New in 2.3.0: downloaded works now appear on your bookshelf too, plus new work and author pages. Every curated mood pick comes with a note on why we chose it. No ads.
Natsume Soseki, Dazai Osamu, Akutagawa Ryunosuke and more: kotori is an Aozora Bunko reader that beautifully displays about 17,600 public-domain works in vertical text with ruby (furigana).
Start reading, or pick up where you left off — more easily than ever.
kotori is a quiet place to read Japanese literature. No ads, no sign-up.
■ Bring literature closer with Kotori
I want to read literary works like a paperback.
I want to look up unfamiliar words right as I read.
I want to revisit a passage that stayed with me anytime.
Kotori connects reading, looking things up, and returning to favorites — creating a reading environment where you can slowly immerse yourself in a work.
■ Find your next read
- Book of the week
Each week, kotori introduces one work with a passage that shows what makes it special.
- Browse by mood, theme, or author
Find something that fits how you feel, from "something slow" to "something strange". Narrow each mood further to your taste, and every curated mood pick comes with a short note on why we chose it. Author guides lead you through the classics.
- Work and author pages
Every work and author has its own page. Jump to an author from Home, Explore, or any work page.
- Your bookshelf
Favorites, books in progress and finished books live on your bookshelf, and downloaded works now appear there too. Jump back into anything you left partway through.
- Widget and reminders
Open the book of the week or your current read from the Home Screen widget. Turn on reminders for a gentle nudge to return to the book you're reading.
■ Key Features
- Vertical text + ruby support
Full vertical text with ruby (furigana). Even works with older kanji forms or unfamiliar words read as naturally as a printed book.
- Built-in offline dictionary (approx. 91,000 entries)
Look up words on the spot, instantly. Even without a network connection, you can check meanings without interrupting your reading.
- Table of contents to jump where you want
Browse chapters of long works or short stories from a list and quickly open the section you want. Also handy when returning to a work you left partway through.
- In-text search to find that passage again
Search within a work for memorable phrases, character names, or scenes that caught your attention. Get right back to the passage you want to revisit.
- Highlights & Notes
Highlight passages that resonate with you and save them with notes. Even after finishing, you can look back on a work through your own words.
- Search by title, author, or reading
Quickly find what you want to read by title, author name, or phonetic reading. Download works to enjoy reading even where there is no signal.
- A reading environment that suits you
Choose from 4 themes — Light, Dark, Sepia, and Aozora — and 2 fonts — Gothic and Mincho — with fine-grained text size settings. Read in a setting that suits your eyes, morning or night.
■ Nothing between you and the story
- No ads — nothing to interrupt your reading
- No registration — start reading right away
On screen, it's just you and the work.
kotori is a small doorway into the treasure trove of Japanese literature.
Savor it in beautiful vertical text, look up words, and return to the passages that stayed with you. Find your own reading time with kotori.
Ratings & Reviews
5.0
out of 5
1 Ratings
• Fixed blank pages that could appear in very long works.
• New pages for each work and author. Jump to an author's page from Home or a work page.
• Downloaded works now show up on your Bookshelf.
• Mood picks now have extra filters, and each curated pick comes with a short reason it was chosen.
• Refreshed the "What's it about?" summaries.
• Fixed downloads that stopped working after the Aozora Bunko site update.
Version 2.3.0
The developer, Tatsuhiko Kawana, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
Usage Data
Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
Seller
Tatsuhiko Kawana
Size
127.3 MB
Category
Books
Compatibility
Requires iOS 17.0 or later.
iPhone Requires iOS 17.0 or later.
iPad Requires iPadOS 17.0 or later.
Mac Requires macOS 14.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.
