A 両 was a gold currency unit in pre-Meiji Japan Shakkanhō system. It was eventually replaced with a system based on the yen. ==Origins== The ryō was originally a unit of weight from China, the tael. It came into use in Japan during the Kamakura period. By the Azuchi-Momoyama period it had become nearly uniform throughout Japan, about 4.4 monme... Found on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryō
(from the article `arts, East Asian`) ...characters for each pitch name. The scales in IX-Ashow that Japanese ancient music followed the East Asian tradition as well in the use of two ... Found on http://www.britannica.com/eb/a-z/r/82