typing in japanese like natives

[kman1]

I was trying to figure out how do Japanese natives type the Japanese language in Japan. I don't think they use romaji like we do for typing on computers and also for typing Japanese on cell phones. I can't find a definitive guide on how to do this on Google. I do have some links though:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_m ... Gyaru-moji
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_m ... ile_phones
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_input_methods
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word- ... 89576.aspx
The JIS keyboard system is the national standard
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keyboard_layout#Japanese
http://nihongo-e-na.com/eng/hint/id148_2.html
http://www.toppa.com/2007/english-windo ... -keyboard/
http://blog.greggman.com/blog/japanese_ ... indows_xp/
http://blog.gatunka.com/2009/09/12/usin ... anese-ime/

Anyone know the answers? Typing Japanese 1. on computers and 2. on cell phones in Japan like the natives do. Thank you!

[md0]

Actually most Japanese people I know prefer romaji over kana input on computers (ローマ字入力／かな入力).
It would be cool to know some statistics on that.

On cellphones, if we ignore phones with full QWERTY keyboards, the only option is the numerical input. Every key has 5 basic kana assigned to it (and if applicable: their smaller counterparts). 1 has あいうえおぁぃぅぇぉ, 2 has かきくけこ, 3 has さしすせそ and so on. # or * has dakuten and handakuten.

[kman1]

Yeah, I finally figured out how to do it. All I have to do is hit the "KANA" button on the language bar. I don't know how I missed that.

I'll have to explore how to type in Japanese on mobile phones though. What you mentioned sounds interesting.

[Śrāmaṇera]

Actually most Japanese people I know prefer romaji over kana input on computers (ローマ字入力／かな入力).
It would be cool to know some statistics on that.

I don't have any statistics but the o-kaasan in the family I stayed with in Fukuoka-ken in February confessed she was not very good at using romaji... She systematically uses the kana input, which is exactly how you described it :

Every key has 5 basic kana assigned to it (and if applicable: their smaller counterparts). 1 has あいうえおぁぃぅぇぉ, 2 has かきくけこ, 3 has さしすせそ and so on. # or * has dakuten and handakuten.