Japanese Keyboard

How to type Japanese with this keyboard

Choose a mode with the tabs above the text box:

• Romaji → Hiragana: type Japanese in Latin letters and it becomes hiragana as you type. arigatou becomes ありがとう and konnichiha becomes こんにちは.
• Romaji → Katakana: the same rules, typed as katakana for loanwords and foreign names. ko-hi- becomes コーヒー.
• Kana layout (JIS): the kana printed on Japanese keyboards, one key per kana. Use it if you learned kana input or want to practice it.

Until a syllable is complete it stays in Latin letters, so k waits for the vowel and ka turns into か. The buttons above the keyboard add Japanese punctuation, and Small kana gives ぁ ぃ ぅ ぇ ぉ っ ゃ ゅ ょ ゎ (hold Shift for the katakana versions).

Typing kanji

Type a word in romaji, then press Space: the kana turns into kanji, just like the input method on a Japanese computer. nihon gives にほん, and Space makes it 日本. Press Space again to step through the other choices, or click one in the Kanji bar under the text box. Enter keeps the choice and Esc turns it back into kana.

For verbs and adjectives, the kanji part converts and the ending stays in kana: tabeta gives 食べ + た. If a word isn't split where you want, convert it in two parts. The dictionary covers about 160,000 words, including place names; it loads a small piece at a time the first time you convert, and your text never leaves your browser. For long documents, the Japanese input method on your own device (below) adds features like learning your most used words.

Romaji input rules

The romaji rules match the ones used by the Japanese input methods on Windows, Mac and phones, so what you learn here works everywhere.

Hiragana chart

The basic hiragana are arranged in the gojūon (fifty sounds) grid: each row is a consonant, each column a vowel. The romaji under each kana is what you type.

Dakuten and handakuten

Two small marks change the sound of a kana: dakuten ゛ makes it voiced (か ka → が ga) and handakuten ゜ turns h into p (は ha → ぱ pa).

Combinations (yōon)

A kana ending in i plus a small ゃ, ゅ or ょ makes one syllable:

Katakana chart

Katakana has the same sounds and the same romaji. It's used for loanwords, foreign names and emphasis, and long vowels are usually written with ー.

Dakuten and handakuten

Combinations (yōon)

Katakana also has extra combinations for sounds that Japanese lacks, such as ファ (fa), ティ (ti), ウィ (wi) and ヴ (vu). Type fa, thi, wi and vu in Katakana mode to get them.

Japanese keyboard layout (JIS)

Keyboards sold in Japan follow the JIS layout. Each key carries a kana as well as a Latin letter, and kana input types that kana directly, with no romaji. Most people in Japan type with romaji input instead, but kana input is faster once learned. The small letter on each key shows the key in the same place on a US keyboard.

Hold Shift for the small kana (ぁ ぃ ぅ ぇ ぉ ゃ ゅ ょ っ), を on the 0 key, and 「 」 、 。 ・. Voiced sounds take two keys: type か, then ゛ (the @ key on a JIS keyboard, [ on a US one) to get が. The ー key (¥) and the ろ key (\) exist only on JIS keyboards; on a US keyboard, click them on screen.

How to add a Japanese keyboard to your device

Your device's built-in Japanese input method works the same way as this page: you type in romaji (or kana), and kanji suggestions appear. It also learns the words you use most.

Windows (Microsoft IME)

Settings → Time & language → Language & region → Add a language → Japanese. This installs the Microsoft IME. Switch keyboards with Windows+Space, then press Alt+` (or the 半角/全角 key on a Japanese keyboard) to switch between English letters and hiragana. Type in romaji, press Space to convert to kanji, and Enter to confirm. F7 turns what you typed into katakana.

Mac

System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit → + → Japanese, and choose Romaji as the input mode. Switch with Control+Space or the Globe key. Press Space to convert to kanji, Enter to confirm, and Control+K to turn your input into katakana.

iPhone and iPad

Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Japanese. Pick Romaji for a QWERTY keyboard, Kana for the flick keypad used in Japan, or both. Kanji suggestions appear above the keyboard as you type.

Android (Gboard)

In Gboard, open Settings → Languages → Add keyboard → Japanese, and choose a layout: QWERTY for romaji or 12-key for flick input. Suggestions, including kanji, appear above the keys.

Chromebook

Settings → Device → Keyboard and inputs → Input settings → Add input methods → Japanese. Switch with Ctrl+Space, then type romaji and press Space to convert.

Frequently asked questions