Archaic hiragana WU has a curved default derived from KE. Stylistic set 1 selects an outward-bowed stem with a compact hook. Both stems begin within the upper bar.
Construction & references
けほ
Stroke reference · Noto Serif JP Archaic hiragana WU has a curved default derived from KE. Stylistic set 1 selects an outward-bowed stem with a compact hook. Both stems begin within the upper bar.
Noto か and カ show the turn and taper of a kana hook. WU has a narrower drawn return, set farther right. Its lower stem maintains its weight through the bend before tapering toward the tip.
Hiragana KOTO
U+1B123
GenZui · 0.112
Horizontal
とをてあこのを
Vertical
とをてあこのを
KOTO combines a TE-derived upper curve with a shallow TO bowl and a rising right stroke.
Construction & references
こと
Stroke reference · Noto Serif JP KOTO combines a TE-derived upper curve with a shallow TO bowl and a rising right stroke.
TOMO places a MO stem and return beside TO. Both components have a shared optical reduction, with space between their upper entries.
Construction & references
トモ
Stroke reference · Noto Serif JP TOMO places a MO stem and return beside TO. Both components have a shared optical reduction, with space between their upper entries.
In Noto に and ほ, the left head and right stroke entry have more space between them. TOMO lowers and shortens MO’s upturned entry while retaining the gap beside TO.
Katakana NARI
U+2CEFF
GenZui · 0.112
Horizontal
シ𬻿リア𬻿イ
Vertical
シ𬻿リア𬻿イ
Katakana NARI combines a native SHI entry with a drawn lower curve. Printed historical forms guide its structure.
Construction & references
シリ
Stroke reference · Noto Serif JP Katakana NARI combines a native SHI entry with a drawn lower curve. Printed historical forms guide its structure.
The connected KOTO and the balance of TOKI were checked against the Unicode chart and printed examples reproduced in L2/24-150: 手島継蔵『国語漢文自習要覧』(1916, figure 2), 『普通日本文典』(1893, figure 9) and 松川半山『童蒙画引小学入門』(1875, figure 16). Hiragana NARI follows the Japanese JMJ-056850 reference in the Extension F chart.
Native Noto kana guide the stroke weight and terminals. The historical specimens inform structure; their printed outlines are not included in the font. NARI references include printed forms in 糸左近『和漢の文典：雅俗対照』(1902), p. 60, and 藤井乙男『操觚便覧』(1899), p. 16. Open each NARI card’s references to see the original scans. SHITE uses an enlarged Noto SHI dot. TOMO uses MO’s stem and lower return.
Using the WU alternate
In applications with OpenType controls, enable stylistic set 1, “Hooked WU”. In CSS:
