# Ryō > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ry%C5%8D > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ry%C5%8D.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8D > Source revision: 1342231995 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Obsolete Japanese currency This article is about 両, the Japanese currency unit in the Shakkanhō system. For other uses, see [Ryo (disambiguation)](/source/Ryo_(disambiguation)). This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (May 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Ryō Keichō-period koban with value of one ryō Unit Unit ryō The ***ryō*** ([両](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%A1)) was a [gold](/source/Gold) currency unit in the [shakkanhō](/source/Shakkanh%C5%8D) system in pre-[Meiji](/source/Meiji_period) [Japan](/source/Japan). It was eventually replaced with a system based on the *[yen](/source/Japanese_yen)*. ## Origins The *ryō* was originally a unit of weight from [China](/source/China), the *[tael](/source/Tael).* It came into use in Japan during the [Kamakura period](/source/Kamakura_period). By the [Azuchi–Momoyama period](/source/Azuchi%E2%80%93Momoyama_period) it had become nearly uniform throughout [Japan](/source/Japan), about 4.4 [*monme*](/source/Japanese_units_of_measurement#Mass) as a unit of weight (about the same as 16.5 [grams](/source/Gram)). During the [Sengoku period](/source/Sengoku_period), various local *[daimyō](/source/Daimy%C5%8D)* began to mint their own money. One of the best known and most prestigious of these private coins was the *kōshūkin* (甲州金, *coin/gold of the [Kōshū Province](/source/Kai_Province)*) issued by warlord [Takeda Shingen](/source/Takeda_Shingen), who had substantial gold deposits within his territories[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]. The value of the *kōshūkin* was based on its weight, with one *kōshūkin* equal to one ryō of gold, and thus stamped with its weight (about 15 grams). The exchange rate fluctuated. A *ryō* of gold was worth 3 [kan](/source/Japanese_kan) (3000) copper coins around the 1530s, or early [Tenbun](/source/Tenbun) era[1] but fell to only somewhat stronger than the later fixed notion of "1000 mon" (copper coins), i.e., 1 *ryō* = 1.2–1.6 *kan*, by late [Tenshō](/source/Tensh%C5%8D_(Momoyama_period)) era, or end of century.[2] ## Tokugawa period The [Tokugawa shogunate](/source/Tokugawa_shogunate) attempted to create a central currency, based on gold, silver and copper units all exchangeable at fixed rates. Oblong gold coins, called [*koban*](/source/Koban_(Japanese_gold_coin)), were minted with one *koban* containing about one *ryō* of gold, so that *koban* carried a face value of one *ryō*. The official rate was set in 1609 at one *ryō* equal to 50 *monme* (approx 187 grams) of silver, or 4000 brass coins. However, in reality the relative values between gold, silver and brass currencies fluctuated on an almost daily basis throughout the [Edo period](/source/Edo_period). In 1695 the government decided to increase the amount of metal money in circulation by [debasement](/source/Debasement). As a result, the *ryō* as a unit of weight of gold and the *ryō* as the face value of the *koban* were no longer synonymous. The [Keichō](/source/Keich%C5%8D) *koban* issued after the monetary reform of May 1601 offered approximately 17.9 grams gold with fineness of 84–87%. The [Genroku](/source/Genroku) *koban* issued in 1695 still weighed around 17.9 grams; however its gold content was reduced to 57%. The [Hōei](/source/H%C5%8Dei) *koban* of 1706 returned to the original fineness; however, the size was much reduced and it had little more than half the metal value of the Keichō *koban*. In 1700 the official exchange rate was adjusted to 1 ryō equal to 60 *monme* silver (225 grams) or 4000 brass coins. [Tokugawa Yoshimune](/source/Tokugawa_Yoshimune) further conducted a reform to stimulate the economy and raise prices in 1736, again lowering the gold content of the *koban*. One *ryō* was also considered equivalent to 1 *[koku](/source/Koku)* of rice, or the amount of rice needed to feed one person for one year, although this was a less exact standard, which fluctuated depending on the abundance of the rice crop in any particular year. On June 27, 1871, with the introduction of currency reforms after the [Meiji Restoration](/source/Meiji_Restoration), the *ryō* was abolished, and replaced one-for-one with the Yen. ## Modern conversion These fluctuations