Measurements ? (Hakama)

[Please visit our sponsor:]

[ChristianBoddum]

When you purchase a Hakama you must order a size,
f.ex. a size 27.
What does the measurement refer to, it can't be inches since
it is about 5 cm.
Is there a secret japanese system of measurement :confused:

I tried Wikipedia with no luck.

I hope you can help !

[akiy]

Most likely, they're referring to the measurement in "sun":

In Japan, the corresponding unit (the sun) was standardized at 1000⁄33 mm (~3.030 cm, ~1.193 in, or ~0.09942 ft).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cun_%28unit%29

-- Jun

[Kent Enfield]

While it does refer to shaku and sun, it's kujira-shaku, "whale shaku", (used for textiles), not kane-jaku, "metal shaku" (used for most things). As Jun noted, one sun in the kane-jaku system is about 3.03 cm, but one sun in the kujira-shaku system is about 3.79 cm.

The different shaku (http://www.chibabogu.com/catalog/information.php?info_id=17#measure)

[Mark Uttech]

Check with Bujin Design. Those folks can help out with any hakama measurement problem.

In gassho

Mark

[akiy]

Hi Kent,

Thanks for the clarifying information.

Strangely enough, when I stopped by Iwata Shokai (http://www.alpha-net.ne.jp/users2/iwataco/iwatatop.html) in Tokyo last month, one of the little old ladies there mentioned the difference between their sizes (eg 24 and 25) to be about 3cm with each .5 being a difference of 1.5cm. (I had to ask specifically regarding sizing differences and such since I had purchased another hakama when I stopped by last year which was too short and I wanted to make sure that the new hakama would be longer.)

However, looking at their Japanese language page (as this information is not in their English page) regarding their hakama information (http://www.alpha-net.ne.jp/users2/iwataco/hakama.html), it states that they do, indeed, use the kujira jaku system of sun measurements: "For example, a number 28 (hakama) means that it is 2 shaku/jaku 8 sun and you can think of one shaku/jaku being approximately 38cm."

I wonder if the little old lady at Iwata was talking about the hakama size difference between their sizes after shrinkage? Not too sure.

At least regarding hakama sizes, I don't think Bujin Design will be able to help much in this case as they use a simple inches measurement in their hakama.

Best,

-- Jun