The name キクタン comes from 聞く単語集 meaning, "a vocabulary book you listen to." As implied, the book comes with audio, and it has a chant-music rhythm, which sounds more pleasant and less boring than regular, monotonous audio. You can access the audio either with a CD-ROM, a download link for mp3 files, or their mobile app.
The Kikutan series was originally known among Japanese students as a way to memorize English vocabulary, but they expanded their market to JLPT learners in 2016 with their first JLPT prep books designed for N3 and N2. And finally this summer, their JLPT N1 edition was published.
The Kikutan series was originally known among Japanese students as a way to memorize English vocabulary, but they expanded their market to JLPT learners in 2016 with their first JLPT prep books designed for N3 and N2.
This JLPT N1 edition is designed so that you can study 1,232 words selected for JLPT N1 prep in eleven weeks by going through sixteen words a day. Important words that frequently appear in JLPT exams are marked so that you can pay extra attention to them. Some parts of the content (meanings, readings, vocabulary words, etc.) are printed in red, and the book comes with a plastic red sheet. This is for you to review and test yourself by hiding those red texts with the sheet. (In case you didn't know, that's a common method Japanese students use to study for exams!)
Each vocabulary item is introduced with its pitch accent and a simply-structured yet practical example sentence. Every section, which is grouped by different parts of speech or category, has a quick check test in the same format as the actual JLPT N1 exam at the end. This lets you review what you've learned in the section.
One of the big differences between JLPT N2 and N1 is the amount and the complexity of vocabulary. Picking up vocabulary by reading materials like Japanese books or articles is one way to go, but if you want to focus on complementing your vocabulary knowledge for your JLPT N1 prep, キクタン日本語 日本語能力試験N1 (Kikutan Japanese JLPT N1) would be a great resource to work through.