# wishoTouch Japanese dictionary — Fast Kanji Lookup, Widget, OCR

> Fast Japanese dictionary with kanji handwriting, stroke animations, and word integration. (iPhone/iPad app by sazanami software.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wishotouch-japanese-dictionary/id307753116 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [sazanami software](https://appshunter.io/developer/307753119)
- Category: Reference, Education
- Price: $14.99 with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.20/5 from 14 App Store ratings · 61 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 17+
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 360 MB
- Languages: American English, Japanese
- Released: 2009-05-15
- Data updated: 2026-08-31
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wishotouch-japanese-dictionary/id307753116/reviews.md

## What is wishoTouch Japanese dictionary?

Save time looking up Japanese with wishoTouch. This universal app turns your iPhone/iPad into a powerful, easy-to-use dictionary that packs some unique features. 

wishoTouch comes with its own full-screen kanji handwriting pad. You need to know the stroke order, but results are sorted in such a way that most of the time you don't need to draw the whole character. You can also find kanji by radical, number of strokes, meaning etc., rotate the device to quickly thumb through related characters, and watch interactive stroke-order animations for 6,355 kanji. 

And that's not all. Tight integration with a word dictionary lets you seamlessly jump between a kanji and its compounds. This integration makes use of multitouch gestures: touching a kanji shows its details, while touch-holding gives you other options. 

Hunting for Japanese words and kanji has never been simpler or more enjoyable!

NOTE: Basic knowledge of hiragana and kanji stroke order is recommended.
 
FEATURES include:
- Incremental search in English and Japanese
- Autocorrect in English and romaji
- Bookmark, annotate and share entries
- Split View/Slide Over Multitasking Mode (iPad)
- Jump to other apps and web dictionaries
- Share Extension to look up from other apps
- Share Extension to add cards to Anki
- Speech recognition in English and Japanese
- Night mode (dark mode)
- Apple Watch app
- Home Screen Widgets
- Lock Screen Widgets

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS include:
- Kanji OCR (Optical Character Recognition)
- Watch Handwriting
- Example Sentences
- JLPT Flashcards
 
(Add-ons are one-time purchase, NOT subscription) 

This app uses the JMDICT, KANJIDIC2 and RADKFILE Japanese dictionary files. These files are property of the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group at Monash University and are used in conformance with the Group’s licence.
 
KanjiVG is © Ulrich Apel and used under the CC Attribution Share-Alike license.

## Key features

- Kanji handwriting pad with stroke order animations
- Search by radical, strokes, or meaning
- Seamless kanji and compound word integration
- Incremental search and autocorrect
- Share Extension for Anki and other apps
- Home Screen and Lock Screen Widgets
- Optional OCR add-on for kanji recognition

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: $14.99.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Example Sentences | $4.99 | one-time |
| JLPT Flashcards | $4.99 | one-time |
| Kanji Recognizer (OCR) | $5.99 | one-time |
| Pro Handwriting | $5.99 | one-time |
| Premium Bundle | $19.99 | one-time |
| Enhanced Audio | Free | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (10 of 61)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wishotouch-japanese-dictionary/id307753116/reviews.md

### 3/5 — Great but bugs in audio

*2020-09-27, version 4.3.7*

Audio playback is getting cut off; only the end of a word or sentence is heard. 

I have purchased the Enhanced Audio add-on. 

I think the free iOS system voices for Japanese text to speech sound better. Can we have an option to just use those instead?

Will update review after this bug is fixed.

### 3/5 — 安定しない

*2020-06-28, version 4.3.3*

職場がスマホ持ち込み禁止なのでアップルウォッチで漢字を検索するためにこのアプリを購入しました。上手く動けば大変満足なのですが、しょっちゅう検索しなくなり、アドオンの復元をもとめられます。
iOS13.5.1、watchOS6.2.6で、最新の状態です。

### 5/5 — Excellent

*2020-06-23, version 4.3.3*

I’ve used several dictionary apps, and this one is hands down the most comprehensive for kanji lookup. When drawing, you do usually need to use correct stroke order, but I think this is not a major issue for serious students as proper order reinforces learning. The add ons are very beneficial, and well designed, like the handwriting input has a nice hand-drawn feel, flash cards are uniquely presented, and examples are rather good and often fresh. The developer is very caring about the app and is responsive. This app is one of my key learning tools. Absolutely worth the investment. Highly recommended!

### 5/5 — Helpful

*2020-02-13, version 4.3.3*

The example sentences are helpful to understand the vocabulary well.

### 2/5 — Apple Watchで全く使えない

*2019-09-26, version 4.2.1*

Apple Watchでの使用目的でアドオンを購入しましたが、Apple Watchで検索すると検索中のまま進まなくなります。使用環境はiOS13.1とwatchOS6.0です。早期改善お願いします。

### 5/5 — 2017 updates

*2017-12-15, version 4.0*

The app looks very nice and modern, especially with the dark theme. Overall very nicely presented and professionally made. Now it would be fantastic if there was a SRS flashcard add-on.

