# Japanese text to speech with natural voices

> This Japanese text to speech tool reads Japanese text in 15 native MiniMax voices recorded in Japanese, plus OpenAI and Gemini voices that also read Japanese. Paste up to 4,000 characters, pick a voice from the Japanese group, and download an MP3. It costs 1 credit per character, $0.06 to $0.10 per 1,000 characters.

Read kanji, hiragana and katakana aloud in voices recorded in Japanese, for lessons, videos, games and announcements.

## At a glance

- **Japanese voices:** 15 native MiniMax voices
- **Price:** 1 credit per character, $0.06 to $0.10 per 1,000 characters
- **Text length:** Up to 4,000 characters per clip, about 4 minutes of English
- **To try it:** 5,000 free characters when you sign up
- **Download:** MP3 from MiniMax and OpenAI, WAV from Gemini

- 15 native voices
- Natural accents
- MP3 download

[Read Japanese text aloud](https://aitexttospeechfree.app/create)

## Why use native Japanese voices

- **A native accent**: Each voice was recorded in Japanese, so pronunciation, rhythm and intonation sound local.
- **Characters and presenters**: Narrators, hosts, calm and lively voices, for lessons, videos and announcements.
- **Mixed text**: Brand names and English words inside the text are read naturally in context.

## How to make Japanese text to speech

1. **Paste Japanese text**: Up to 4,000 characters per clip, written the way it should be spoken.
2. **Open the Japanese group**: With MiniMax selected, open the voice list and choose a voice under Japanese.
3. **Generate and download**: Listen, adjust the speed if needed, and download the MP3.

## Tips for Japanese text to speech

Kanji can have several readings, and a model sometimes picks the wrong one for names and rare words. If a word comes out wrong, write it in hiragana. Use the Japanese full stop (。) and comma (、) to place pauses.

Japanese speech runs at roughly 300 characters a minute, so one clip of up to 4,000 characters can hold more than ten minutes of narration.


## Japanese voices available

MiniMax lists these 15 voices for Japanese, in the order they appear in the voice picker:

- Intellectual senior
- Decisive princess
- Loyal knight
- Dominant man
- Serious commander
- Cold queen
- Dependable woman
- Gentle butler
- Kind lady
- Calm lady
- Optimistic youth
- Generous izakaya owner
- Sporty student
- Innocent boy
- Graceful maiden

## Other voices that read it

OpenAI voices and Gemini voices also read Japanese. OpenAI's sound less native; Gemini handles Japanese among the languages Google lists for its speech models. MiniMax's native voices are the safest choice for natural pitch accent.


## Japanese script examples

Copy one, or open it in the generator and change the details.

### 日本語の原稿

- **動画のオープニング:** こんにちは。今日は、初心者でも失敗しない、ふわふわのパンケーキの作り方を紹介します。
- **店内アナウンス:** 本日もご来店いただき、誠にありがとうございます。ただいま、季節のフルーツフェアを開催しております。
- **語学レッスン:** では、もう一度言ってみましょう。すみません、駅はどこですか。まっすぐ行って、二つ目の角を右です。
- **ゲームのセリフ:** ここから先は、誰も戻ってきたことがない。それでも行くと言うなら、私もついていこう。


## Text to speech pricing, per character

- Starter: $9.99 / month, 150,000 credits
- Creator: $24.99 / month, 400,000 credits
- Studio: $59.99 / month, 990,000 credits
- Small: $4.99, 50,000 credits
- Medium: $14.99, 200,000 credits
- Large: $39.99, 600,000 credits

## Japanese text to speech FAQ

### Can it read kanji correctly?

Common words, yes. Names, place names and rare readings can go wrong; write those in hiragana or katakana and generate again. You pay only for the characters you send.

### Are there anime-style Japanese voices?

Several MiniMax Japanese voices are character voices, such as Decisive princess, Loyal knight and Cold queen, alongside everyday voices such as Calm lady, Dependable woman and Gentle butler.

### How much does Japanese text to speech cost?

1 credit per character, $0.06 to $0.10 per 1,000 characters. Because Japanese packs more meaning into each character, a minute of Japanese speech costs less than a minute of English. New accounts get 5,000 free characters when you sign up.

## Hear your Japanese script

5,000 free characters when you sign up; every Japanese voice is available.

_Last updated 2026-10-06_