Japanese Lineal Measures (and Weights), with their equivalents in French and English Measures

by William Bramsen

Japanese lineal measures,

with their equivalents in French and English measures.

	Japanese Character.	Divided into	Equivalent in French Metres.		Equivalent in English Feet.		Equivalent in English Inches.		Remarks.
			Exact.	Approximate.	Exact.	Approximate.	Exact.	Approximate.
Kane.	曲尺
Artisan's Measure:
Jô,	丈	10 Shaku,	100/33	3.0303030303	109.3633056/11	9.9421186909	1312.3596672/11	119.3054242909	About 9 feet 11 5-16 inches
Shaku,	尺	10 Sun,	10/33	0.3030303030	10.93633056/11	0.9942118691	131.23596672/11	11.9305424291	About 11 15-16 inches.
Sun,	寸	10 Bu,	1/33	0.0303030303	1.093633056/11	0.0994211869	13.123596672/11	1.1930542429	About 1 3-16 inch.
Bu,	分	10 Rin,	1/330	0.0030303030	0.1093633056/11	0.0099421187	1.3123596672/11	0.1193054243	About 1 11-25 line.
Rin,	厘	10 Mo,	1/3300	0.0003030303	0.01093633056/11	0.0009942119	0.13123596672/11	0.0119305424	About 1-7 line.
Mo,	毛	10 Shi,	1/33000	0.0000303030	0.001093633056/11	0.0000994212	0.013123596672/11	0.0011930542	About 1-70 line.
Shi.	絲		1/330000	0.0000030303	0.0001093633056/11	0.00000994212	0.0013123596672/11	0.0001193054	About 1-700 line.
Land Measure:
Ri,	里	36 Chô,	43200/11	3927.2727272727	141734.8440576/11	12884.9858234182	1700818.1286912/11	154619.8298810182	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ 2.44034 statute miles, or 2 miles 3 fur. 20 pls. 5 yds. 2.11831 geog. or naut. miles.
Chô,	町	60 Ken,	1200/11	109.0909090909	1/3937.0790016	357.9162728727	47244.9480192/11	4294.9952744727	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ About 21 pls. 3 yds. 2 ft. 6 inch. About 1-15 of a statute mile. About 1-17 of a geog. mile.
Ken.	間	6 Shaku,	20/11	1.8181818182	65.61798336/11	5.9652712145	787.41580032/11	71.5832545745	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ About 5 feet 11 19-32 inches. About 1 fathom.
Nautical Measure:
Kai ri.	海里	16.98721 Chô, or 16 Chô 59 Ken 1 Shaku 3 Sun 9 Bu 6 Rin	2432/1.3123596672	1853.1505202296	6080	....	72960	....	= 1 Admiralty knot.
Miscellaneous:
Hiro,	尋	5 Shaku,	50/33	1.5151515152	54.6816528/11	4.9710593455	656.1798336/11	59.6527121455	About 4 feet 11 21-32 inches.
Yabiki.	矢引	2 Shaku 5 Sun,	25/33	0.7575757576	27.3408264/11	2.4855296727	328.0899168/11	29.8263560727	About 2 feet 5 13-16 inches.
Kujira.	鯨尺
Dry Goods Measure:
Jô,	丈	10 Shaku,	125/33	3.7878787879	1/136.704132	12.4276483636	1640.449584/11	149.1317803636	About 4 yards 5 1/8 inches.
Shaku,	尺	10 Sun,	25/66	0.3787878788	1/13.6704132	1.2427648364	164.0449584/11	14.9131780364	About 1 foot 2 11-12 inches.
Sun,	寸	10 Bu,	5/132	0.0378787879	1/1.36704132	0.1242764836	16.40449584/11	1.4913178036	About 1 1/2 inch.
Bu,	分	10 Rin,	1/264	0.0037878788	1/0.136704132	0.0124276484	1.640449584/11	0.1491317804
Rin,	厘		1/2640	0.0003787879	1/0.0136704132	0.0012427648	0.1640449584/11	0.0149131780
Hiki,	疋 or 匹	2 Tan,	650/33	19.6969696970	710.8614864/11	64.6237714909	8530.3378368/11	775.4852578909	A little over 21 1/2 yards.
Tan.	反 or 端	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ Variable, but generally 2 Jô 6 Shaku.	325/33	9.8484848485	355.4307432/11	32.311857455	4265.1689184/11	387.7426289455	A little over 10 3/4 yards.

