"Guide to Learning Japanese" is a unique text for people interested in learning how to speak Japanese. "Guide to Learning Japanese" is not a conventional Japanese language course. It is a concise, working tool designed so that you can "hit the ground running" right now -- today, or at least within the next couple of days, and start using Japanese; lessons in basic Japanese that get you started and guide you into using and learning the Japanese language in a natural environment. You will learn that Japanese is very unique in many ways, which makes it more of a challenge to learn than most other languages, particularly for Westerners. The text also provides important historical and cultural insight to help the student understand the Japanese people as well as the language.