1. 原稿用紙 げんこうようし Genkō yōshi
How to use
原稿用紙
げんこうようし
Genkō yōshi

2. What is げんこうようし(genkōyōshi)?
Genkō yōshi is a type of Japanese paper used for formal writing. It is printed with squares, typically 200 or 400 per sheet, each square takes one single Japanese character or punctuation mark. Genkō yōshi can be used horizontally or vertically, as shown.
Horizontal writing:
Read from top to bottom
Vertical writing:
Read from right to left

3. Why use げんこうようし？
Japanese primary and secondary students are required to hand in assignments, such as letters, essays and so on, written on genkō yōshi. Essays and school entrance examinations are also written on genkō yōshi paper.
There are special rules how to write on genkō yōshi. Knowing these rules is essential.

4. BASIC RULES FOR Vertical writing

5. Japanese is written from top to bottom
And, right to left

6. One square per Japanese character
kanji
Write only 1 Japanese character (hiragana, katakana or kanji) in each square
Small kana such as ゃ、ゅ、ょ、っ take 1 square each but are written in the top right quarter of a genkō yōshi square
Long katakana sounds ie ジュース　are written as one vertical line (not horizontally)
katakana
long sound
katakana
hiragana
small hiragana
small katakana

7. One square for Japanese punctuation
Full stops and commas 。、take 1 square each and are written in the top right quarter of a genkō yōshi square
Opening quotation mark (speech marks) 「 go in the top right quarter of a genkō yōshi square
Closing quotation mark (speech marks) 」 go in the bottom left quarter of a genkō yōshi square
full stop
opening speech mark
closing speech mark
comma

8. End of the line punctuation
When a sentence ends in the last box of a line, put the punctuation mark:
on the right bottom quarter in the same box along with the character, OR
outside the genkō yōshi boxes on the right.
outside
inside

9. New paragraph – indent one box
Start each new paragraph with one empty box
Leave empty for a new paragraph
new paragraph

10. ESSAY WRITING

11. Essay title and author’s name
Write the title of the essay on the right side of the genkō yōshi paper.
Indent 3 boxes, start writing in the fourth box.
Write your name on the next line, leave 1 box blank at the bottom of the line.
Put a dot in the centre of the box between your first and last name
Leave 3 empty boxes
title
author’s name
dot
Leave 1 empty box

12. Start the essay
Start of the essay (leave a blank box at the start of a paragraph)
Start the essay on the 3rd line of the genkō yōshi page
Leave an empty box (it is a new paragraph)

13. Summary

14. Look at this essay. Can you spot the errors?

15. Did you find all the errors? Why are they errors?

16. LETTER WRITING

17. Dear~ Start the letter on the right side of the genkō yōshi paper.
Leave 3 empty boxes
Start the letter on the right side of the genkō yōshi paper.
Leave 3 genkō yōshi boxes empty
Start writing in the 4th box
Put the name of the person you are writing to followed by さん、ちゃん、 くん、せんせい then へ and comma
へ and comma

18. Content
Usually start the first paragraph with a greeting and by talking about the season or weather
Write in the main body of the letter details such events, directions, thoughts, feelings, responses to any questions etc
The last paragraph has any final greetings/goodbyes

19. From ~
Leave 2 empty boxes
On the next line, leave 2 genkō yōshi squares empty then write the date (year, month, day)
On the next line, at the bottom of the page, write your name followed by より (putting a dot between your first and last name), leave no empty squares
date
より then
leave no boxes empty
name

20. Look at this letter. Can you spot the errors?

21. Did you find all the errors? Why are they errors?