[measurement] A 枡升 was originally a square wooden box used to measure rice in Japan during the feudal period. Masu existed in many sizes, typically covering the range from one to (一斗枡 ittomasu, c. 18L) to one gō (一合枡 ichigōmasu, c. 0.18L). Today masu are largely used for drinking sake, as the advent of modern rice cookers ... Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masu_(measurement)