What is a barleycorn?

A barleycorn is a historic length unit equal to one third of an inch, originally based on the length of a grain of barley.

What is a ken used for?

Ken is a traditional Japanese unit of length used mainly in architecture to specify spacing between structural elements and room dimensions.

How do I convert barleycorns to kens?

Multiply the number of barleycorns by approximately 0.0039968026 to obtain the equivalent length in kens.

Convert Barleycorn to Ken - Online Length Unit Converter

Easily convert length measurements from barleycorn, a traditional British unit, to ken, a traditional Japanese unit used in architecture and carpentry.

Barleycorn

Ken

Please check your input. It must be a valid numeric value.

Barleycorn to Ken Conversion Table

Barleycorn	Ken

Custom Unit Conversion Table Generator – Instant Printable Conversion Tables

Start Value

Enter the starting number (positive decimal or integer ≥ 0). Example: 0.1, 1, 5.

End Value

Enter the ending number (positive decimal or integer > Start Value). Example: 10, 50, 100.

Interval

Enter the step size (positive decimal > 0 and < End Value – Start Value). Example: 1.0, 2.5.

Barleycorn to Ken Conversion Table
Barleycorn	Ken

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What Is This Tool?

This converter allows users to transform length values measured in barleycorns into kens. Barleycorn is a historical British unit based on the length of a grain of barley, while ken is a traditional Japanese architectural unit used in building design and room measurements.

How to Use This Tool?

Enter the measurement value in barleycorn units
Select barleycorn as the 'from' unit and ken as the 'to' unit
Click the convert button to get the equivalent measurement in ken
Use the results to support historical or architectural applications

Key Features

Converts between barleycorn and ken units accurately
Supports understanding of traditional British and Japanese measurements
Ideal for historical research, antiques, and architectural studies
Provides quick and browser-based conversion
Includes examples for easy comprehension

Examples

10 barleycorn equals approximately 0.039968026 ken
100 barleycorn equals approximately 0.39968026 ken

Common Use Cases

Converting British shoe sizing increments to Japanese architectural measurements
Interpreting historical documents or tailoring patterns using pre-metric English units
Studying traditional Japanese building spacing and room dimensions
Restoring antiques and cultural heritage objects with mixed measurement units
Comparing modular measurements in cross-cultural architecture and carpentry

Tips & Best Practices

Verify the context since barleycorn and ken are traditional units with niche uses
Use the tool mainly for historical, architectural, or craft-related conversions
Be aware of small regional variations when applying ken measurements
Ensure appropriate application when interpreting old documents or plans

Limitations

Barleycorn is mostly obsolete and used chiefly in historical or specialized contexts
Ken measurements may vary regionally and lack a single fixed standard
Direct equivalency between culturally distinct units may be approximate
Conversion should be applied thoughtfully considering the niche relevance

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a barleycorn?: A barleycorn is a historic length unit equal to one third of an inch, originally based on the length of a grain of barley.
What is a ken used for?: Ken is a traditional Japanese unit of length used mainly in architecture to specify spacing between structural elements and room dimensions.
How do I convert barleycorns to kens?: Multiply the number of barleycorns by approximately 0.0039968026 to obtain the equivalent length in kens.

Key Terminology

Barleycorn: A historic British unit of length equal to one third of an inch, originally based on the size of a barley grain.
Ken: A traditional Japanese unit of length equal to six shaku, used in architecture to represent bay widths and room proportions.
Shaku: A Japanese traditional unit of length approximately equal to 0.30303 meters; six shaku equal one ken.

Quick Knowledge Check

Which traditional unit is based on the length of a grain of barley?

Ken

Barleycorn

Shaku

What is the ken primarily used to measure?

American shoe sizes

Spacing between pillars in Japanese buildings

Length of a barley grain

How many kens is equal to one barleycorn approximately?

0.0039968026

0.5

1.818

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