Convert japanese go to imperial gallons with confidence.

Ever found yourself staring at a 19th-century Japanese cookbook, wondering how much sake to brew for a festival? Or maybe you're reverse-engineering your grandma's handwritten rice storage notes? That's where the humble Japanese go becomes suddenly relevant – and where our conversion tool becomes your new best friend. Let's explore this fascinating intersection of Eastern tradition and British imperial measurement.

Unit definitions

What is a japanese go (合)?

A go (pronounced "goh") is more than just a measurement – it's a cultural artifact. Represented by the character 合, this unit has measured rice and sake in Japan since the Edo period (1603-1868).

Symbol: 合
Common uses:

• Measuring uncooked rice portions
• Sake brewery recipes
• Traditional woodworking materials
  Definition: 1 go = 0.18039 liters (exactly 2401/13310 m³)

What is an imperial gallon (imp gal)?

The imperial gallon is the UK's answer to liquid volume, born from the 1824 Weights and Measures Act. While Britain officially uses metric now, this unit survives in fuel economy ratings and pub culture.

Symbol: imp gal
Common uses:

• Beer and cider sales in UK pubs
• Vehicle fuel efficiency (miles per gallon)
• Historical recipes
  Definition: 1 imp gal = 4.54609 liters

Conversion formula

The magic equation connecting these units:
1 合 = 0.1809 imp gal
To convert go to imperial gallons:
imperial gallons = go × 0.1809

For reverse calculations:
go = imperial gallons ÷ 0.1809

Example calculations

1. Converting 5 go to imperial gallons:
   5 × 0.1809 = 0.9045 imp gal
   That's nearly a full imperial gallon of rice – enough to make sushi for 15 people!
2. Converting 2 imperial gallons to go:
   2 ÷ 0.1809 ≈ 11.05 合
   Imagine a British pub offering 11 go of sake – that's 2 gallons of tradition in every keg.

Conversion tables

Japanese go to imperial gallons

Imperial gallons to japanese go

Historical context

The go's story begins in China's Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), making its way to Japan through Buddhist monks. Originally based on the Chinese ge, it became standardized during Tokugawa shogunate's measurement reforms. Farmers paid taxes in koku (180.39 liters = 1000 go), making the go a unit of survival.

Imperial gallons have a more... fluid history. The 1824 standardization replaced multiple gallon variants used across the British Empire. Fun fact: the original imperial gallon was defined as teh volume of 10 pounds of distilled water at 62°F, a specification that still influences modern conversions.

Interesting facts

1. A traditional Japanese rice cooker (kama) was often sized in go – 3-go pots remain popular for small households.
2. During WWII, ration cards in Japan specified rice allocations in go.
3. The imperial gallon is used in Canada for agricultural chemicals, despite metrication.
4. Sake bottles: 1 isshobin (1.8L) = 10 go exactly.
5. UK beer casks: A 36-gallon barrel contains 288 pints – but that's imperial gallons, not US!

FAQ