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Dadot_71
Inspiring
September 13, 2025
Answered

Japanese font management in InDesign

  • September 13, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 713 views

Hi everyone, I have a problem with InDesign. I need to compose some text in Japanese, but with the font loaded correctly, it doesn't display the ideograms. Thanks to anyone who can help me.

Correct answer Dadot_71

Japanese fonts show up by themselves in their own category in the Fonts drop-down - you may have to scroll further than you would expect in order to find them. 

 

That being said, it's clear that Hiragano is working in InDesign. Try copying your Japanese characters, then selecting all of the word "domani" and pasting. It's not a great workflow but it should prove that the Japanese glyphs are rendering correctly.


Thank you so much! I actually had an InDesign page sent to me with some Japanese text already in it, so it recognized it and I could retype my own.
Thanks for your help.

1 reply

Joel Cherney
Community Expert
Joel CherneyCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 13, 2025

I think we might need some more details before we can really help you effectively. 

 

Are you using an English-language install of InDesign? If so, do you have templates or scripts for applying the J Composer? Do you have experience setting Japanese type? 

 

Can you take a screenshot, or describe what's going wrong in more detail? How can you be sure that the font is loaded correctly? 

    D
    Dadot_71Author
    Inspiring
    September 13, 2025

    No, I'm working with an Italian INDD and have no experience with Japanese characters.

    I'm sending screenshots of what I see in the font book and what I see in indd

    Joel Cherney
    Community Expert
    Joel CherneyCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    September 13, 2025

    I just need to lay out a few ideograms in a row, like a draft provided by my client.
    I don't need to type hyphenated text.

    Yes, I uploaded the Japanese font, but it's actually all the Asian fonts it doesn't show me.


    Japanese fonts show up by themselves in their own category in the Fonts drop-down - you may have to scroll further than you would expect in order to find them. 

     

    That being said, it's clear that Hiragano is working in InDesign. Try copying your Japanese characters, then selecting all of the word "domani" and pasting. It's not a great workflow but it should prove that the Japanese glyphs are rendering correctly.

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