Masu (Japanese)

Masu

A masu (枡^?) was originally a square wooden box used to measure rice in Japan during the feudal period. Masu existed in many sizes, typically covering the range from one to (一斗枡 ittomasu, c. 1.8L) to five gō (五合枡 gogōmasu, c. 0.9L). One masu was supposedly enough rice to feed a person for one day.

Today masu are largely used for drinking sake, as the advent of modern rice cookers and a higher calorie diet in Japan has made them impractical for measuring portions of rice, and the standard size is one gō, or 0.18039L.

A small (2.5 in x 2.5 in x 2.25 in h), lidded form of masu, made of hinoki, is sold for serving pepper, salt, sugar, and other dry condiments at the table.

Origami

There is an origami object that is called a "Masu Box" that can be created from a perfectly square piece of paper using the following instructions:

Step 01	Step 02	Step 03	Step 04	Step 05
Crease and Return	Fold tops to centre, this is called a blinz fold after a Jewish pastry	Fold sides to centre and return	Open two corners	Fold sides to centre
Step 06	Step 07	Step 08	Step 09	Step 10
Lift both sides and one end of the model so it becomes 3D	Fold flap to centre	raise end	Fold flap to centre	Complete

See also

• Sake set

External links

• Sake Traditions