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Area Conversion in Japan By Expert Author: Wayne Hemrick
View Summary \| Submitted: 2008-06-09 \| Word Count: 405 words \| Views: 236 view(s)

If you’re planning on a trip to Japan in order to teach English or for some other reason, hopefully you’ve learned something about the metric system – which is the official standard of weights and measures in that country.

Area conversion in Japan is a slightly different matter, however. For most purposes, the Japanese use the metric conversion of units; area however is still measured by a traditional method dating back some 1300 years.

The Shakkanhō System and the Tsubo

The shaku is a unit of length; the kan is one of mass. These words combine to form the term shakkanhō, which was adopted during the Nara Period in Japanese history, when the loose confederations of warring rival principalities were starting to coalesce into a unified nation. This system of measurement and area conversion was used until well into the 20th century.

The Japanese government adopted the metric system in 1924 and made it official for legal purposes in 1966; however, when it comes to real estate, the old shakkanhō system has prevailed.

The basic unit is the jo or go, which is considered to be the size of a tatami mat. When real estate transactions are discussed, a piece of property is often said to be valued by the tsubo, which is the same size as two “standard” tatami mats (the traditional type of woven straw flooring). Similarly, rooms in a building are measured in terms of tatami mats.

“Standard Area Conversion?”

The traditional size of a tatami mat is equivalent to 90 by 180 centimeters, or just a little under one by two yards. When discussing conversion area however, the term “standard” is a bit misleading, as the exact area of tatami mats vary slightly from one part of the country to another. A “standard size” room in Japan is supposed to be equivalent to 6 jo; an area conversion table will tell you that this is about 18 square feet. However, older buildings often have larger 6-jo rooms than newer ones. Different area conversion tables will correspondingly give you slightly different area conversion results.

Because of the variability in the size of tatami mats, there really isn’t an area conversion calculator that will be of any help in giving you an exact area conversion figure. There are calculators that provide metric conversion functions priced around $50, but when it comes to area conversion in Japan, all it can do is give you a rough figure,

About the Author/Author Bio

Wayne Hemrick is an avid supporter of extended learning. He is active in helping English language teachers with an interest in Japan, find jobs.

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Article Tags: reference and education, area conversion, area conversion calculator, conversion of units area, area conversion tables, area conversion table, conversion area

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