Romaji Converter (Hiragana, Katakana ⇄ Romaji) — Convert hiragana and katakana to romaji and back, in Hepburn or Kunrei-shiki
Convert hiragana and katakana to romaji and romaji back to kana. Switch between Hepburn, the system used on signs and passports, and Kunrei-shiki, the system taught in Japanese schools. Uppercase and katakana output options for names, addresses and study.
Type kana to get romaji, or type romaji to see how it is written in hiragana or katakana.
Romaji Converter: tips and things to know
- Hepburn (shi, chi, tsu, fu) is what you see on station signs, passports and most textbooks. Kunrei-shiki (si, ti, tu, hu) is taught in Japanese elementary schools.
- The "romaji → kana" direction is handy for checking how your name is written in katakana on forms, bank cards and delivery slips.
- Kanji cannot be converted here. Paste the reading in hiragana instead.
How to use the Romaji Converter
Choose the direction
Pick "kana → romaji" or "romaji → kana".
Choose the system
Hepburn is the default and the right choice for most purposes; Kunrei-shiki is available for school-style romanization.
Enter text and read the result
Type or paste hiragana, katakana or romaji. The result appears instantly and can be copied with one tap.
Two ways to romanize Japanese
Romaji is Japanese written in the Latin alphabet, and there are two common systems. Hepburn spells syllables the way an English speaker would pronounce them: shi, chi, tsu, fu, ji, sha, cha. Kunrei-shiki follows the structure of the Japanese kana table instead: si, ti, tu, hu, zi, sya, tya.
Hepburn is used on road and station signs, in passports, in most learning materials and by almost every English-language source. Kunrei-shiki is the system taught in Japanese schools and used in some official documents. If in doubt, use Hepburn.
Writing your name in katakana
Foreign names are written in katakana in Japan, and you will need a consistent spelling for your residence card, bank account, phone contract and delivery labels. The "romaji → kana" direction with katakana output gives a starting point, but check it against how your name is already written on your residence card or a previous document, because once a spelling is registered it is best not to change it.
Long vowels in katakana are written with a bar (ー): "Mary" becomes メアリー, and "Roberto" becomes ロベルト with no bar. Sounds that do not exist in Japanese are approximated: "v" often becomes ヴ or バ行, "l" becomes ラ行, and "th" becomes サ行.
Long vowels and other things to check
This converter works syllable by syllable, so it does not add macrons for long vowels: おう comes out as "ou", not "ō", and とうきょう as "toukyou" rather than "Tōkyō". Passport-style Hepburn drops the macron entirely (Tokyo, Ono), while textbooks keep it.
It also does not insert an apostrophe after ん before a vowel (shin'ichi) and does not know which reading a kanji takes. For anything official, treat the output as a draft and check the rules of the office you are dealing with.
Typing Japanese with romaji
If you are learning to type Japanese, the romaji you type into a Japanese IME follows roughly the same rules as this converter: "kya" gives きゃ, "nn" gives ん, and a doubled consonant like "tta" gives った. Practicing with the "romaji → kana" direction shows you what an IME will produce before you switch your keyboard.
Romaji Converter FAQ
What is the difference between Hepburn and Kunrei-shiki?
Hepburn spells syllables by their English pronunciation (shi, chi, tsu, fu) and is used on signs, in passports and in most textbooks. Kunrei-shiki follows the kana table (si, ti, tu, hu) and is taught in Japanese schools.
Which system do Japanese passports use?
Hepburn, following the Ministry of Foreign Affairs rules, with long vowels written without macrons (Tokyo rather than Tōkyō).
Can it convert kanji?
No. Only hiragana and katakana are supported. Convert kanji to its hiragana reading first, for example by typing it with a Japanese IME.
Why does it show "ou" instead of "ō"?
The converter maps each kana directly and does not merge long vowels. For a macron style, replace "ou" and "oo" with "ō" and "uu" with "ū" by hand.