👣 Bu Area Converter (歩 to m2)

The Bu Area Converter converts between bu (歩) and modern area units. The bu is identical to the tsubo (坪): both equal 400/121 m2 (approximately 3.306 m2). The character 歩 ("step") is the preferred writing for agricultural land, while 坪 is preferred for buildings and real estate.

The bu-tsubo distinction is purely orthographic. The same area of land might be written as "300 bu" in a farmer land register and "300 tsubo" in a real estate listing. The value is identical: 991.7 m2.

Conversion formula:

Key conversions:

• 1 bu = 3.306 m2 = 35.58 ft2
• 1 bu = 2 Edoma tatami mats
• 30 bu = 1 se (畝)
• 300 bu = 1 tan (反)

For real estate floor area (same unit, different character), use our tsubo converter. For room-sized measurements, the tatami calculator is useful. For metric conversions, try the area converter.

1. Enter the area in bu (歩).
2. Select the target unit.
3. Click Convert for instant results.
4. Note that bu = tsubo (same area, different character).

What is the difference between bu and tsubo?

They are the same area unit (3.306 m2). Bu (歩) is the preferred character for agricultural land, while tsubo (坪) is preferred for real estate and buildings. The value is identical; only the written character and context differ.

How many m2 is one bu?

One bu equals 400/121 m2 = 3.30578 m2, the same as one tsubo. This is approximately 35.58 square feet, or about the area of 2 tatami mats.

What other characters can represent bu?

The bu can be written as 歩 (standard modern), 步 (older pre-simplified form), or 布 (rare alternative). In official land registries, 歩 is the standard character.

How many bu are in one tan?

One tan equals 300 bu. The agricultural land system is: 30 bu = 1 se (畝), 300 bu = 1 tan (反), 3000 bu = 1 cho (町). This decimal system makes scaling straightforward.

Is bu still used in Japanese land registration?

Modern land registries use m2 as the official unit. However, older parcels still reference bu in historical records. When reading pre-1960s land documents, you will frequently encounter bu (or equivalently tsubo) as the area unit.

Bu vs tsubo. They are the same unit (3.306 m2), just different characters. Use 歩 for agricultural land, 坪 for real estate. Mixing them is not wrong, but the convention helps readers understand context.

Alternative characters. The bu can also be written as 步 (older form) or 布. In modern Japanese land registration, 歩 is standard. Some older documents use 步 (pre-simplified kanji).

Small field measurements. Vegetable gardens are measured in bu. A "100-bu garden" is about 330 m2, roughly the size of two tennis courts. This is a typical home garden plot in rural Japan.

Forest area. Forest and timberland in older Japanese registries may be measured in bu and cho. 1 cho of forest = 3000 bu = ~1 hectare. Modern forestry uses hectares.