What is a ken and where is it commonly used?

A ken is a traditional Japanese unit of length equal to six shaku, standardized as about 1.818 meters, mainly used in traditional architecture and building proportions.

How is the U.S. survey foot defined?

The U.S. survey foot is defined exactly as 1200/3937 meters, approximately 0.3048006096 meters, and is used primarily in land surveying and mapping in the United States.

Why should I be careful choosing between U.S. survey foot and international foot?

Because the U.S. survey foot is slightly different from the international foot, selecting the correct foot type ensures precise conversions and avoids errors in measurement.

How to Convert Ken to Foot (US Survey) [ft] Easily Online

Quickly convert length measurements from ken, a traditional Japanese unit, to the U.S. survey foot (ft) used in land surveying and construction in the United States with this simple tool.

Ken

Foot (US survey) [ft]

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Ken to Foot (US survey) [ft] Conversion Table

Ken	Foot (US survey) [ft]

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.

Ken to Foot (US survey) [ft] Conversion Table
Ken	Foot (US survey) [ft]

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What Is This Tool?

This converter allows you to transform length values from ken, a traditional Japanese unit commonly used in architecture, into the U.S. survey foot, which is historically utilized in American land surveying and mapping.

How to Use This Tool?

Enter the value in ken that you want to convert
Select the input unit as ken and the output unit as foot (US survey)
Click the convert button to see the equivalent length in U.S. survey feet
Review the result and apply it directly to your architectural or surveying project

Key Features

Converts ken to U.S. survey foot accurately using a standard conversion rate
Supports understanding of traditional Japanese architectural dimensions in U.S. surveying units
Browser-based and easy to use without requiring technical knowledge
Includes examples to demonstrate practical conversion scenarios
Useful for architects, surveyors, and engineers working with mixed measurement systems

Examples

2 ken equals 13.8999722 foot (US survey) by multiplying 2 by 6.9499861
0.5 ken converts to approximately 3.47499305 foot (US survey) using the standard conversion factor

Common Use Cases

Translating traditional Japanese bay spacing in temples or shrines into U.S. surveying units
Converting room and tatami mat dimensions for architectural plans involving mixed measurement systems
Integrating Japanese carpentry measurements with American land surveying records
Supporting preservation efforts and analysis of historical buildings when adjusting measurement references
Assisting in construction projects requiring consistency between Asian and U.S. customary length units

Tips & Best Practices

Ensure you use the exact standard value of 1 ken as approximately 1.818 meters for conversions
Verify that the foot unit selected is the U.S. survey foot, not the international foot, to avoid confusion
Double-check the converted results especially if used in legal or engineering documents
Use the tool to complement architectural or surveying workflows involving legacy measurement systems
Be aware of possible regional variations in the ken unit when interpreting historical data

Limitations

Ken has historical and regional variations; the standardization used here may not apply universally
U.S. survey foot is distinct from the international foot, so conversions should specify the correct foot type
Conversion precision depends on the exact values used for ken and the official definition of the U.S. survey foot

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a ken and where is it commonly used?: A ken is a traditional Japanese unit of length equal to six shaku, standardized as about 1.818 meters, mainly used in traditional architecture and building proportions.
How is the U.S. survey foot defined?: The U.S. survey foot is defined exactly as 1200/3937 meters, approximately 0.3048006096 meters, and is used primarily in land surveying and mapping in the United States.
Why should I be careful choosing between U.S. survey foot and international foot?: Because the U.S. survey foot is slightly different from the international foot, selecting the correct foot type ensures precise conversions and avoids errors in measurement.

Key Terminology

Ken: A traditional Japanese length unit equal to six shaku, standardized at about 1.818 meters, used in architecture and design.
U.S. survey foot: A unit of length historically used in U.S. land surveying, defined exactly as 1200/3937 meters, approximately 0.3048006096 meters.
Shaku: A traditional Japanese unit of length, with one shaku approximately equal to 0.30303 meters.

Quick Knowledge Check

What is the primary use of the ken unit?

Land surveying in the United States

Traditional Japanese architectural measurements

International engineering standards

How many U.S. survey feet are approximately equal to 1 ken?

Approximately 3.5 feet

Approximately 6.95 feet

Exactly 10 feet

Why is it important to use the U.S. survey foot instead of the international foot in certain conversions?

Because the international foot is not a unit of length

Because the U.S. survey foot has a precise official definition suited for land surveying

Because the U.S. survey foot is larger than the ken

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