Guide · Sizing · 6 min read
Japanese sizing, measurements and how to avoid getting it wrong
Japanese sizing runs on different systems by category, and conversion charts are unreliable. Here is what to measure and what to ask for.
Footwear runs in centimeters
Japanese shoe sizing is a direct measurement of the last in centimeters, so 27.0 means twenty-seven centimeters. This is more precise than US or UK sizing and it is why half-size steps are common.
Conversion charts get you close but not there. The reliable move is to measure the insole length of a pair you already own and wear well, then match that number rather than trusting a converted size.
Clothing sizes run small and inconsistently
Japanese domestic clothing is cut for a different average build, and a Japanese L is frequently closer to a Western M. Worse, sizing is not consistent between brands, and archive pieces follow the conventions of their era rather than today’s.
Never buy Japanese apparel on the size label alone. Ask for flat measurements: chest across, shoulder seam to seam, sleeve from shoulder, and total length. Compare those against a garment you own.
Watches, rings and bracelets
Watch case diameter is quoted in millimeters and is universal, but bracelet length is not. Ask for the total bracelet length and the number of removable links, because a domestic-market bracelet is sometimes sized shorter than the export version.
Japanese ring sizing uses its own numeric scale entirely unrelated to US or European numbering. Always convert from internal diameter in millimeters rather than from the ring number.
What to ask for before you commit
For anything worn, ask for measurements rather than a size. A seller who is confident will provide them, and a seller who will not is telling you something.
On a request, give us the measurements you know work rather than the size you usually buy. It is the single most useful thing you can put in a request for apparel or footwear.
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This is the same knowledge we bring to a real request. Name the item and we'll put it to work.
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