# Furigator > Furigator is an offline-first Japanese reading assistant built natively for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. It helps Japanese language learners, students, and expatriates read native Japanese media by providing instant Furigana (reading annotations over Kanji), Romaji, contextual translations, and character-by-character dictionary breakdowns—all processed 100% on-device using native Apple frameworks. --- ## Table of Contents 1. App Overview & Core Concept 2. Key Features 3. System Requirements & Platform Availability 4. Privacy & Data Handling 5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 6. Supported Languages & Localization --- ## 1. App Overview & Core Concept - **Product Name:** Furigator - **Website:** https://furigator.com - **App Store URL:** https://apps.apple.com/app/6758254583 - **Primary Function:** Japanese reading assistant, Furigana generator, OCR text extractor, and contextual translator. - **Target Audience:** Japanese language learners (JLPT N5–N1), students, self-learners, expats living in Japan, and enthusiasts reading native Japanese media (manga, web pages, menus, books, signs). - **Business Model:** Paid upfront purchase (Universal Purchase covering iOS, iPadOS, and macOS under a single license). No subscriptions, no in-app purchases, no ads, and no user accounts. ### Problem Solved Traditional Japanese learning tools and dictionary apps force users to inspect Kanji characters individually or open disruptive popovers for every unknown word. Standard translation tools provide full sentence translations but obscure the underlying reading and grammar, preventing readers from acquiring reading skills at their own level. ### Value Provided Furigator bridges the gap between raw text and full translation. It parses native Japanese text inline, annotating Kanji with Furigana (hiragana readings) or Romaji, alongside full contextual translations. Users can tap any individual word or Kanji to view detailed character breakdowns, readings, and definitions within context—all while keeping reading flow uninterrupted. --- ## 2. Key Features ### Core Text Reader & Analysis - Input Japanese text via direct typing, pasting from clipboard, or voice dictation. - Renders instant, accurate Furigana or Romaji annotations directly above Kanji characters. - Generates on-device contextual translations for full sentences. - Interactive dictionary lookup: Tap any character or word in a passage to reveal a full dictionary entry, matched to how that word is used in that specific sentence — not a generic definition. ### Pronunciation & Audio - Built-in text-to-speech reads Japanese passages aloud with correct pronunciation, so users can hear a word or sentence spoken, not just read its reading. ### Camera & Photo Text Recognition (OCR) - Extract and parse Japanese text from images (manga panels, physical book pages, street signs, restaurant menus, and screenshots). - Supports both horizontal (*Yokogaki*) and vertical (*Tategaki*) Japanese text direction. - Import images directly via the device camera, Photo Library, or system File Picker. ### Safari Web Extension - Native Safari extension available on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. - Renders Furigana annotations inline directly across live Japanese web pages with a single tap in the Safari toolbar. ### System Share Extension - Send selected Japanese text directly from any third-party app to Furigator for instant analysis without switching apps. ### Reading History & Offline Sync - Looked-up passages, scans, and vocabulary automatically save to a local Reading History for spaced review. - Private cross-device sync powered by personal Apple iCloud (CloudKit). --- ## 3. System Requirements & Platform Availability ### Supported Operating Systems - **macOS:** macOS 26.0 or later - **iOS:** iOS 26.0 or later - **iPadOS:** iPadOS 26.0 or later ### Architecture & Technical Frameworks - **Universal Purchase:** Purchasing Furigator once grants access across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. - **On-Device Machine Learning & Vision:** Uses Apple's native Vision framework for local Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Natural Language framework for local text tokenization. - **On-Device Translation:** Leverages Apple's native Translation framework for offline sentence translation. Language packs download directly from Apple onto the device on first use. - **Cloud Infrastructure:** Uses zero third-party cloud infrastructure or external AI APIs. Cross-device sync relies strictly on Apple CloudKit tied to the user's personal Apple iCloud Account. --- ## 4. Privacy & Data Handling Furigator is designed with an offline-first, zero-knowledge architecture: - **No Account Required:** Registration, email signup, or user authentication is not required. All features are fully functional upon installation. - **Zero Third-Party Tracking:** Contains no analytics SDKs, advertising trackers, or external telemetry. - **100% On-Device Processing:** All text parsing, OCR image processing, and translation occur locally on the user's physical device. - **No External Cloud Servers:** Text and images processed by Furigator are never transmitted to external servers, third-party cloud providers, or remote AI APIs. - **Data Storage & Sync:** Reading history and saved vocabulary are stored locally on the device. Syncing across devices occurs strictly through the user's private Apple iCloud storage via CloudKit. --- ## 5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ### General Questions **Q: Do I need an internet connection to use Furigator?** A: No. Core text processing, Furigana generation, OCR image recognition, and translation run completely offline on your device once Apple's language packs are downloaded. **Q: Do I need to buy separate versions for my Mac, iPhone, and iPad?** A: No. Furigator is a Universal Purchase. Buying the app once on the App Store gives you full access across all your compatible iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices. **Q: Is there a subscription fee or in-app purchase?** A: No. Furigator is a one-time purchase. There are no monthly subscriptions, hidden fees, or locked features. **Q: Does Furigator require an account or sign-in?** A: No account or sign-up is required. You can use all features immediately after installing the app. ### Feature & Technical Questions **Q: Can Furigator read Japanese text aloud?** A: Yes. Furigator includes built-in text-to-speech so you can hear the correct pronunciation of any passage, in addition to seeing the furigana reading. **Q: Does Furigator support vertical Japanese text (Tategaki)?** A: Yes. Furigator's OCR engine recognizes and processes both traditional vertical Japanese text (*Tategaki*, commonly found in manga and novels) and horizontal text (*Yokogaki*). **Q: How does the Safari Web Extension work?** A: Once enabled in your browser settings, clicking the Furigator extension button in Safari automatically detects Japanese text on the current web page and displays Furigana reading guides directly above the Kanji. **Q: Does Furigator collect or send my text or photos to a server?** A: No. All image OCR and text parsing happen locally on your Apple hardware using built-in Apple system frameworks. Your private notes, photos, and reading history never leave your device or your personal iCloud account. --- ## 6. Supported Languages & Localization The user interface of Furigator is fully localized into 19 languages: - English (EN) - Spanish (ES) - German (DE) - French (FR) - Japanese (JA) - Korean (KO) - Chinese (Simplified & Traditional) (ZH) - Italian (IT) - Dutch (NL) - Polish (PL) - Portuguese (PT) - Russian (RU) - Thai (TH) - Turkish (TR) - Ukrainian (UK) - Vietnamese (VI) - Hindi (HI) - Indonesian (ID) --- *Canonical Documentation Source: https://furigator.com/llms-full.txt*