Apply Yakumono character types in layout

Last updated on Jun 2, 2026

Learn how to use Okoshi, Uke, and Nakatsuki settings in Adobe InDesign to control spacing around punctuation in CJK text.

Yakumono character types define how InDesign handles spacing around Japanese punctuation, parentheses, and special characters. The three categories, Okoshi, Uke, and Nakatsuki, control spacing at the beginning and end of lines, as well as within lines.

These settings in the Mojikumi composition control the space (aki) before and after punctuation. Use Yakumono adjustments when you need precise control over punctuation spacing, especially in print layouts where tighter spacing improves readability. This feature requires the CJK version of InDesign with Japanese language support enabled.

Use Yakumono categories to apply proper typographic spacing:

Okoshi Yakumono: Characters that cannot appear at the end of a line (opening punctuation).
Uke Yakumono: Characters that cannot appear at the start of a line (closing punctuation, kuten, touten, konma, and period).
Nakatsuki Yakumono: Characters with special mid-line spacing rules (middle dots, colons). Small kana characters are treated as Kinsoku characters.

Configure Yakumono spacing in Mojikumi sets

Select Type > Mojikumi Settings > Detailed.

Choose an existing Mojikumi set from the Mojikumi drop-down menu or select New to create a custom set.

Select the character type you want to adjust (such as Open Paren or Close Paren) in the Yakumono section.

Select the arrow icon next to a category name to view specific character types such as Open Paren, Close Paren, or Middle Punctuation.

Set Minimum, Desired, and Maximum spacing values for each character type as percentages of character width.

Select Save.

Adjust spacing for specific punctuation

Select Type > Mojikumi Settings > Detailed.

Expand the Yakumono category that contains the character you want to adjust.

Select the specific punctuation mark from the list (for example, Open Round Parenthesis).

Choose Previous Class or Next Class from the before/after pop-up menu to specify whether the spacing applies before or after the selected character.

Enter spacing values by setting Desired for standard spacing, Minimum for the tightest spacing, and Maximum for the loosest spacing.

Set the Priority value (1-9) to control compression order when InDesign adjusts line spacing for justification. Lower numbers compress first.

Select Save.

For example, to reduce spacing around parentheses from the default 50% aki to zero, change the Okoshi Yakumono setting for Open Parentheses to 0 Fixed or 0/0/50. The 0 Fixed option always removes spacing, while 0/0/50 allows InDesign to add up to 50% aki during justification.

Tip

Use the Indicate Differences menu in the Detailed section of Mojikumi Settings dialog box to compare your custom set with the default Mojikumi presets in InDesign. Changed values appear highlighted.

Apply your custom Mojikumi set to paragraphs through the Mojikumi set drop-down menu in the Paragraph panel. The Yakumono spacing rules take effect immediately, adjusting punctuation spacing based on your settings while maintaining proper line breaks and Kinsoku rules.

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