Romaji ⇔ Hiragana Converter (Hepburn & Kunrei)
Convert romaji to hiragana or katakana and back. Use it to check how to type Japanese with a romaji IME (nn, n', double consonants), or to write a Japanese name or place in romaji. You can switch between Hepburn and Kunrei-shiki, and choose how long vowels are written. For plain hiragana and katakana conversion, see the Hiragana / Katakana Converter.
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Notes
- Romaji → kana accepts Hepburn, Kunrei-shiki and Nihon-shiki spellings (shi / si, chi / ti, fu / hu, and so on). Like a Japanese IME, "nn" or "n'" gives ん and a hyphen after kana (ka-) gives the long vowel mark ー.
- Kana → romaji writes the particle は as ha and を as o, so こんにちは becomes konnichiha. Edit it by hand if you want the greeting spelling konnichiwa.
- Long vowels written in kana (おう, おお) are romanized as they are (ou, oo). Only the katakana long vowel mark ー is turned into a macron, doubled vowel or hyphen.
- Kanji cannot be converted. If you know the reading, type it in hiragana first. Characters other than kana and romaji are left as they are.
- For the romanization of names on a passport or official forms, check the official guidance. Do not use this tool’s output as-is on an application.
Glossary
Hepburn and Kunrei-shiki
Hepburn spells Japanese the way it sounds to English readers (shi, chi, tsu, fu, ji) and is used on passports and station signs. Kunrei-shiki follows the structure of the gojūon table (si, ti, tu, hu, zi) and has been taught in schools.
Sokuon, hatsuon and chōon
Sokuon is the small っ, written by doubling the next consonant (kk, tt). Hatsuon is ん, written n (n' before a vowel or y). Chōon is a long vowel, written with ー, おう or おお.
FAQ
How do I type ん in romaji?
At the end of a word or before a consonant (the n in kanpai), a single n gives ん. Before a vowel or y (as in かんい or ほんや), write n' (kan'i) or double the n. When ん is followed by に, as in konnichiwa, double the n as well.
Should I use Hepburn or Kunrei-shiki?
Hepburn (shi, chi, tsu) is what passports, station signs and most English-language material use. Kunrei-shiki (si, ti, tu) is taught in schools and used in some government documents. If unsure, choose Hepburn.
Why does こんにちは not become konnichiwa?
The tool mechanically writes the particle は as ha and を as o. If you want the greeting spelling konnichiwa, edit the result by hand.
Can I avoid macrons for long vowels?
Yes. Under "Long vowel mark" choose a doubled vowel (aa), a hyphen (a-) or omit it (a). Macron letters (ā ī ū ē ō) are also accepted as input in the romaji → kana direction.
Does it convert kanji?
No. It has no reading dictionary, so kanji are left as they are. If you know the reading, type it in hiragana.
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