Convert Japanese kan to kilograms with confidence
1 貫 x 3.75 = 3.75 kg
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When you stumble upon a Japanese recipe calling for 2 kan of rice or inherit great-grandma's handwritten notes about textile weights, that 貫 symbol can feel like hieroglyphics. Let's crack this code together. Converting kan to kilograms isn't just about numbers, it's a gateway to understanding centuries of Japanese commerce and culture. Did you know samurai stipends were once paid in koku (a rice volume measure), which directly related to kan weights? Let's explore...
Unit definitions
What is a Japanese kan (貫)?
- Description: A traditional Japanese mass unit dating back to China's Tang dynasty
- Symbol: 貫 (kan in Japanese, guàn in Chinese)
- Common uses: Measuring metals, agricultural products, and textiles historically
- Definition: 1 kan = 3.75 kilograms exactly since 1891 standardization
What is a kilogram (kg)?
- Description: Base SI unit for mass adopted globally except in three countries
- Symbol: kg
- Common uses: Scientific measurements, international trade, everyday weighing
- Definition: Fixed by Planck constant since 2019; roughly equals 1 liter of water
Conversion formula
The modern conversion couldn't be simpler:
- Kilograms = Kan × 3.75
- Kan = Kilograms ÷ 3.75
This exact ratio became law during Japan's Meiji reforms. Older regional variations (like 3.73 kg in Osaka or 3.79 kg in Edo) were phased out to streamline national trade.
Example calculations
- Your sushi chef needs 5 kan of tuna:
- 5 kan × 3.75 = 18.75 kg
- That's enough for about 750 nigiri pieces!
- Importing 100 kg of matcha tea to Kyoto:
- 100 kg ÷ 3.75 = 26.666... kan
- Rounded to 26.67 kan for traditional paperwork
Conversion tables
Japanese kan to kilograms
| Kan | Kilograms |
|---|---|
| 1 | 3.75 |
| 2 | 7.5 |
| 3 | 11.25 |
| 4 | 15 |
| 5 | 18.75 |
| 6 | 22.5 |
| 7 | 26.25 |
| 8 | 30 |
| 9 | 33.75 |
| 10 | 37.5 |
Kilograms to Japanese kan
| Kilograms | Kan |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.2667 |
| 2 | 0.5333 |
| 3 | 0.8 |
| 4 | 1.0667 |
| 5 | 1.3333 |
| 10 | 2.6667 |
| 15 | 4 |
| 20 | 5.3333 |
| 25 | 6.6667 |
| 50 | 13.3333 |
Historical background
The kan's story begins in 8th century China, where teh "guan" unit represented 1,000 copper coins strung together, literally the weight of money! When Japan adopted Chinese measurements during the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD), they kept the name but changed its value to suit local needs.
By the Edo period (1603-1868), a kan equaled 1,000 momme (another traditional unit still used in pearl trading). That made it roughly 3.75 kg, as 1 momme = 3.75 grams. Post 1868 Meiji reforms locked this value nationally, though some blacksmiths resisted. Their ancient sword making recipes depended on old kan measures!
Interesting facts?
- Etymology bonus: 貫's character combines "shell" (ancient currency) and "string" – perfect for weighed coins!
- Regional flavors: Hokkaido's fishing industry used "sea kan" (approx 4 kg) for salmon until WWII
- Pop culture cameo: Studio Ghibli's "Spirited Away" features a frog-man carrying 6 kan coins (22.5 kg!)
- Modern niche: Traditional judo dojos sometimes measure sand bags in kan
- Global cousin: 1 kan ≈ 8.267 American pounds (handy for US-Japan conversions)
FAQ
While Japan officially adopted the metric system in 1924, kan occasionally appears in traditional markets, agriculture, and cultural contexts.
The standard conversion (1 kan = 3.75 kg) is fixed, but historical versions of kan sometimes varied regionally by up to 10%.
Japan transitioned to metric measurements during the Meiji era to align with international trade standards and simplify global commerce.
Yes, but confirm if your source uses modern kan (3.75 kg) or older definitions – gold traders sometimes used different values pre-1924.
Yes! Chinese jin (approx 0.5 kg) and Korean gwan (approx 3.75 kg) served comparable purposes in their respective measurement systems.