I wrote previously about how こめ can be switched to ※ with Japanese input systems. Well, I’ve discovered through a friend at work that there are a number of other tricks you can do with 変換.
Arrows – Type in やじるし and you can get these: →, ←, ↑, ↓.
Circles – Type in まる and you can make these: ○, ●, ◎, ◯, ◉. (The third is called a にじゅうまる, maybe the fifth as well.)
Triangles – Type in さんかく and you can get: △, ▲, ▽, ▼.
Squares – Type in しかく and you can get: □, ■, ◇, ◆.
Anyone know of any others? I’m using Kotoeri, the default Japanese input for OSX. Apparently it has some bugs. "kernel panic" is going to be my new catch phrase when shit goes wrong.
星（ほし）－ ☆★※＊
音楽（おんがく）－♯♪♭
Those are great! I wonder if there is a list of all possible 変換 somewhere. I’ll have to keep looking.
A bit ago nihonhacks.com listed a cool tip for the Windows IME in that there’s an option for when you type in your postal code and space it fills in your address automatically.
For example, 969-5122 + spacebar = 福島県会津若松市大戸町上三寄香塩
There’ll be no more trying to find an obscure kanji for an address!
音符（おんぷ）＝♩
Also 郵便（ゆうびん）＝〠 (look at the guy!)
あっぷる＝（in kotoeri）
ルート＝√
平方メートル（へいほうめーとる）＝㎡
平方センチメートル＝㎠ (note how the exponent is actually part of that single character)
メートル＝㍍
ワット＝㍗
キロメートル＝㎞、㌖
etc. units.
明治（めいじ）＝㍾
大正（たいしょう）＝㍽
昭和（しょうわ）＝㍼
平成（へいせい）＝㍻
Oh and あっぷるぱい＝π :)
Thanks Akaki! I’ll probably post these up soon!