When romanizing a Japanese title, which words should be capitalized?


Specifically, when you are trying to romanize Kanji titles of movies, plays,
written works, etc. for formal writing targeting non-Japanese speakers, what
are some good guidelines?

As seen in [this](https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/14/which-words-
in-a-title-should-be-capitalized) English stack exchange question, there are
some well established style guidelines for the English-speaking world. I
realize this is a question of style, which is a matter of taste, but having
some solid guidelines would be better than nothing.

A common sense approach of adapting the English guidelines to their Japanese
counterparts seemed viable, but my anecdotal research indicates that
commercial publishers/studios only do so half the time. Particularly vexing
are compound particles and the Japanese copulae, such as _da_ and _desu kedo_.




In English, people often capitalize every word in a foreign title, and you can
apply that rule without talking about Japanese specifically at all. Of course,
different people use different styles! Here's what I'd do:

> Capitalize everything except function words (particles, conjunctions, etc.).
> If a function word is the first word, or if it's long (6+ letters-ish),
> capitalize it anyway.

That's just me, personally.

* * *

Although there are [official guidelines for romanizing
Japanese](http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/hakusho/nc/k19541209001/k19541209001.html),
I couldn't find any official Japanese guidelines that addressed capitalization
as well. That doesn't surprise me--when Japanese titles are written in
Japanese, it's almost always with kana and kanji. In other words, although
Japanese speakers are of course _familiar_ with romanization, the question
doesn't really come up that often in the context of the language itself.

However, you might find [the ALA-LC
romanization](http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/romanization/japanese.pdf)
interesting, as it addresses capitalization specifically and is an official
system used by North American libraries including the Library of Congress, and
in fact is used outside North America as well. ([Further ALA-LC romanization
tables can be found here.](http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/roman.html)) Since
it's [not
copyrighted](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_status_of_work_by_the_U.S._government),
I'll reproduce it here:

> # Capitalization
>
>   1. _Personal Names_ :
>
> (a) Capitalize each word of a personal name, except the particle _no_.
[code] >          Sugawara no Takasue no Musume            菅原孝標女

[/code]

>
> (b) Capitalize title and terms of address, except when consisting of a
> single character or kana for _san, sama, chan, kun,_ etc., that is
> hyphenated following a personal name. [...]
[code] >          Kōbō Daishi                              弘法大師

>          Naikaku Sōri Daijin Tanaka Kakuei        内閣総理大臣田中角栄
>     _but_  Okiku-san                                お菊さん
>          naikaku sōri daijin (as a generic noun)  内閣総理大臣
[/code]

>
>   2. _Place Names_ : Capitalize each word of a geographic name.
[code] >          Yokohama                                 横浜

>          Nihon Rettō                              日本列島
>          Yūraku-chō                               有楽町
>          Taiheiyō                                 太平洋
>          Bōsō Hantō                               房総半島
>          Tōyō                                     東洋
[/code]

>
>   3. _Corporate Names_ : Capitalize each word of a corporate name, except
> particles and conjunctions.
[code] >          Sensō o Kirokusuru Kai                   戦争を記録する会

>          Nihon Rikugun                            日本陸軍
>          Chuō Kōron Shinsha                       中央公論新社
>     _but_  Chuō kōron (journal title)               中央公論
[/code]

>
>   4. _Documents and Publications_ :
>
> (a) Capitalize the first word of the title of a publication (book,
> periodical, series, etc.)
[code] >          Tsurezuregusa                            徒然草

>          Chūō kōron                               中央公論
[/code]

>
> (b) Capitalize the first word of the name of a document (law, regulation,
> etc.).
[code] >          Rōdō kumiaihō                            労働組合法

>          Rōdō iinkai kisoku                       労働委員会規則
[/code]

>
>   5. _Historical Events and Periods_ :
>
> (a) Capitalize each word of the name of a historical event, except particles
> and conjunctions.
[code] >          Dainiji Sekai Taisen                     第二次世界大戦

>          Niniroku Jiken                           二・二六事件
>          Meiji Ishin shi                          明治維新史
>          Sekigahara no Tatakai                    関ヶ原の戦い
[/code]

