Knowra Japanese units of measurement Japanese units of measurement Traditional Japanese measures of length, area, volume, and mass developed around units such as the shaku. Their modern standardized form is the shakkanhō system.
Shaku : A traditional Japanese unit of length, standardized at about 30.3 centimeters. It is the principal length unit underlying the shakkanhō system.
Shakkanhō : Japan's traditional measurement system, standardized around the shaku for length and the kan for mass. It is the formal system that organized the units covered here.
Japanese architecture : Architectural traditions developed in Japan, including building forms based on timber frames and modular dimensions. The ken shaped room proportions, structural bays, and building plans.
Metric system : A decimal measurement system based on units such as the metre, kilogram, and litre. It became Japan's official standard and replaced most shakkanhō measures.
Ken : A traditional Japanese unit of length, usually equal to six shaku. It links the shaku to architectural spans and plot dimensions.
Tokugawa shogunate : The military government that ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868. Its authorities regulated measures and promoted standards across domains.
Tatami : Traditional Japanese floor mats made from woven rush and straw cores. Their dimensions often follow regional conventions related to the tsubo and ken.
Chinese units of measurement : Historical Chinese measures of length, area, volume, and mass, including the chi and jin. Japanese measures share historical influences with Chinese systems but developed distinct standards.
Sun : A traditional Japanese unit of length equal to one-tenth of a shaku. It shows how smaller measurements were derived from the shaku.
Meiji Restoration : The political transformation beginning in 1868 that established imperial rule and accelerated modernization in Japan. The new state reorganized measurement as part of broader modernization.
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