JLPT official practice workbook: what to buy and what is free
Last checked: 2026-11-06
The official JLPT Practice Workbook costs 700 yen plus tax per level, and there are two volumes. Each has about as many questions as a real test, taken from past tests. The JLPT site also gives free sample questions.
Official books and prices
| Book | Levels | Pages | Price before tax |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Practice Workbook Vol. 2 (2018) | N1, N2, N3, N4, N5 (one book per level) | 86 to 100 | 700 yen |
| Official Practice Workbook (2012) | N1, N2, N3, N4, N5 (one book per level) | 89 to 101 | 700 yen |
| New Guidebook, Summary and Sample Questions | N1 to N3 in one book | 129 | 900 yen |
| New Guidebook, Summary and Sample Questions | N4 and N5 in one book | 87 | 800 yen |
All are published by Bonjinsha and come with one CD. The JLPT site links to the publisher to buy them. It does not say whether they ship overseas, so check before you order. Prices are as listed on the JLPT site.
Is there a free official PDF?
Yes, for the sample questions, but we did not find one for the workbooks. The JLPT site has sample question PDFs for N1 to N5, with answer keys, listening scripts, sample answer sheets and MP3 audio. It shows no charge for these. The JLPT presents them as samples of each question type, and it points you to the workbooks for more practice. The page also warns that some content includes third-party work, so do not copy or repost it.
| Free samples | Official workbook | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | 700 yen plus tax, per volume |
| Length | Samples of each question type | Almost the number of questions in a real test |
| Source of questions | Sample sets | Selected from tests since the 2010 revision |
| Good for | Learning the format and picking a level | A timed practice run |
Worked example: what full official practice costs
Our own sums, before tax:
| What you buy | Cost |
|---|---|
| Free samples only | 0 yen |
| One volume, one level | 700 yen |
| Both volumes, one level | 1,400 yen |
| The JLPT fee in Japan, for comparison | 7,500 yen |
Both volumes cost about a fifth of the test fee in Japan. So if you plan to sit the test, the workbooks are cheap insurance against a failed attempt.
How to use them
This is our suggested order, not an official one.
- Try the free samples to learn each question type and check your level.
- Sit Vol. 2 as a full timed test, using the official section times.
- Find your weakest section, and work on that.
- Sit the 2012 workbook near the end, as a second timed test.
The workbooks do not give you a score the way the test does. The real test uses scaled scores, so raw marks in a book are only a rough guide.
The official JLPT Practice Test in Tokyo
The Japan Foundation and JEES also ran a live practice test on November 23, 2026, for N1, N2 and N3, at sites in the Tokyo area. Applications closed on October 23, and places were drawn at random if too many applied. It issues no certificate. Results show a correct answer rate for each section, not a score, and the questions are not published. Watch the JLPT site if you live near Tokyo and want this option in future.
What a teacher adds
A book cannot explain why you missed a listening question. If one section stays weak after two timed tests, a few lessons on that section may help. See what tutors cost.
Check tutors and current prices on Preply.
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