Traditional Japanese Units used in measurement
Imagine you’re at an Izakaya bar on a chilly day, craving something warm to drink. You call over an attendant to order hot sake, a type of Japanese rice wine. The attendant then asks, “How much would you like to have?” You respond, “One bottle, please.” At that moment, a question crosses your mind: How much sake is actually in a bottle?
How much Sake in that bottle?
The bottle to serve hot Sake is called Tokkuri (徳利), that is used like a teapot. From the Tokkuri bottle, hot Sake is poured into a tiny cup called Choko (猪口) or O-choto to be drunk little by little. There are various shapes and designs for Tokkuri, but it usually contains 180ml or so in accordance with the unit Gou 合 . The Gou is a traditional Japanese unit of measurement, which is still used for various quantities, Including Sake, Miso paste, Soy sauce, beans, and even rice.
There are actually several traditional Japanese units that still exist and are used often in daily life. They are sometimes used in business too, so it is useful to know of them.
JP-EN Translation Assistant Tool - Unit Converter
To calculate sizes in the Japanese unit, use JP-EN Translation Assistant Tool - Unit Converter. It would be helpful if you worked as a tour guide in Japan. Your guests may inquire about the size of the areas in tatami mats.
Numbers in Japanese
1(ichi) , 2(ni), 3(san), 4(yon), 5(go), 6(roku), 7(nana), 8(hachi), 9(kyu), 10(jyu)
11(ju-ichi), 21(niju-ichi), 31(sanju-ichi), 41(yonju-ichi), 51(goju-ichi), 61(rokuju-ichi)
71(nanaju-ichi), 81(hachiju-ichi), 91(kyuju-ichi), 100(hyaku)
