Money in Edo Japan: ryō, mon and koban

The idea

A 小判 was a gold coin with a face value of one 両; 文 was a unit used for small-denomination coins. Gold, silver and copper currencies circulated, with exchange rates that varied. These sentences use modern polite Japanese.

Examples

• 江戸えど時代じだいには、金貨きんかや銀貨ぎんかがありました。In the Edo period there were gold and silver coins.
• 小判こばんは金貨きんかの一ひとつです。The koban is a kind of gold coin.
• 一両いちりょうは小判こばん一枚いちまいの額面がくめんです。One ryō is the face value of one koban.
• 銭ぜにで品物しなものを買かいました。I bought goods with coins.
• 両替りょうがえの店みせで、お金かねを替かえました。I exchanged money at a money changer.
• 品物しなものの値段ねだんは場所ばしょや時ときで変かわりました。Prices varied with place and time.

Watch out

両 and 文 are units, not coin names. Do not assume a fixed conversion into modern yen or a single exchange rate throughout the period.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the Japanese term for “gold koban coin”: （小判こばん／両りょう）

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   小判

   小判 means “gold koban coin”; 両 means “ryō: a gold currency unit”.

2. Choose the Japanese term for “ryō: a gold currency unit”: （両りょう／文もん）

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   両

   両 means “ryō: a gold currency unit”; 文 means “mon: a small-denomination currency unit”.

3. Choose the Japanese term for “mon: a small-denomination currency unit”: （文もん／小判こばん）

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   文

   文 means “mon: a small-denomination currency unit”; 小判 means “gold koban coin”.

Use it today

Explain the difference between a coin and a unit in two Japanese sentences.