Japan (cm) (cm) to US Men's (US M) Conversion
Japan (cm)
The Japanese shoe sizing system is the most scientifically transparent of all major conventions: sizes are expressed directly in centimetres of foot length, measured from heel to the tip of the longest toe, rounded to the nearest 0.5 cm. A person with a 26 cm foot wears JP 26, regardless of gender. The system also incorporates a width designation (A through F and beyond, with E and EE being most common) that is more systematically defined than in Western systems. This direct foot-length correspondence makes Japanese sizing the easiest to apply from a bare foot measurement.
US Men's
US Men's shoe sizes follow the Brannock system, where the size is derived from the last length in inches using the formula: size = (last length in inches × 3) − 22. A US Men's size 10 corresponds to a last approximately 10⅔ inches (27.1 cm) long. The Brannock Device — the familiar metal foot-measurement tool in shoe stores — was invented by Charles Brannock in 1925. US Men's sizes typically run from 6 to 16, with each half-size increment corresponding to approximately 4.23 mm of foot length.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I convert US shoe sizes to European (EU) sizes?
For men's shoes, add approximately 33 to the US size to get the EU size — for example, US Men's 9 equals EU 42. For women's shoes, add approximately 31 — US Women's 9 equals EU 40. However, these are approximations: different brands apply slightly different lasts, so always check the specific brand's size chart. Use our converter above to see all international equivalents simultaneously.
Why do shoe sizes differ so much between countries?
Shoe sizes evolved independently in different regions over centuries, each based on different measurement conventions. European sizes use the Paris Point (⅔ of a centimetre), making EU 40 equal to a foot length of about 25.8 cm. US sizes use a different last-length formula with separate scales for men and women, where a women's size is 1.5 sizes larger than a men's size for the same foot. Japanese sizes are the most intuitive — they directly measure foot length in centimetres. No international standard has ever successfully unified all systems.