>
> (b) Capitalize the first word of the name of a historical period.
[code] >          Jōmon jidai                              縄文時代

>          Rikuchō jidai                            六朝時代
>          Heianchō                                 平安朝
>          Shōwaki                                  昭和期
[/code]

>
>   6. _Peoples, Languages and Areas of Study Derived from Proper Names_ :
> Capitalize names of peoples, languages and areas of study derived from
> proper names.
[code] >          Nihonjin                                 日本人

>          Amerikajin                               アメリカ人
>          Nihongo                                  日本語
>          Nihongaku                                日本学
>          Eigo                                     英語
[/code]

>
>   7. _Religions and Sects_ : Capitalize names of religions and sects.
[code] >          Bukkyō                                   佛教

>          Kirisutokyō                              キリスト教
>          Shintō                                   神道
>          Zenshū                                   禅宗
>          Jōdo Shinshū                             浄土真宗
[/code]

>
>   8. _Structures, etc._ : Capitalize names of structures, etc.
[code] >          Takamatsuzuka Kofun                      高松塚古墳

>          Narita Kūkō                              成田空港
>          Hibiya Kōen                              日比谷公園
>          Eigenji Damu                             永源寺ダム
[/code]

>
>   9. _Derivatives of Proper Names_ : Lowercase words derived from names of
> places or religions, when the derived words are no longer considered to be
> proper names. When the derivative is formed by the suffix of a single
> character following a proper name, the proper name is capitalized and the
> suffix is lowercased and follows a hyphen. [...]
[code] >          nihontō                                  日本刀

>          nihonshu                                 日本酒
>          nihonga                                  日本画
>          butsuga                                  佛画
>          washitsu                                 和室
>          wafuku                                   和服
>          yōshu                                    洋酒
>          kutaniyaki                               九谷焼
>          kokutani                                 古九谷
>          kanji                                    漢字
>          kanpō                                    漢方
>          kan'yaku                                 漢薬
>          zendera                                  禅寺
>          zensō                                    禅僧
>          kirisutosha                              キリスト者
>          rōmaji                                   ローマ字
>     _but_  Taiwan-sei                               台湾製
[/code]

>
>

As I said before, I would rather say "function words" than "particle or
conjunction", and I do find one of their examples puzzling (I don't think 史 is
a particle or conjunction in 明治維新史), but they seem to be otherwise reasonable
guidelines.

Of course, style isn't set in stone--do whatever you think seems best!




In English, people often capitalize every word in a foreign title, and you can
apply that rule without talking about Japanese specifically at all. Of course,
different people use different styles! Here's what I'd do:

> Capitalize everything except function words (particles, conjunctions, etc.).
> If a function word is the first word, or if it's long (6+ letters-ish),
> capitalize it anyway.

That's just me, personally.

* * *

Although there are [official guidelines for romanizing
Japanese](http://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/hakusho/nc/k19541209001/k19541209001.html),
I couldn't find any official Japanese guidelines that addressed capitalization
as well. That doesn't surprise me--when Japanese titles are written in
Japanese, it's almost always with kana and kanji. In other words, although
Japanese speakers are of course _familiar_ with romanization, the question
doesn't really come up that often in the context of the language itself.

However, you might find [the ALA-LC
romanization](http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/romanization/japanese.pdf)
interesting, as it addresses capitalization specifically and is an official
system used by North American libraries including the Library of Congress, and
in fact is used outside North America as well. ([Further ALA-LC romanization
tables can be found here.](http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/roman.html)) Since
it's [not
copyrighted](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_status_of_work_by_the_U.S._government),
I'll reproduce it here:

> # Capitalization
>
>   1. _Personal Names_ :
>
> (a) Capitalize each word of a personal name, except the particle _no_.
[code] >          Sugawara no Takasue no Musume            菅原孝標女

[/code]

>
> (b) Capitalize title and terms of address, except when consisting of a
> single character or kana for _san, sama, chan, kun,_ etc., that is
> hyphenated following a personal name. [...]
[code] >          Kōbō Daishi                              弘法大師

