Check your kanji before it's permanent

A tattoo lasts a lifetime. A wrong kanji does too. Send us the Japanese you plan to get, and a native Japanese speaker in Japan will tell you, in plain English, what it really says.

See plans – from $9 How it works

Small mistakes, big difference

These are common problems we check for:

大 → 犬
One extra dot turns "big" into "dog".
力 ≠ 強さ
"Strength" has several Japanese words. A translation app may pick the wrong one.
ǝʇıɹʍ
Mirrored or upside-down characters happen when an image is flipped.
Aa
A plain computer font can look odd as a tattoo, even when the meaning is right.

Plans

Check

$9

  • We check the kanji or Japanese text you plan to get
  • Meaning, natural wording, mirrored or wrong strokes
  • Written report in English within 24 hours (Japan time)

Your name in Japanese

$19

  • Katakana for how your name sounds (the standard way)
  • 2–3 kanji options chosen for their meaning, with the reason for each
  • PNG images in 3 typefaces

Tattoo-ready design

$49

  • A clean, high-resolution design you can hand to your tattoo artist
  • Optional: a kamon-style crest, with the motif's traditional meaning and our source
  • One round of changes

Have a photo or sketch? After you pay, we email you. Just reply with the image.

How it works

  1. Order and pay with PayPal (account or card).
  2. We email you within 24 hours (Japan time). Reply with your image or details if needed.
  3. You get your report or design. Questions after that are free.
  4. After your tattoo, send us a photo and we'll check it once more for free.

Honest notes

Who checks my kanji?

A native Japanese speaker living in Japan reads every order before we send it. We use AI tools to help draft the English report, and a person checks it.

Is it hand-brushed calligraphy?

No. Designs are made with high-quality Japanese typefaces licensed for commercial use, not hand-brushed by a calligrapher.

What about the family crest?

Our crests are drawn new for you, based on traditional Japanese kamon motifs. They are not the historical crest of your family. We tell you the motif's name, its traditional meaning, and where we learned it.

Can you guarantee my tattoo?

We guarantee our own text and design. We can't control how the artist copies it, so please show the artist our file directly, and send us a photo afterwards so we can check.

Refunds

If we can't help with your request, we'll tell you and refund in full. Once the report or design is delivered, we don't refund, but we will fix any mistake on our side.

Want your name on a shirt too?

Your family name in katakana under a kamon-style crest. See the Family Crest T-shirt.