https://github.com/peterjc/kana-chording-ke

Japanese Keyboard layouts on macOS using Karabiner Elements: New Stickney, Flick-input like, ...
https://github.com/peterjc/kana-chording-ke

chording japanese-kana karabiner-elements keyboard-layout romaji romaji-kana

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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Japanese Keyboard layouts on macOS using Karabiner Elements: New Stickney, Flick-input like, ...

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/peterjc/kana-chording-ke
• Owner: peterjc
• License: mit
• Created: 2025-01-23T22:33:53.000Z (5 months ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2025-04-24T12:04:31.000Z (about 2 months ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-04-24T13:23:12.428Z (about 2 months ago)
• Topics: chording, japanese-kana, karabiner-elements, keyboard-layout, romaji, romaji-kana
• Language: Python
• Homepage:
• Size: 148 KB
• Stars: 0
• Watchers: 1
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 7
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

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README

        
This repository is a holding point for assorted keyboard layout experiments

focused on Japanese text entry, and in particular the possibilities offered

by keyboard chording. Currently this is focused on in-software keyboard

modification on macOS using the free open source software [Karabiner

Elements](https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/), but many of the ideas could

equally be done with a programmable keyboard.

# Projects

Currently there are three main sub-projects:

* [Flick-input like Japanese keyboard chording using cursor

  keys](cursor-chording-flick-input.md) where for example the `k` or `か`

  (ka) key alone gives か, but in combination with `←`, `↑`, `↓`, or `→`

  gives き, く, け, or こ (ki, ku, ke, ko) mimicking the touch-screen iOS

  12-key flick input.

* [New Stickney Japanese keyboard layout](new-stickney-in-macos.md) where

  for example Qwerty `q` with the standard JIS layout gives `た`, but is

  remapped to `f` in order to give `け` as per the New Stickney layout.

  The standard JIS kana layout uses four rows of keys (including the

  numberpad; small kana are typed using shift), while New Stickney is more

  ergonomic using only three rows (small kana are typed using the `゛`

  post-modifier).

* [Hands Down Promethium layout on Apple Japanese

  keyboard](hands-down-on-jis-macbook.md) (for typing in English) using

  the short spacebar and Japanese language keys either side of it as

  thumb keys.

# Japanese character entry

There are at least three ways to enter Japanese hiragana or katakana (and

in some cases kanji) on computers which I have tested on macOS:

1. There are operating system specific keyboard expressions to enter the hex

   code of an individual unicode symbol which can be used for kana or even kanji.

   See [hex codes for kana in unicode](http://www.i18nguy.com/unicode/hiragana.html).

   For macOS, once in "*Unicode Hex Input*" mode, to enter け (ke), press-and-hold

   the option key (aka alt), then type `3`, `0`, `5`, `1`, and release the option

   key. The top number row or the number pad can be used. The same trick works for

   emoji too, usually eight digits, and can be done from KE. Unfortunately, using

   "Unicode Hex Input" mode has the significant drawback that you won't get access

   to the OS IME for kanji support.

2. If instead we use "*Japanese - Romaji*" mode, we must map the desired kana to

   any of the supported romaji aliases, and send that key sequence. Thus for `け`

   we send `k` then `e`. We can send upper case `K` then `E` which can be

   configured in the macOS Japanese settings to be treated automatically as

   the katakana `ケ`. In this mode to enter coffee we would want to simulate

   pressing `K` `O` `-` `H` `I` `-` giving `コーヒー` as you typed. Here is

   a great [introduction to typing in romaji

   mode](https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/how-to-type-in-japanese/) which

   covers this and more.

3. Alternatively, in "*Japanese - Kana*" mode, we must map the desired kana to

   the physical key on the macOS Japanese keyboard JIS layout, and send that

   keycode. In the default JIS layout `け` corresponds to the ANSI Qwerty semi-colon

   key `:` so we send that. For `げ`, we must also send the `◌゙` (ten-ten or

   dakuten) as the `@` key. Likewise `◌゚ ` (adding maru or handakuten) is on the

   `[` key. In this mode the shift key gives the small form of the vowels

   `a`/`i`/`u`/`e`/`o`, `tsu` or `ya`/`yu`/`yo`, and toggles the `わ` key to

   `を` (key zero).

Note Karabiner Elements rules can be conditional on the current input mode.