For Windows XP: Go to Start -> Control Panel. Find the Regional and Language Options and open that. Hit the Languages tab. In the supplemental language support, there will be a box that will read "Install files for East Asian languages.” If this is not checked, you need to check it. It will then require you to insert the Windows XP disk to install the language files. Follow the instructions and install it. From this point, click the "Details" button under the Text services and input languages section. At this point, in the "Installed Services" section hit the "Add" button. A box will open. In the Input language, find Japanese on the list. For the Keyboard Layout area, find one of the Microsoft IME options if they do not appear automatically. I am using Microsoft IME Standard 2002 ver. 8.1. From this point you should probably set up your language bar. I keep it on my task bar. You can then click it to change your input language to Japanese. Click on the "A" and select the input method you would like. From there begin typing and what you type will automatically be changed to Hiragana/Katakana. Some notes: Writing characters like しゅor きゅ are written in the manner of "Shu" or "Kyu" To create characters like イ　in there smaller form as ィ write "xi" (or xu, etc.) を is written as "wo." As you type characters will not be automatically changed to kanji. For the easiest kanji change, hit space after a word and automatic changes will be made. If they are not correct continue to hit space to select the correct Kanji and hit enter. If you type too long without selecting the Kanji it can become difficult to make the correct changes. Some keyboard shortcuts: hold alt, press shift = Toggle languages While Japanese is current language: alt+capslock = Toggle to Katakana ctrl+capslock = Toggle to Hiragana Alt+~ = Toggle between Direct input and previous selection. Good luck. It takes some practice to get used to but it works okay.

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