in the gold content of the koban over time, as well as differences in the cost of living between various points in the Edo period and in modern times make any attempt to relate the value of one ryō in terms of modern currency very difficult. Japanese middle school textbooks often state that one ryō was approximately equivalent to 100,000 Yen at the start of the Edo period, and around 3000–4000 yen at the end of the Edo period. On the other hand, the [Currency Museum of the Bank of Japan](/source/Currency_Museum_of_the_Bank_of_Japan) states that one ryō had a nominal value equivalent 300,000–400,000 yen, but was worth only 120,000–130,000 yen in practice, or 40,000 yen in terms of rice. ## Sinogram As an independent sinogram, 両 is one of the *[kyōiku kanji](/source/Ky%C5%8Diku_kanji)*, a *[jōyō kanji](/source/J%C5%8Dy%C5%8D_kanji)* taught in elementary school in [Japan](/source/Japan).[3] It is a third-grade kanji and also means “both”.[3] Look up ***[両](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E4%B8%A1)*** in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ## See also - [Japan portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Japan) - [Numismatics portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Numismatics) - [Money portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Money) - [Koban (coin)](/source/Koban_(coin)) - [Momme (unit)](/source/Momme_(unit)) - [Japanese mon (currency)](/source/Japanese_mon_(currency)) - [Wadōkaichin](/source/Wad%C5%8Dkaichin) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Kobata (1965)](#CITEREFKobata1965), p. 252: "price of gold was 30 *kan* for 10 *taels*, more or less" ([unpaginated](https://books.google.com/books?id=pl9cEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT64) in Giráldez ed. (2022)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEKobata1965252_2-0)** [Kobata (1965)](#CITEREFKobata1965), p. 252. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_3-1) ["The Kyoiku Kanji (教育漢字) - Kanshudo"](https://www.kanshudo.com/collections/kyoiku_kanji). *www.kanshudo.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220324010221/https://www.kanshudo.com/collections/kyoiku_kanji) from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved 2023-05-06. ## References - [Kobata, Atsushi](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B0%8F%E8%91%89%E7%94%B0%E6%B7%B3) [in Japanese] (1965). "The Production and Uses of Gold and Silver in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Japan". *The Economic History Review*. New Series. **18** (2): 245–266. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/2592093](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F2592093). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [2592093](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2592093). - Lucassen, Jan. Wages and Currency: Global Comparisons from Antiquity to the Twentieth Century. Peter Lang (2007), [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [3039107828](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/3039107828) - Ohnuki, Mari, "The Genroku, Hoei, Shotoku, Kyoho, and Gembun Koban", Short Essays on Monetary History Contained in Monetary and Economic Studies, Research Division 3, Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies, Bank of Japan (ed.), Monetary and Economic Studies, 15.2 (1997). - Honjo, Eijiro, "The Economic thought in Tokugawa days", Kyoto University Economic Review, vol. xiii, no. 1 (Kyoto, Oct. 1938), p. 1–22. [Overview of the period 1600 to 1867] v t e Japanese currency (pre-yen) Topics Currency Museum (Japan) Kocho Junisen List of Japanese cash coins by inscription List of Japanese coinage patterns Mother coin Nagasaki trade coins Numismatic charm Momme (unit) Yen currency Coinage Pre-Edo Mumonginsen 667–672 Fuhonsen 683 Wadōkaichin 708–958 Kaiki Shoho 760 Taihei Genpō 760 Mannen Tsūhō 760–765 Edo Koban 1601–1868 Kan'ei Tsūhō 1626–1868 Ichibuban 1714–1854 Shu (silver) 1772–1869 Nibuban 1818–1869 Shu (gold) 1824–1869 Tenpō Tsūhō 1835-1870 Ichibugin 1837–1869 Multi Chinese coinage c. 1101–1700 Mon 1336–1870 Bitasen 1404–1670 Ryukyuan mon 1454–1879 Ryō 1500s–1871 Koshu Gold 1506–1871 Ōban 1573–1862 Paper currency Hansatsu 1610–1871 Komekitte c. 1654–1870 Dajōkansatsu 1868–1872 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ryō](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8D) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ry%C5%8D?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.