What Is Irodori?

What Is Irodori?

In this Jobagus.id course, you will learn how to use one of the most practical free resources for Japanese learners: Irodori: Japanese for Life in Japan, in Japanese いろどり 生活の日本語 (irodori seikatsu no nihongo). This course is a study guide. It does not repeat the textbook; it shows you how to get it, plan your study and use it for your goals.

Who made it and for whom

Irodori is published by the Japan Foundation (国際交流基金, kokusai kouryuu kikin), the same organization that runs JFT-Basic. It was written for people who will live and work in Japan, such as Specified Skilled Workers, and who need Japanese for daily life: talking with coworkers, shopping, going to a clinic, understanding notices. The name "irodori" means "coloring" or "adding color", the idea being that Japanese can add color to your life in Japan.

Can-do goals

Irodori is built on the "JF Can-do for Life in Japan" (JF生活日本語Can-do). A Can-do is a short statement of what you can do with Japanese in a real situation, for example "I can ask a coworker where to put something". Each lesson starts with its Can-do goals, and each book has a Can-do Check so you can see what you have achieved.

Levels

Each book has 18 lessons. A newer Pre-Intermediate book (初中級, shochuukyuu), at A2 to B1, has also been released, with its resources published step by step. Most JOBAGUS candidates will focus on the first three books.

What a lesson looks like

Every lesson is built around one everyday topic, such as work, food, shopping, health or free time. Inside a lesson you will find:

• Can-do goals at the start;
• listening and speaking activities with audio, based on realistic situations;
• reading and writing tasks with real-life materials such as signs, messages or forms;
• kanji that appear in daily life;
• short notes about life in Japan.

How Irodori is different

Many textbooks start with grammar patterns. Irodori starts with situations: what do you need to say or understand in this scene? Grammar is still there, but it serves the task. This makes it a good match for workers who need to communicate quickly, and for JFT-Basic, which tests the same kind of practical ability.

Per October 2026. Check irodori.jpf.go.jp for the current list of books and resources.