MIT's Japanese Materials
Study Kanji by reviewing video clips of stroke order and take interactive tests!

500 Kanji Flashcards

Rent Japanese Movie DVDs
Rent DVDs from Netflix
Some compiled Japanese movie titles

Purchase Japanese soap opera VCDs in Asia
Visiting China or Taiwan soon? Or have a friend there? Get some cheap Japanese VCDs of soap opera series! Warning: No English subtitles (Usually Japanese with Chinese subtitles)

Borrow Japanese Language Children Books from your local library
Madeline

Recommended Japanese Language Books

Japanese Words & Their Uses by Akira Miura
Excellent usage book that goes over familiar Japanese words and explains the important but subtle differences needed for correct usage. Steers you away from pitfalls that a student is most likely to make. Provides excellent examples with grammar notes. Assumes foundation in Japanese, recommend for intermediate learners - would not recommend to beginners as they would not benefit from the examples. Example taken from 1983 hardcover edition:

ARUKU aruku to walk
(1) Ano hito wa aruku no ga hayai desu nee.
He walks fast, doesn't he!
When the destination is mentioned, the particle preceding aruku should be made "up to." When e or ni, both meaning "to," is used, the verb is changed to aruite iku (lit., "to go walking") or aruite kuru (lit., "to come walking").
(2) Itsumo gakkoo made arukimasu.
I always walk to school.
(3) Itsumo gakkoo e (or ni) aruite-ikimasu.
I always go to school on foot.
When the place along or through which the act of walking takes place is mentioned, aruku is preceded by the particle o.
(4) Asoko o aruite-iru no wa dare deshoo.
I wonder who that person is who is walking over there (lit. along that place).
Other verbs of motion such as iku "to go" and kuru "to come" are also used with o in comparable situations.
When walking takes place up or down a steep incline (e.g. stairs), aruku has to be either replaced by another verb (such as noboru "to climb up") or changed to the -te form and followed by another verb (e.g., aruite noboru). In the following example (5), therefore, (a) is incorrect while (b) and (c) are correct.
(5) kaidan o