Printable Genkōyōshi Paper (Japanese Writing)
Genkōyōshi (原稿用紙) is Japanese manuscript paper: a grid of squares, one character per square, with narrow gutters beside each column for furigana reading aids. It's the standard paper for Japanese composition and handwriting practice.
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36pt is half an inch — safe on virtually every printer.
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Live preview — US Letter (8.5 × 11"), portrait · updates as you change any setting.
One character, one square
The defining rule of genkōyōshi is that every character occupies exactly one square — kanji, kana, punctuation marks and even the small tsu all take a full cell. This enforces the even spacing that Japanese handwriting depends on, and it makes character counts trivial: a standard 400-character sheet is 20 columns of 20 squares, which is why manuscript length in Japan is quoted in sheets.
The furigana gutter
The narrow channel beside each column of squares is for furigana — the small kana written alongside kanji to show their reading. It's essential for学習 material and for any text aimed at readers still building kanji knowledge. Turn the gutter off for a plain square grid, which is what you want for pure handwriting drill.
Reading direction
Traditional Japanese writing runs vertically, top to bottom, with columns progressing right to left — so the first column is at the right edge of the page. Horizontal left-to-right writing is also common in modern contexts, and the same grid serves both; only the order in which you fill the squares changes.
Personalize your genkōyōshi paper
The sheet above is free. Open Personalize this sheetunder the Download button to add these Premium options — they show up in the live preview straight away, so you can see exactly what you'll print before deciding.
- Title, name and date lines. A title and subtitle across the top, plus Name and Date lines — relabel them, pre-fill them, or add your own lines such as Class, Period or Composer.
- Character counts. Running totals under the columns, counted from the right where you start writing — no more counting squares for a 400-character essay.
Premium is the same $2.99 day pass or $6.99 monthly plan that covers every puzzle maker on the site. See every option on one page: custom printable paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is genkōyōshi paper?
Japanese manuscript paper ruled into squares, with one character written per square and narrow gutters for furigana. It's used for Japanese composition, school assignments and handwriting practice.
How many squares are on a standard sheet?
400 — twenty columns of twenty squares. Manuscript length in Japan is commonly quoted in numbers of these sheets rather than word counts.
What is the narrow column beside the squares for?
Furigana — the small kana written next to kanji to indicate pronunciation. You can turn the gutter off if you want a plain square grid for drill practice.
Which direction do you write on genkōyōshi?
Traditionally vertically, top to bottom, with columns running right to left across the page. Horizontal left-to-right writing is also used in modern contexts and works on the same grid.
Can I add my name, a title or a date to this genkōyōshi paper?
Yes. Premium prints a title, subtitle and your own Name, Date or custom lines across the top of the sheet, plus options made for this sheet: character counts. Every option works in the live preview for free, so you can see the result first; downloading with them is included in the $2.99 day pass or the $6.99 monthly plan, which also removes the small puzzlepage.app mark. The plain genkōyōshi paper stays free to download and print.
Printing Tips
- Print at 100% scale.Turn off “fit to page” and “shrink oversized pages” — otherwise your printer rescales the sheet and the measurements no longer match.
- Match the paper size. Choose the same size here as the paper in your tray. Printing a Letter PDF on A4 (or the reverse) scales it.
- Lighter lines print better. A light grey or blue guides your work without competing with it — and it uses far less ink.
- Use heavier paper for wet media. 100gsm and up for fountain pens and markers; standard copier paper is fine for pencil.