We know that keyboards differ from country to country. Some of these differences are slight, like the Euro or Pound symbols that aren’t found on all keyboards, but there are also extreme cases, like Chinese keyboards that have to cater to a language with more than 50,000 characters. But what about Japan? Do the Japanese also have a unique keyboard, and what does it look like?
There are two types of keyboards in Japan: the JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) and ANSI (American National Standards Institute). JIS keyboards are the most prevalent in the country. They look like Western QWERTY keyboards but with additional keys to switch between Western, Katakana, and Hiragana.
Japanese keyboard layout look so similar to American and International keyboards that anyone who’s used to a QWERTY keyboard can work on it, but there are some crucial differences. Let’s look at them more closely.
what does a japanese keyboard look like
Japanese keyboard layout look different from US keyboards in two ways:
- Japanese keyboards contain the standard alphabetic characters we have on QWERTY keyboards, but the characters are smaller to accommodate more symbols on each key. Usually, the Western alphabet is on the top of the key, while the bottom half contains a Japanese character, either Hiragana or Katakana.
Hiragana is the alphabet that the Japanese use to spell Japanese words phonetically, and it’s the one you will find most often on Japanese keyboards.
Katakana is the alphabet that Japanese people use to spell non-Japanese words phonetically, and though you can find keyboards that contain these characters, they aren’t widespread. These keyboards are mainly found among Japanese people who work and live outside Japan or who often travel internationally.
- Japanese Industry Standard (JIS) keyboards contain 109 keys, while standard international (ANSI or American National Standards Institute) keyboards have only 104 keys. These keys switch between language or input modes (standard QWERTY and Katakana or Hiragana).
Apart from these factors, Japanese keyboards look similar to their American or International counterparts.
The Special Keys On A Japanese Keyboard
The additional keys that you find on a Japanese computer keyboard are:
- One key will switch between English(Western Alphabet or Romaji, which means “Roman letters”), Katakana, and Hiragana.
- Another key is used to switch to Kanji Kanji is a way to write or type in Japanese using Chinese characters. However, Kanji doesn’t support all Japanese words, so the keyboards must be able to switch between Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana.
- Most Japanese keyboards have a key that automatically converts Kanji into Hiragana or the other way around, but these types of keyboards often require special software to perform their functions.
What About ANSI Keyboards?
ANSI keyboards are also often found in Japan. These are standard International or US keyboards, and they are popular among Japanese people who work for non-Japanese companies or those who import their computers. But it is rarely used in Japan, because they require this special software layer.
These keyboards don’t have special keys or characters; they are identical to Western keyboards in every way. So, to facilitate typing Japanese text, users with ANSI keyboards use special software tools to change the input method on the computer rather than the keyboard. Two such ways are:
- Input Method Editors (IMEs). Microsoft has a software tool called the Japanese IME, and Google offers the Japanese Input tool, both of which change the input to Japanese after typing on an ANSI keyboard. IMEs provide a list of Japanese Kanji symbols that are likely candidates for the text you typed on the keyboard.
- Flick Input. This is used on touchscreen devices, similar to how you can access special characters on a tablet screen by either holding or flicking keys.
How Do Japanese Keyboards Work?
Japanese keyboards are designed to accommodate the unique requirements of the Japanese writing system, which comprises three sets of characters: hiragana, katakana, and kanji. Typing in Japanese can be challenging due to the vast number of characters used in the language. To simplify the process, Japanese keyboards use a combination of hardware and software input methods that allow users to efficiently type in their native script.
- Hardware Layout
Japanese keyboards typically have a similar layout to the standard QWERTY keyboards used for English, with some additional keys to facilitate Japanese input. These keyboards feature the usual alphabetic keys, numbers, and punctuation marks, along with extra keys specific to Japanese language input. One such key is the “半角/全角” (Hankaku/Zenkaku) key, which toggles between half-width and full-width characters. Another key is the “かな” (Kana) key, which switches between Japanese kana input and Roman alphabet input.
- Input Methods
There are two primary input methods used on Japanese keyboards: kana input and romaji input.
- Kana Input: In this method, each key on the keyboard corresponds to a specific hiragana or katakana character. Users type directly in Japanese script by pressing the corresponding keys. This method is less common than romaji input, as it requires the user to memorize the kana assigned to each key.
- Romaji Input: This is the most common input method for Japanese keyboards. Users type in Japanese using the Roman alphabet, and the input method software automatically converts the romanized text into the appropriate hiragana, katakana, or kanji characters. This method is more accessible for those familiar with the QWERTY keyboard layout, as it utilizes the same key positions.
- Conversion Process
When using romaji input, the conversion process typically involves the following steps:
- Type in the Romanized version of the Japanese word (e.g., “nihongo” for 日本語).
- The input method software will automatically convert the typed text into hiragana (e.g., にほんご).
- Press the spacebar to view a list of kanji or other character options that correspond to the hiragana text.
- Use the arrow keys or number keys to select the desired kanji or character set (e.g., 日本語).
- Press the “Enter” key to confirm the selection and insert the converted text into the document.
- Advanced Features
Japanese input software also offers advanced features to make typing more efficient:
- Predictive Text: Many input methods include predictive text functionality, which suggests words or phrases based on the characters typed. This feature can save time by reducing the number of keystrokes required to input a word.
- Custom Dictionaries: Users can add custom words or phrases to their input method’s dictionary, allowing the software to recognize and convert these terms more accurately.
- Shortcut Keys: Some input methods include shortcut keys for specific tasks, such as converting all hiragana characters in a selection to katakana, or toggling between different character sets.
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