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, but many of the ideas could equally be done with a programmable keyboard.

Projects

Currently there are two main sub-projects:

• Flick-input like Japanese keyboard chording using cursor keys 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 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).

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 unicde symbol which can be used for kana or even kanji. See hex codes for kana in unicode. 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 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.