Japanese scripts

Japanese has, like most languages, a few different writing styles. Quite obviously you know a few different ones for english/american, because your handwriting isn't going to look like the "microsoft sans serif" font this is typed in, and neither will something written in cursive italics look much like either this sans serif font or your handwriting. In fact, the "A" alone will look completely different in all three scripts. Japanese has a few common faces, which have come from the various approaches to the Kanji system as employed since +/- 600 a.d.

Aside from normal printform styles, there are also old block-print styles, and the cursive styles that come from the artistic approach. (Compare this to our use of gothic caligraphy). As an illustration of the differences in Japanese fonts, let's look at the various forms one might encounter as main writing forms, if they can indeed so be called, since most were derived from brushes or woodblocks rather than pens.

Ming dynasty print style

This is the 明朝 (minchou) type face. This is the most used type face in Japan, found in newspapers, in your word processor, etc. It is characterised by clearely identifiable strokes, thick verticals and thin horizontals, angular corners and serifs at the end of strokes.

Gothic print style

This is the ゴシック (gothic) typeface. This is the second most used type face in Japan. You will find it on for instance signs and the likes. Unlike minchou it doesn't have all the serifs or thickness differences. it just shows the essence of a kanji without the pleasantries and decorations.

Text book print style

The 教科書 (kyoukasho) or "text book" type face is used quite often in - not surprisingly - text books and the likes. It is similar to the minchou type face, but feels slightly less computer inspired, and looks more a mix between a computer font and a carefully pencilled one.

Block style

This style, called 楷書, is the type face originating from wood block carving. Every stroke is "written" individually, and thus makes it an intensive typeface to write (brush) in. While prettier than the kaisho scripts, it's also sometimes harder to read. It is actually similar to the minchou typeface, which also originated from woodblock carving, but differs in style by being less rigid and having serifs at different strokes.

Flowing and semi-cursive style