>          Naikaku Sōri Daijin Tanaka Kakuei        内閣総理大臣田中角栄
>     _but_  Okiku-san                                お菊さん
>          naikaku sōri daijin (as a generic noun)  内閣総理大臣
[/code]

>
>   2. _Place Names_ : Capitalize each word of a geographic name.
[code] >          Yokohama                                 横浜

>          Nihon Rettō                              日本列島
>          Yūraku-chō                               有楽町
>          Taiheiyō                                 太平洋
>          Bōsō Hantō                               房総半島
>          Tōyō                                     東洋
[/code]

>
>   3. _Corporate Names_ : Capitalize each word of a corporate name, except
> particles and conjunctions.
[code] >          Sensō o Kirokusuru Kai                   戦争を記録する会

>          Nihon Rikugun                            日本陸軍
>          Chuō Kōron Shinsha                       中央公論新社
>     _but_  Chuō kōron (journal title)               中央公論
[/code]

>
>   4. _Documents and Publications_ :
>
> (a) Capitalize the first word of the title of a publication (book,
> periodical, series, etc.)
[code] >          Tsurezuregusa                            徒然草

>          Chūō kōron                               中央公論
[/code]

>
> (b) Capitalize the first word of the name of a document (law, regulation,
> etc.).
[code] >          Rōdō kumiaihō                            労働組合法

>          Rōdō iinkai kisoku                       労働委員会規則
[/code]

>
>   5. _Historical Events and Periods_ :
>
> (a) Capitalize each word of the name of a historical event, except particles
> and conjunctions.
[code] >          Dainiji Sekai Taisen                     第二次世界大戦

>          Niniroku Jiken                           二・二六事件
>          Meiji Ishin shi                          明治維新史
>          Sekigahara no Tatakai                    関ヶ原の戦い
[/code]

>
> (b) Capitalize the first word of the name of a historical period.
[code] >          Jōmon jidai                              縄文時代

>          Rikuchō jidai                            六朝時代
>          Heianchō                                 平安朝
>          Shōwaki                                  昭和期
[/code]

>
>   6. _Peoples, Languages and Areas of Study Derived from Proper Names_ :
> Capitalize names of peoples, languages and areas of study derived from
> proper names.
[code] >          Nihonjin                                 日本人

>          Amerikajin                               アメリカ人
>          Nihongo                                  日本語
>          Nihongaku                                日本学
>          Eigo                                     英語
[/code]

>
>   7. _Religions and Sects_ : Capitalize names of religions and sects.
[code] >          Bukkyō                                   佛教

>          Kirisutokyō                              キリスト教
>          Shintō                                   神道
>          Zenshū                                   禅宗
>          Jōdo Shinshū                             浄土真宗
[/code]

>
>   8. _Structures, etc._ : Capitalize names of structures, etc.
[code] >          Takamatsuzuka Kofun                      高松塚古墳

>          Narita Kūkō                              成田空港
>          Hibiya Kōen                              日比谷公園
>          Eigenji Damu                             永源寺ダム
[/code]

>
>   9. _Derivatives of Proper Names_ : Lowercase words derived from names of
> places or religions, when the derived words are no longer considered to be
> proper names. When the derivative is formed by the suffix of a single
> character following a proper name, the proper name is capitalized and the
> suffix is lowercased and follows a hyphen. [...]
[code] >          nihontō                                  日本刀

>          nihonshu                                 日本酒
>          nihonga                                  日本画
>          butsuga                                  佛画
>          washitsu                                 和室
>          wafuku                                   和服
>          yōshu                                    洋酒
>          kutaniyaki                               九谷焼
>          kokutani                                 古九谷
>          kanji                                    漢字
>          kanpō                                    漢方
>          kan'yaku                                 漢薬
>          zendera                                  禅寺
>          zensō                                    禅僧
>          kirisutosha                              キリスト者
>          rōmaji                                   ローマ字
>     _but_  Taiwan-sei                               台湾製
[/code]

>
>

As I said before, I would rather say "function words" than "particle or
conjunction", and I do find one of their examples puzzling (I don't think 史 is
a particle or conjunction in 明治維新史), but they seem to be otherwise reasonable
guidelines.

Of course, style isn't set in stone--do whatever you think seems best!

