Set up and switch to the Japanese input source
If you enable the Hiragana, Katakana, or Romaji input mode, you can type in Japanese.
Enable Japanese input modes
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, then click Input Sources.
Click the Add button
, select Japanese, then click Add.Select the Japanese input source, then in the preferences select the checkbox for each input mode you want to use.
Switch to a Japanese input mode
Switch to any input source: Click the Input menu in the menu bar, then choose an input mode.
Note: If your Mac has a Touch Bar, you can customize the Control Strip by adding the Input Sources button
. For more information, see Customize the Touch Bar.Switch to the next input source: Press Option-Control-Space bar. The “Select next source in Input menu” shortcut must be selected in the Shortcuts pane of Keyboard preferences.
To select the shortcut, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, click Shortcuts, then select Input Sources.
Switch to the previous input source: Press Control-Space bar. The “Select the previous input source” shortcut must be selected in the Shortcuts pane of Keyboard preferences.
To select the shortcut, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Keyboard, click Shortcuts, then select Input Sources.
Switch to Hiragana: Do any of the following to switch to hiragana from any other Japanese input source:
On a keyboard: Press Control-Shift-J or Option-Shift-Z.
On a JIS keyboard: Press the Kana key (かな).
Switch to Romaji: Do any of the following to switch to Romaji from any other Japanese input source:
On a keyboard: Press Option-Shift-S.
Note: You can also just press Shift if the “Shift key action” option is set to “Enter Romaji mode.”
To select the option, click the Input menu in the menu bar, then choose Open Japanese Preferences.
On a JIS keyboard: Press Control-Shift-Semicolon (;) or press the Eisu key (英数).
Switch to Full-width Romaji: Press Option-Shift-C or Control-Shift-L. The Full-width Romaji option must be selected.
To select the option, click the Input menu in the menu bar, then choose Open Japanese Preferences.
Switch to Katakana: Do any of the following to switch to Katakana from any other Japanese input source:
On a keyboard: Press Control-Shift-K or Option-Shift-X.
On a JIS keyboard: Press Shift-Kana key (かな).
Switch to Half-width Katakana: Press Option-Shift-A or Control-Shift-Semicolon (;). The Half-width Katakana option must be selected.
To select the option, click the Input menu in the menu bar, then choose Open Japanese Preferences.