Q: How do I download a Japanese keyboard on a Windows device?

Go to the Start Menu Find Control Panel Go to “ Clock, Language, Region ” -> “Add a Language” Search for ‘J’ and find “ 日本語 ” (Nihongo = Japanese). At the bottom right of your PC you should find ‘JP’ button, and ‘ENG’ button to switch between the two.

Q: How do I download a Japanese keyboard on a Mac?

Go to System Preferences “ Language & Region ” Underneath your list of already installed languages, click the ‘+’. Find Japanese and click “add”. Go to ‘Keyboard Preferences’ and choose ‘ Hiragana’ .

Q: How do I download a Japanese keyboard on an iPhone?

Open your iPhone and go to “Settings” Go to “ General ” Select “ Keyboards ” Select “add new keyboard” Find Japanese Select either Romaji or Hiragana (more on this later…)

Q: What's the best way to type Japanese?

The best way to type Japanese on a keyboard is by typing in Romaji and letting the Japanese pop up.

Q: Does a Japanese keyboard select which Japanese alphabet to type in?

Yes, thankfully! In Japanese, there are certain words usually written in either Katakana, Hiragana, and Kanji. Therefore, if you type these words in Japanese, the keyboard will automatically choose the most appropriate alphabet. FOR EXAMPLE - let's take the word ’KNIFE' which in Japanese is 'Naifu'. You'll first get the Katakana ‘ナイフ’ pop up on the screen, because it would usually be written in Katakana. In fact, to get it in Hiragana equivalent you have to search quite a bit, ないふ. More on that shortly though.

Question 1

How do I download a Japanese keyboard on a Windows device?

Accepted Answer

Go to the Start Menu

Find Control Panel

Go to “Clock, Language, Region” -> “Add a Language”

Search for ‘J’ and find “日本語” (Nihongo = Japanese).

At the bottom right of your PC you should find ‘JP’ button, and ‘ENG’ button to switch between the two.

Question 2

How do I download a Japanese keyboard on a Mac?

Accepted Answer

Go to System Preferences

“Language & Region”

Underneath your list of already installed languages, click the ‘+’.

Find Japanese and click “add”.

Go to ‘Keyboard Preferences’ and choose ‘Hiragana’.

Question 3

How do I download a Japanese keyboard on an iPhone?

Accepted Answer

Open your iPhone and go to “Settings”

Go to “General”

Select “Keyboards”

Select “add new keyboard”

Find Japanese

Select either Romaji or Hiragana (more on this later…)

Question 4

What's the best way to type Japanese?

Accepted Answer

The best way to type Japanese on a keyboard is by typing in Romaji and letting the Japanese pop up.

Question 5

Should I type in Hiragana, Katakana or Kanji?

Accepted Answer

Actually Japanese keyboards often decide for themselves which alphabet they’re going to use, so you don't actually need to make that decision.

This is for a reason. It’s incredibly convenient!

It may be a bit difficult to get used to at first - especially with all the Kanji. But, it can also be a great way to learn more Kanji, as well as a great way to learn which words are usually written with Kanji, Hiragana, or Katakana.

FOR EXAMPLE - let's take the word ’KNIFE' which in Japanese is 'Naifu'.

You'll first get the Katakana ‘ナイフ’ pop up on the screen, because it would usually be written in Katakana.

In fact, to get it in Hiragana equivalent you have to search quite a bit, ないふ. More on that shortly though.

Question 6

Does a Japanese keyboard select which Japanese alphabet to type in?

Accepted Answer

Yes, thankfully! In Japanese, there are certain words usually written in either Katakana, Hiragana, and Kanji.

Therefore, if you type these words in Japanese, the keyboard will automatically choose the most appropriate alphabet.

FOR EXAMPLE - let's take the word ’KNIFE' which in Japanese is 'Naifu'.

You'll first get the Katakana ‘ナイフ’ pop up on the screen, because it would usually be written in Katakana.

In fact, to get it in Hiragana equivalent you have to search quite a bit, ないふ. More on that shortly though.

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