Sources: Hanga Gallery website http://www.hanga.com/sizes.cfm; the website of J. Noel Chiappa http://mercury.lcs.mit.edu/~jnc/prints/glossary.html and others.
Japanese woodblock prints have traditionally been made in the following sizes and formats. These sizes are based on the typical dimensions of handmade Japanese paper, so as not to waste any paper. The most common print size is the oban format, which uses half of a large hosho sheet (O-bosho), which measures approximately 21 x 15.5 in. (53 x 39.4 cm). However, Japanese papermakers use slightly different recipes and molds and there is no exact standard for the size of a large hosho sheet. Therefore, the dimensions given below are average print sizes.
Japanese woodblock prints have traditionally been made in the following sizes and formats. These sizes are based on the typical dimensions of handmade Japanese paper, so as not to waste any paper. The most common print size is the oban format, which uses half of a large hosho sheet (O-bosho), which measures approximately 21 x 15.5 in. (53 x 39.4 cm). However, Japanese papermakers use slightly different recipes and molds and there is no exact standard for the size of a large hosho sheet. Therefore, the dimensions given below are average print sizes.
The words tate-e and yoko-e often appear after the print size in a catalog description (as in oban tate-e or chuban yoko-e). They refer to the alignment of the print; tate-e is a vertically aligned (portrait) print, while yoko-e is a horizontal (landscape) print.
| Print Size | Size, Approx. (in.) | Size, Approx. (cm) | Notes |
| ōban | 10" x 15" | 25 x 38 cm | the most common print size; 1/2 of large hosho sheet |
| dai ōban (ō-ōban) | 12" x 16.5" | 30.5 x 42 cm | also called 'large ōban' |
| double ōban | 15" x 20" | 38 x 51 cm | entire large hosho sheet |
| aiban | 9" x 13" | 34.2 x 22.5 cm | in between ōban and chūban sizes, 1/2 of small hosho sheet |
| chūban | 7" x 10" | 19 x 25 cm | a common small print size; 1/2 of ōban size, 1/4 of large hosho sheet |
| koban | 5" x 9" | 13 x 23 cm | 1/2 of aiban size |
| yatsugiri | 3.75" x 5" | 9.5 x 12.7 cm | postcard size, 1/2 of koban size |
| yotsugiri | 7" x 5" | 19 x 13 cm | half a chūban |
| tanzaku | 17" x 5" | 43 x 12.7 cm | narrow vertical format used for paintings, pillar prints, and calligraphy |
| chutanzaku | 15" x 5" | 38 x 13 cm | narrow format, similar to hosoban size |
| mitsugiri | 10" x 5" | 25 x 13 cm | rare small print size; one third of an ōban, by division along its short axis |
| nagaban | 22" x 10" | 56 x 25 cm | |
| hosoban | 13" x 6" | 33 x 15 cm | narrow print format |
| shikishiban | 9" x 10" | 23 x 26 cm | also called kukuban, square format sometimes used for fan prints and often for surinomo |
| hashira-e | 29" x 5" | 68-73 x 12-16 cm | narrow vertical format used for paintings, pillar prints, and calligraphy; size varied depending on time period |
| kakemono-e | 30" x 9" | 76 x 23 cm | narrow vertical format used for paintings, pillar prints, and calligraphy |
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