Ken
A ken is a traditional Japanese unit of length used mainly in architecture and construction. It measures the distance between two pillars in traditional Japanese buildings and is roughly equivalent to 6 Japanese feet (shaku) or about 1.82 meters (approximately 6 feet).
The ken was a standard module in Japanese design, influencing room sizes and proportions in temples, houses, and other structures. Its use helped maintain harmony and consistency in traditional building layouts.
Though largely replaced by the metric system today, the ken remains significant in studying traditional Japanese architecture and cultural heritage.
Summary:
1 ken ≈ 1.82 meters (6 feet)
Based on spacing between structural pillars
Used in traditional Japanese architecture
Important for historical and cultural studies
Light Year
A light year is a unit of distance used in astronomy to measure how far light travels in one year. Light moves extremely fast—about 299,792 kilometers per second—so in one year, it travels roughly 9.46 trillion kilometers (or about 5.88 trillion miles). Light years help scientists express the huge distances between stars and galaxies. For example, the nearest star to Earth, Proxima Centauri, is about 4.24 light years away. The term “light year” can be confusing because it sounds like a measure of time, but it actually measures distance.
No conversions available for length.