Japanese Hanko Generator
Turn your name into a Japanese hanko (name stamp / seal). Type it in katakana, kanji, hiragana, or the alphabet, pick a round, oval, or square style, and download a transparent PNG you can use anywhere.
🔒 Generated in your browser — nothing is uploaded. Your name never leaves your device.
Round suits 1–4 characters (e.g. 山田). Oval and square fit longer katakana names such as マイケル.
Katakana, kanji, hiragana, or letters. Add a line break to split columns/rows yourself.
How to use
- Type your name. For a foreign name, katakana usually looks best — e.g. マイケル for “Michael”.
- Pick a shape: Round for short names, Oval or Square for longer katakana names.
- Adjust the color, font, and border, then click Download transparent PNG. The background is transparent, so you can drop it onto photos, documents, or designs.
What is a hanko?
A hanko (判子) — also called an inkan (印鑑) — is a small stamp that carries your name. In Japan it does the job a signature does in most Western countries: you press it onto a red ink pad and stamp documents with it. The red mark it leaves is the seal impression. Traditional seals are carved from wood, stone, or buffalo horn, and the writing is often in an old, stylized script. This generator makes a clean digital version for fun and design use.
Where hanko are used
- Banks — a registered bank seal (ginkoin) is used to open accounts and authorize transactions.
- City offices and contracts — a registered legal seal (jitsuin) is required for things like property purchases and official paperwork.
- Everyday life — a simple everyday seal (mitomein) stands in for a signature: approving documents at work, or signing for a delivery when the courier arrives.
Jitsuin, ginkoin, and mitomein — the three kinds
- Jitsuin (実印) — your one official registered seal, registered at the city office. Used for the most important contracts.
- Ginkoin (銀行印) — a seal registered with your bank, used only for banking.
- Mitomein (認印) — an unregistered everyday seal for routine approvals and deliveries.
Please note: the stamp this page creates is a digital image for fun, decoration, and personal projects. It is not a carved physical seal and is not registered anywhere, so it cannot be used as a jitsuin, ginkoin, or any legally binding seal. For official use in Japan you need a real, registered hanko or a licensed e-signature service.
Making a hanko as a foreigner in Japan
Non-Japanese residents in Japan can and often do get a personal seal. The usual convention is to have your name carved in katakana, the script used for foreign names — so “Smith” becomes スミス and “Anna” becomes アンナ. Katakana is easy for anyone in Japan to read and fits neatly on a round or oval seal. Some people instead pick kanji that sound like their name or carry a meaning they like, and a few use the Latin alphabet. If you are unsure how your name is written in katakana, convert it first, then come back and stamp it.
FAQ
- What is a hanko?
- A hanko (判子), also called an inkan (印鑑), is a personal seal used in Japan in place of a handwritten signature. You press its carved face onto a red ink pad and stamp it on a document. The red impression it leaves is called an inkan or inkage. Most seals carry a family name, a company name, or — for non-Japanese users — a name written in katakana. This tool draws a digital version you can save as an image.
- Can I use this stamp as a legal registered seal (jitsuin) in Japan?
- No. This tool creates a decorative, digital image for fun, design, and personal use — it is not a carved physical seal and is not registered anywhere. A jitsuin (registered legal seal) must be a physical hanko registered at your local city office, and a bank seal (ginkoin) must be registered with your bank. For contracts, home purchases, or opening a bank account you need a real, registered seal or an official e-signature service. Please do not rely on this image for anything legally binding.
- How should a foreigner’s name be written on a hanko?
- The most common choice is katakana, the script Japanese uses for foreign words and names — for example マイケル (Michael) or スミス (Smith). Katakana is instantly readable to anyone in Japan and fits a seal neatly. Some people use kanji chosen for their sound or meaning, and a few use the Latin alphabet. If you are not sure how your name looks in katakana, convert it first with our Name in Japanese tool, then bring it here.
- Is my name uploaded to a server?
- No. The stamp is drawn entirely in your browser with an HTML canvas. The name you type and the PNG you download never leave your device — nothing is uploaded and nothing is stored.