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Hanko sizes and how many letters fit

How many alphabet or katakana letters fit on a 13.5, 15.0, 16.5 or 18.0 mm seal, and which size to choose for a registered seal or bank seal.

The size of a seal is its diameter in millimeters. Longer names need a bigger seal.

How many letters fit (per line)

Size Max lines Katakana 1 line Katakana 2 lines Katakana 3 lines Alphabet 1 line Alphabet 2 lines Alphabet 3 lines
13.5 mm 2 5 4 each — 7 6 each —
15.0 mm 2 5 4 each — 7 6 each —
16.5 mm 3 6 5 each 5 each 8 7 each 7 each
18.0 mm 3 6 5 each 5 each 8 7 each 7 each

Examples

Sample impression: SMITH in alphabet
Alphabet · SMITH1 line
Sample impression: JOHN / SMITH in alphabet
Alphabet · JOHN SMITH2 lines
Sample impression: NGUYEN / VAN / AN in alphabet
Alphabet · NGUYEN VAN AN3 lines

Sample image. Your proof shows the exact design.

Name Alphabet Katakana
SMITH / スミス 13.5 mm or larger, 1 line 13.5 mm or larger, 1 line
NGUYEN VAN AN / グエン ヴァン アン 13.5 mm or larger, 2 lines (NGUYEN / VAN AN) 16.5 mm or larger
A very long word (more than 8 letters) Choose surname only or given name only —

Which size should I choose?

Seal Sizes Our recommendation
Registered Seal (Jitsuin) 13.5 / 15.0 / 16.5 / 18.0 mm 16.5 mm for most names
Bank Seal (Ginko-in) 12.0 / 13.5 / 15.0 mm 13.5 mm for a surname only

The order form checks your name and shows which sizes fit.

For seal registration, the impression must not fit inside an 8 mm square and must fit inside a 25 mm square. All our registered seal sizes meet this rule.

Order a Registered Seal · Order a Bank Seal