What Is This Tool?
This converter transforms measurements from the French arpent, a historic unit of length used in land surveying, into the ken, a traditional Japanese unit used in architecture and carpentry. It is designed to facilitate comparison and integration of these culturally distinct measurement systems.
How to Use This Tool?
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Enter the length value in arpent that you want to convert.
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Select 'arpent' as the source unit and 'ken' as the target unit.
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Click the convert button to see the equivalent length in ken.
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Use the converted value for your analysis or historical comparison.
Key Features
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Converts arpent measurements to ken accurately based on a defined conversion rate.
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Supports understanding of historical and architectural length units across cultures.
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Browser-based and simple interface for quick unit conversion.
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Useful for land surveyors, historians, architects, and cultural researchers.
Examples
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2 arpent converts to approximately 55.25 ken using the formula 2 × 27.6258992806 ken.
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0.5 arpent converts to approximately 13.81 ken by multiplying 0.5 × 27.6258992806 ken.
Common Use Cases
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Translating frontage lengths of colonial French river lots into Japanese architectural units.
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Interpreting historical cadastral maps for comparative cultural studies.
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Applying traditional Japanese modular measurements to land descriptions from French colonies.
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Supporting architectural design and carpentry with culturally relevant length units.
Tips & Best Practices
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Confirm the historical context of the arpent unit due to its regional and temporal variations.
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Consider standard variations in ken measurements when applying results to architecture.
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Use conversions primarily for historical and cultural research, not for everyday measurement.
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Cross-reference with original land records or architectural plans when accuracy is critical.
Limitations
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Arpent values vary historically by region, so exact conversions require confirmed definitions.
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Ken measurements may differ slightly in traditional contexts, affecting precision.
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Conversion is intended for comparative and cultural analyses rather than routine length measurement.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is an arpent used for?
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An arpent is a historic French unit of length mainly used for land measurements such as frontage lengths and parcel dimensions, especially in colonial Quebec and Louisiana.
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What does the ken measure?
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The ken is a traditional Japanese unit of length used to define bay widths between pillars in buildings and to size rooms or tatami mats.
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Why convert from arpent to ken?
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Converting from arpent to ken helps integrate historical French land measurements with traditional Japanese architectural units, useful for interdisciplinary study of land records and building designs.
Key Terminology
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Arpent
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A historical French length unit used for land measurement and cadastral records, especially in colonial regions.
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Ken
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A traditional Japanese unit of length representing six shaku, used as a modular measure in architecture.
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Conversion Rate
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The defined factor used to change a measurement from one unit to another; here, 1 arpent equals 27.6258992806 ken.