
This also helps to manipulate numbers easily. The definitive place values of this abacus make it easier to visualize the abacus in the mind. Because of its simple and efficient design, it is easy to memorize the position of the beads for mental math. Therefore, it is not actively in use.ĭid you Know? For hundreds of years, The Soroban abacus was used by Merchants and Bankers in ancient Japan, for all their business calculations.Ībove all, as a tool used for calculation, the Soroban abacus gives life to numbers. But the Chinese Soroban abacus has almost become extinct, due to its complex structure and not-so-user friendly operation. The Japanese abacus is still being actively taught in schools and practiced all over the world. But in the case of the Chinese abacus, it was almost impossible. Owing to its simple design, the Japanese abacus was easy to work with, in terms of visual calculations. This feature was missing in the Chinese Suanpan abacus, which made the calculations in the Chinese abacus a bit complicated. Unit rods to the left of the designated ones also aided in place values by denoting the groups in the number, such as thousands, millions, etc. These dots are the Unit Rods and they represent the last digit of the whole number part of the answer.

The Japanese abacus has a small white dot present every three columns once. The Japanese abacus has 4 beads on the lower deck while the Chinese abacus has 5 beads on the lower deck. The Chinese abacus has two beads on the upper deck.

The Japanese abacus has only one bead on the upper deck. The Japanese abacus is the Soroban Abacus. But there are a few striking differences between them both. The Japanese abacus is an influenced version of the Chinese SuanPan abacus. Remembering the exact position of the beads helps in the mid-brain activation as well. It helps to increase their concentration, focus and sharpens their memory skills. Owing to its simpler design, the Japanese abacus has a lot of benefits for people who practice it. This abacus can be learned and practiced easily by children and adults. Memorizing the number of beads along with their placements makes mental calculations much smoother, using this device. This device makes mental math easier as well. The simplicity of this device makes it the most effective one when it comes to calculations. The Japanese Abacus Designĭid you Know? The Japanese abacus was also used for decimal calculations. The main reason for the widespread usage, fame, and popularity of the Soroban abacus is Trade. It was the Japanese merchants who made it famous. Until the 17th century, the Soroban abacus was not widely used. Though the Japanese abacus influences the Chinese abacus design, the number of beads on the lower deck is similar to that of the Roman abacus. Cheng Da Wei- the inventor is worshiped as the God of Arithmetics till date in Japan. The Japanese abacus is a heavily influenced version of the Chinese abacus. The Soroban abacus was invented in Japan in the 14th century.
Abacus academy how to#
How to Calculate Using a Japanese Abacus.Clearly, to not let go of the tradition.ĭid you Know? In Japan, the 8th of August is celebrated as the “Abacus Festival” to commemorate Cheng Da Wei.For counting purposes, arithmetics, and for the benefits of learning abacus.But, despite its shortcomings, people keep using it in their day to day lives for two reasons. Every new and modified version of the Abacus comes with its pros and cons. Some had an upgrade, some were simplified versions of the same. With time, tradition, and evolution, the abacus has taken different forms.ĭifferent types of abacus existed in different dynasties.


However, somehow on the way, humans invented a device that was capable of not only saving time and also calculating effectively. People counted by drawing on sand, using sticks and stones. With time, they started to trade stuff using the Barter system. Firstly, they needed food, shelter, and clothes. Have you experienced it while reading about an invention? This thought struck us, as we started writing about the Japanese abacus in Thej Academy valuable blog list. But what’s more important in the stories that we read about inventions and inventors is the element of surprise they have.
