Japanese Keyboard Online
Type in Japanese Online using the virtual keyboard below and then copy it to your clipboard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji?
Hiragana is used for native Japanese words and grammar. Katakana is for foreign loanwords, onomatopoeia, and emphasis. Kanji are characters borrowed from Chinese that represent whole words or ideas. This keyboard focuses on Hiragana and Katakana.
How do I type with this keyboard?
This is a 'Kana' keyboard. You click directly on the character you want to type. For a faster method, try our 'Phonetic Typing' mode, where you can type using Romaji (English letters).
What is Romaji?
Romaji is the use of Latin letters to write the Japanese language. For example, typing 'konnichiwa' in phonetic mode will automatically convert to 'こんにちは'.
How do I type the small characters like 'ゃ', 'ゅ', 'ょ', and 'っ'?
These small characters are available on the bottom row of the virtual keyboard. They are used to create combined sounds (e.g., き + ゃ = きゃ) or the small 'tsu' for a double consonant.
How do I add the 'dakuten' (゛) or 'handakuten' (゜) marks?
When using phonetic mode, the system handles this automatically (e.g., 'ka' -> か, 'ga' -> が). With the virtual keyboard, you can type the base character first and then use a 'Diacritics' keyboard to add the marks.
What's the 'ん' (n) character for?
The character 'ん' is the only consonant in Japanese that can end a syllable. It's a nasal sound and has its own key on the keyboard.
Can I switch between Hiragana and Katakana?
Yes, we have separate virtual keyboards for both Hiragana and Katakana. You can navigate between them using the 'All Keyboards' page.
Is this keyboard layout standard in Japan?
While this 'Gojūon' (50 sounds) layout is a great way to learn, most Japanese people type on a standard QWERTY keyboard using a phonetic (Romaji) input method editor (IME), which is what our 'Phonetic Typing' mode simulates.
How do I type a long vowel, like in 'rāmen' (ラーメン)?
In Katakana, a long vowel is indicated by a dash-like character called a 'chōonpu' (ー). You can find it on our Katakana keyboard or type a hyphen on your physical keyboard.
Can I use this to chat with my friends in Japanese?
Absolutely! It's a perfect tool for writing messages if you don't have a Japanese keyboard installed on your device. Just type, copy, and paste.
What is the small 'ッ' (tsu) used for?
This is called a 'sokuon' and it indicates a double consonant. It creates a short pause before the next consonant sound. For example, 'kite' (来て) vs 'kitte' (切手).
Does this keyboard include Kanji?
No, this tool focuses on the phonetic syllabaries, Hiragana and Katakana. A full Kanji keyboard would require a complex input method editor (IME) to select from thousands of characters.
Why do 'じ' (ji) and 'ぢ' (ji) sound the same?
These are called 'yotsugana'. In modern standard Japanese, 'じ' and 'ぢ' (and their 'zu' counterparts 'ず' and 'づ') are pronounced identically. The spelling difference is historical.
How do I write a sentence?
Japanese is written without spaces between words. Particles like 'は' (wa) and 'を' (o) help structure the sentence. You can use the '。' (maru) for a period and '、' (ten) for a comma.
Can I use this to practice for my Japanese class?
Yes, it's a great way to practice writing and recognizing Hiragana and Katakana characters without needing to install any software.