Beginner's guide: read your first Japanese book with Shikibu

This guide takes about ten minutes. By the end you'll have opened a Japanese book, added reading aids with one click, and saved an annotated copy.

What Shikibu does

Shikibu is an editor for Japanese e-books (EPUB files). It adds furigana — the small kana readings above kanji — so you can read any book at your level, look up words as you go, and export a clean, annotated copy that works on any e-reader.

Step 1 — Get Shikibu

Download the version for your computer (.exe for Windows, .deb for Linux) or the Android APK for your phone from the download section. Install it like any other program. No account is needed for the free version.

Step 2 — Open a book

Press Open EPUB and choose a Japanese book file. The book appears as a normal page you can read and scroll. (Where to find free Japanese e-books: Aozora Bunko is a public-domain library that works well with Shikibu.)

Step 3 — Add furigana

Select a word or a whole paragraph and press the furigana button. Shikibu adds the readings above the kanji automatically, using the Lingua Mundi dictionary. One click and the text becomes readable.

Step 4 — Look words up as you read

Tap or click any word to see its meaning, reading, and grammar notes in the side panel. Pro adds a complete offline dictionary, so you can read on a plane or anywhere without internet.

Step 5 — Annotate and export

Highlight passages, add your own notes, then press Export. Your annotated book saves as a clean, standard EPUB that opens in any reader — yours to keep.

Also try the Lingua Mundi dictionary

The Lingua Mundi dictionary is a standalone lookup tool: type a word (Japanese or English) and get senses, readings, and kanji details straight from the database. The online version is free; an offline copy is bundled with Shikibu Pro.

Common questions

Is my book uploaded anywhere?

No. Your EPUB is opened and edited on your device. Nothing is sent to us.

Will the furigana work on every kanji?

It covers the standard readings in the Lingua Mundi database — the large majority of everyday text. Rare readings can be added by hand.

Does it work with DRM-protected books?

No — Shikibu works with unprotected EPUB files, like the ones from Aozora Bunko or your own documents.

For researchers and developers

The Lingua Mundi API exposes the same dictionary data over a simple HTTP interface: word lookups, furigana, deinflections, senses, and kanji details. See the API dashboard to start free.

Where to get help

Write to rhls.softdev@gmail.com — we answer every message, usually within a day.