Marugoto is a textbook for adult learners of Japanese based on the JF Standard for Japanese Language-Education. Learners at the Starter level (A1) are expected to master basic phrases and expressions used in everyday life. Based on the philosophy of "Japanese for mutual understanding," each topic features people from various cultural backgrounds interacting in Japanese. Dialogues, photos, and illustrations are used throughout to help foster cross-cultural understanding. Marugoto also emphasizes auditory learning by providing many audio clips of natural spoken conversations that students can hear and repeat. The Starter level (A1) consists of two volumes: Katsudoo (Activity) focuses on the development of practical communication skills through listening and speaking, while Rikai (Competence) offers a systematic study of Japanese for communication. Both volumes cover the same topics and, depending on your goal, can be used independently or together to improve overall Japanese skills.