try! N1?
Shin Kanzen Master N1 Grammar is the deeper book, with explanations mostly in Japanese and many drills in the exam's formats. Try! N1 explains each pattern in English inside a short scene. If you can use both, learn the patterns with Try! and drill them with Shin Kanzen Master.
Which part of the N1 exam each book trains
The N1 exam takes 165 minutes. You need 100 of 180 points overall and the minimum in every scored section.
Language Knowledge and Reading 文字・語彙・文法・読解
110 minutes
Books: Shin Kanzen Master N1 Grammar, Shin Kanzen Master N1 Reading, Try! N1, Official Practice Workbook N1 Vol. 2
Free practice here: N1 vocabulary, N1 grammar, N1 reading
Listening 聴解
55 minutes
Books: Official Practice Workbook N1 Vol. 2
How to use them with our free N1 tests
- Take one N1 past-exam question set here under time pressure to see whether grammar or reading costs you more.
- Work through your grammar book, and after each week do the grammar questions from another N1 set.
- Practice vocabulary and kanji on the N1 pages here; none of these books covers them.
- Two to four weeks before the exam, sit the official workbook under real timing, then the two original timed mocks in the Final Mock Pack.
JLPT N1 Final Mock Pack
2 original timed N1 mocks: vocabulary, grammar and reading.
or get the full JLPT N1 Study Pack for US$9.99 (includes these mocks)
What these books leave out
Only the official workbook covers listening, and we have no N1 listening practice yet. Shin Kanzen Master also publishes an N1 listening book in the same series.
JLPT Practice Test is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the JLPT administering organizations or the publishers listed here.