Japanese weights,

with their equivalents in French and English weights.

	Japanese Character.	Divided into	Approximate Equi­valent in French Grammes.	Approximate Equi­valent in Grains Troy.	Approximate Equi­valent in Lbs. Troy.	Approximate Equi­valent in Lbs. Avoirdupois.	Remarks.
Commercial weights:
Kwam-me,	貫文目	1000 Momme.	3756.52170000000	57971.9539004733	10.0645753299	8.2817077001	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ 10 lbs. Troy, or a little over 8 1/4 lbs. Avoirdupois.
Hiyaku-me,	百目	0100 Momme.	375.65217000000	5797.1953900473	1.0064575330	0.8281707700	1 lb. Troy.
Momme,	匁 or 錢	0010 Fun.	3.75652170000	57.9719539005	0.0100645753	0.0082817077	About 58 grains Troy.
Fun,	分	0010 Rin.	0.37565217000	5.7971953900	0.0010064575	0.0008281708	About 5 4/5 grains Troy.
Rin,	厘	0010 Mo.	0.03756521700	0.5797195390	0.0001006458	0.0000828171
Mo,	毛	0010 Shi.	0.00375652170	0.0579719539	0.0000100646	0.0000082817
Shi,	絲	0010 Shi.	0.00037565217	0.0057971954	0.0000010065	0.0000008282
Hiyak-kin,	百斤	0100 Kin.	60104.34720000000	927551.2624075728	161.0332052791	132.5073232011	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ 132 1/2 lbs. Avoirdupois, but generally reckoned equal to one picul, or 133 1/3 lbs.
Kin.	斤	0160 Momme.	601.04347200000	9275.5126240757	1.6103320528	1.3250732320	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ About 1 13/40 lb., but generally taken as equal to 1 1/3 lb.
Apothecaries' weight:
Riyô.	兩	0004 Momme.	15.02608680000	231.8878156019	0/0402583013	0.0331268308	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ Somewhat less than 1/2 ounce Troy (or Old Apothecaries' Weight). About 8 1/2 drachms Avoirdupois (or New Apothecaries' Weight).
Carriage weights:
By Land.
Homma Ichi-da, $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ (One full horse-load,)	本馬壹駄	0040 Kwamme.	150260.86800000000	2318878.1560189320	402.5830131977	331.2683080027	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ About 4/27 ton English. = 2 1/2 piculs.
Karushiri Ichi-da, $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ (One light horse-load,)	輕尻壹駄	0018 Kwamme.	67617.39060000000	1043495.1702085194	181.1623559390	149.0707386012	About 149 lbs. Avoirdupois.
Ninsoku Ichi-nin, $\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$ (One man's load.)	人足壹人	0007 Kwamme.	26295.65190000000	405803.6773033131	70.4520273096	57.9719539005	About 58 lbs. Avoirdupois.
By Sea.
Hiyak-koku,	百石	0100 Koku.	15026086.80000000000	231887815.6018932000	40258.3013197731	33126.8308002705	14 1767/2240 tons English.
Koku.	石	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ 40 Kwamme, or 250 Kin.	150260.86800000000	2318878.1560189320	402.5830131977	331.2683080027	$\scriptstyle {\left\{{\begin{matrix}\ \\\ \end{matrix}}\right.}$ About 4/27 ton. =2 1/2 piculs.