### 5/5 — Well made and very accurate app

*2017-09-22, version 3.9.5*

I have had this app for years now and it has served me very well. I don't use the dictionary all that much, I'm more about the handy kanji writing dictionary- perfect for on the fly readings- no knowledge of radicals needed at all, just simply write the character out in the correct way and you'll get the apposite hit before you know it! This is what makes this app worth the price in my opinion- it's a cut above. Purchase it without any fears, it will most definitely serve you well, whether you have an advanced or rudimentary knowledge of Japanese and Kanji characters alike!

### 5/5 — An excellent Kanji dictionary for learners of all levels

*2014-11-09, version 3.0*

I’ve been using this app for a long time now and the latest release has improved an already great app enormously.

The user interface has been simplified at the same time as extending the functionality and they have gone a great job of making the iPhone and iPad interfaces feel consistent while still making use of the resolution available on each platform.

It’s easy to search for Kanji by multiple radicals and also using handwriting recognition, although it’s strict about the stroke order rather than effectively doing OCR of the final result, even though it has an OCR module for recognising individual characters using the camera.  It has lots of compounds and  examples as well as including things like verb conjugations.  That makes it a great tool for Japanese learners of all levels.

I bought it such a long time ago that I’ve forgotten the cost of the app, but I remember it not being cheap, especially if you add in the in app purchases of the extra modules, but given the use I’ve had out of it over that time, it’s been well worth it.  Highly recommended.

### 4/5 — Great app

*2014-10-29, version 2.4.3*

Hi this is a great app and I have used it for years but since the recent IOS 8 update I haven't been able to use it. It doesn't open. Please fix this soon please. 

Thank you

### 4/5 — Not opening

*2014-10-25, version 2.4.3*

Cannot open since updated to IOS 8.0.

## Frequently asked questions about wishoTouch Japanese dictionary

### What does the wishoTouch Japanese dictionary app do?

This app functions as a powerful and easy-to-use Japanese dictionary for iPhone and iPad. It allows for fast kanji lookup using a handwriting pad, provides interactive stroke-order animations, and integrates seamlessly with a word dictionary for compound character searches.

### What are the key features of wishoTouch?

Key features include a full-screen kanji handwriting pad, search by radical, stroke count, or meaning, interactive stroke-order animations for thousands of kanji, and tight integration with a word dictionary. It also offers incremental search, autocorrect, bookmarking, sharing capabilities, and widgets for home and lock screens.

### How is wishoTouch monetized?

The app is free to download and use, with optional add-ons available for purchase. These add-ons, such as Kanji OCR, Watch Handwriting, Example Sentences, and JLPT Flashcards, are one-time purchases and not subscriptions.

### What are the compatibility requirements for wishoTouch?

The app is a universal app designed for iPhone and iPad. It supports multitasking features like Split View and Slide Over on iPad. A basic knowledge of hiragana and kanji stroke order is recommended for optimal use.

### What are common use cases for wishoTouch?

Common use cases include quickly looking up unknown kanji by drawing them, understanding stroke order through animations, finding compound words related to a specific kanji, and efficiently studying Japanese vocabulary and characters for exams like the JLPT.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.8.1 — 2025-11-05

- Fixes widget issue
- Various other fixes

### 4.8 — 2025-10-06

- Larger widgets; Lock Screen widgets
- Fixes and improvements

### 4.7 — 2025-04-23

- Adds Home screen widgets for kanji and words (iOS 17 or newer)

### 4.6 — 2024-09-16

- Added Minchō font option
- New audio setting
- Long pressing the kanji tiles now shows a preview; double-tap selects the kanji

NOTE: Today Widget is not supported after iOS 17

### 4.5.2 — 2023-12-29

- Bug fixes

## Apps similar to wishoTouch Japanese dictionary

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Japanese Dictionary - Nihongo](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-dictionary-nihongo/id881697245) | 4.8 (1,829) | Free | Reference |
| [Kanji Learner's Dictionary](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-learners-dictionary/id716481897) | 4.6 (12) | $19.99 | Reference |
| [Kanji Lookup](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-lookup/id973780102) | 4.7 (3,025) | Free | Reference |
| [Yomiwa - Japanese Dictionary](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/yomiwa-japanese-dictionary/id670931120) | 4.7 (1,127) | Free | Reference |
| [Mazii: Japanese Dictionary](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mazii-japanese-dictionary/id933081417) | 4.6 (353) | Free | Reference |
| [MOJisho: Japanese Dictionary](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mojisho-japanese-dictionary/id1021094295) | 4.8 (1,433) | Free | Reference |

## More apps by sazanami software

- [wishoTouch LITE](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wishotouch-lite/id339101715)
- [10000 Japanese Idioms](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/10000-japanese-idioms/id389301143)
- [1000 Japanese Proverbs](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1000-japanese-proverbs/id528162272)
- [1000 Japanese Onomatopoeia](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/1000-japanese-onomatopoeia/id1326652145)

All apps by sazanami software: https://appshunter.io/developer/307753119

## Related topics

[sazanami software](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/sazanami-software) · [japanese dictionary handwriting](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/japanese-dictionary-handwriting)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-31.*