Japanese & Mexican Shoe Sizes Explained
Japanese shoe sizes are wonderfully intuitive: the number is almost exactly your foot length in centimetres. Mexican sizing works on the same principle, which is why the two systems are grouped together.
What it is
Japanese shoe sizing belongs to the mondopoint family — a measurement-based approach where the size number directly represents foot length in centimetres. A size 26 means a foot approximately 26 cm long.
Mexican sizing uses a closely related scale, also centimetre-based, so the two systems produce the same or very similar numbers for most foot sizes. This is why you will often see them listed together as "Japan/Mexico" on sizing charts.
Where it is used
Japanese sizing is standard in Japan for all footwear. It is also used in many Asian markets that follow Japanese standards. Mexican sizing is used in Mexico and closely mirrors the Japanese scale. Both are occasionally seen on international sizing charts.
How the numbers work
Sizes typically increase in 0.5 cm steps: 23.5, 24.0, 24.5, 25.0, 25.5, and so on. This means the size number and your foot length in centimetres are nearly the same — a size 24.5 corresponds to a foot approximately 24.6 cm long.
The direct link to physical measurement makes Japanese sizing the most intuitive of all the named systems. You can estimate your Japanese size by simply measuring your foot in centimetres and rounding to the nearest 0.5.
Unlike US and UK systems, there is no separate gendered numbering scale. The same number means the same foot length for everyone — men, women, and children all use the same sequence.
Men's, women's and children's
Because the number equals foot length, there is no gendered offset. A size 22.5 always means a ~22.5 cm foot regardless of whether the shoe is designed for a man, woman, or child. This makes Japanese sizing particularly easy to use as a cross-category reference.
Tips for buying
Measure your foot from heel to longest toe in centimetres, round to the nearest 0.5, and that is your Japanese size. This is the simplest self-sizing method of any system.
Japan and Mexico use very similar but not always identical scales. A few size values may differ slightly between Japanese and Mexican catalogues — if precision matters, look up the specific values in the conversion table on this page.
As with all systems, the conversion is a starting point. Foot width, arch height, and individual brand construction all affect final fit.
Men's size chart: Japan/Mexico, US/CA, UK, EU, China, inches, cm
| Japan/Mexico | US/CA | UK | EU | China | Inches | CM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23.5 | 6 | 5 | 38 | 37 | 9.3 | 23.7 |
| 24.5 | 7 | 6 | 39 | 39 | 9.7 | 24.6 |
| 25.5 | 8 | 7 | 40 | 41 | 10 | 25.4 |
| 26 | 9 | 8 | 41 | 42 | 10.3 | 26.2 |
| 27 | 10 | 9 | 43 | 44 | 10.7 | 27.1 |
| 28 | 11 | 10 | 44 | 46 | 11 | 27.9 |
| 29 | 12 | 11 | 45 | 48 | 11.3 | 28.8 |
| 29.5 | 13 | 12 | 46 | 49 | 11.7 | 29.6 |
| 30.5 | 14 | 13 | 48 | 51 | 12 | 30.5 |
FAQ
Is a Mexican shoe size exactly the same as a Japanese size?
They are very close but not always identical — both are centimetre-based, so most sizes line up exactly, but a handful of values differ by half a size between Japanese and Mexican catalogues. Use the table on this page for the precise value rather than assuming a 1:1 match.
Can I find my Japanese size without a chart?
Yes — measure your foot length in centimetres and round to the nearest 0.5. That number is your Japanese size directly, which makes it the easiest system to self-size without looking anything up.