Kanji Font Craziness

Getting a handle on what fonts are available and what the differences are wasn't easy. As I'm using Windows 7 I'll go over what is available on Windows. The fonts that come with Windows also come with Mac Office for those that do Mac.

"Mincho" or "Ming" style fonts are the "serif" fonts. They have thick verticals, thin horizontals, and triangular endings on some of the lines (fish scales). "Goshikku" or "Gothic" are the sans-serif fonts.

• MS Mincho
• MS PMincho (proportionally spaced version)
• MS Gothic
• MS PGothic (proportionally spaced version)
• MS UI Gothic (UI fonts are tweaked for readability at really small sizes)
• Meiryo (the *new* Gothic in MS products- it is a little smaller and has a full bold version)
• Meiryo UI

Now there are a number of important font styles that do NOT come in Windows, but are freely available from Epson. http://www.i-love-ep.../page/ttf30.htm The names are in Japanese:

• Epson太角ゴシック体 Gothic - slightly darker/bolder than MS Gothic
• Epson 丸ゴシック体 Goshikkutai - rounded gothic used for road signs
• Epson 太丸ゴシック体 Goshikkutai bold
• Epson太行書体 Minchōtai - much bolder than MS Mincho
• Epson正楷書体 Kaishotai - typical handwritten style
• Epson 行書体 Gyōshotai - Semi cursive style
• Epson 太明朝体 Futoshi minchōtai - Bold semi cursive style
• Epson 教科書体 Kyōkashotai - this one is important - it is the style used in textbooks

FAQ on Japanese lettering

Since it is related, here are the Windows Chinese fonts:

• FangSong, KaiTi, Microsoft YaHei, NSimSun, SimHei, SimSun (Simplified Chinese)
• DFKai-SB, Microsoft JhengHei, MingLiU, PMingLiU (Traditional Chinese)

A couple of good (free) handwriting fonts:

• Mikachan
• Sanafon

And two other interesting fonts:

• KanjiStrokeOrder The strokes are numbered
• HYZhuan Seal style (ancient Chinese)

WAZU has a pretty good list of fonts. If you find any good fonts that I'm missing drop me a line.