Why Japanese sizes look different

Japanese shoe sizes are the easy part. The number is the length of your foot in centimeters, so a size 25 fits a foot about 25 cm long. Clothing is harder. Women's sizes use numbers such as 7, 9 and 11, men's sizes use letters from S to 3L, and a size M in Japan is usually smaller than an M in the United States. Brands also cut their clothes differently, so the label tells you less than the measurements printed on the product page.

The converters here give you a starting point. They are built from the size chart of a major Japanese marketplace and the usual rules of thumb, and each page says where the numbers are only approximate.

Which page do you need?

If you know your foot length, or your US, UK or EU shoe size, use the shoe converter. If you are buying tops, dresses or pants, use the clothing converter. It also explains the measurement words you will meet on Japanese shopping sites, such as 着丈 (garment length) and 身幅 (chest width, laid flat). If you are not sure of your own measurements, both pages explain how to take them. If you are visiting Japan and plan to shop, the tax-free page explains the refund system that starts on November 1, 2026, and estimates your refund.

• Japan tax-free shopping (new system from November 2026)Pay tax at the register, get it back at the airport. Rules and a refund calculator.Tool・2026-10-04
• Japan shoe size converterJapanese cm sizes to US, UK and EU, for women and men, and back.Tool・2026-10-01
• Japan clothing size converterJapanese tops, dresses and pants sizes to US, UK, DE, FR and IT, with a guide to Japanese measurements.Tool・2026-10-01

Tips for ordering from Japanese shops

• Compare the garment measurements on the product page with a piece of clothing you already own, rather than relying on the size label.
• Check whether the measurements are given laid flat. Double the chest and waist widths to get the circumference.
• For shoes, look at the width letters: E, 2E, 3E and 4E. More E's means a wider shoe.
• Allow a margin of one or two centimeters, because many shops measure by hand.

Some of these tools also help once you are in Japan. The Living in Japan section covers era years on forms and the size of rooms in apartment listings.

Last updated: 2026-10-04