“KIKUMIN”is a coined word made from the words “KIKU”(listen) and “vitamin”. This app provides recitations of Japan’s finest stories and poems by announcers from Mainichi Broadcasting System (a TV/radio company based in Osaka, Japan). MBS announcers are excellent narrators, and they all have participated in “OHANASHI YUME HIROBA”, a recitation held by MBS each year.
We hope you enjoy these stories and poems read to you in beautiful, refined Japanese.
Do you want to improve your style or manner of speaking? Use “KIKUMIN” as elocution lessons you can listen to as you start your work/school day, or before you go to bed or when you want to relax, or as a way to read stories to your children? Japanese families who live overseas, do you miss your native language? If you do, welcome to “KIKUMIN”.
Listen to your heart’s content and nurture your inner self.
Our lineup includes Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s “KUMO NO ITO”, Ogai Mori’s “TAKASEBUNE”, Osamu Dazai‘s “OUTOU”, Kenji Miyazawa’s “CHUMON NO OOI RYOURITEN”, and many other Japanese masterpieces. New book recitations will be added each month.
Download “KIKUMIN” for free and check out our collection of poems, “POEMIN”. If you like what you hear, proceed to our store, inside the app, where you can buy a new recitation.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Shown page by page, just like a book. Pages will turn over automatically, in sync with audio, and can be browsed manually.
Explanatory notes, written in color, will pop up for difficult words and phrases.
A bookmark will automatically be inserted whenever you tap a pause. Audio will resume where you left off.
Use the slidebar to fast-forward or rewind.
Three soothing sounds, such as waves rippling, can be chosen for background music. Volume for narration and background music can be adjusted separately.
Other apps can be used while listening to recitations.
A full version of poetry book “POEMIN” is available for free when downloading “KIKUMIN” app.
New books can be purchased at our store. Books that have once been purchased can be re-downloaded for free.
A built-in bookshelf function enables you to organize your book collection.
A bookshelf can be selected from among the four pre-set designs.
FUNCTIONS
Bookshelf
+ 1) Choice of design
+2) Organizing books
Playback
+ 1) Playback control (play/pause/resume)
+ 2) Time bar indicator showing where you are in the book
+ 3) Slide bar for volume adjustment
+4) Selection of background music and (separate) slide bar for background music volume
+5) Automatic bookmark insertion when tapping to pause
+6) Resume audio from bookmark insertion
+7) Popup explanatory notes for difficult words and phrases
+8) Narrator’s profile and book recommendations
Store
+1) Purchase of books and downloading
+2) List of authors, titles and summary of books
+3) Recent orders
