Abacus References and Further Reading

At FunAbacus.com, we believe in keeping education free, safe, and open to everyone. We don’t promote commercial academies or private training centers. Instead, we share trusted books, articles, and resources that have shaped abacus learning across centuries.

👉 This page is for parents, teachers, and learners who want to explore the abacus beyond our free lessons. From history to modern soroban techniques, these references offer reliable, non-commercial knowledge.

Why References Matter

• Provide historical depth – abacus across civilizations.
• Offer technical guidance – step-by-step soroban manuals.
• Encourage curiosity – linking math with culture.
• Support teachers – extra resources for classrooms.

General Abacus History and Information

Books

• Pullan, J.M. The History of the Abacus (1968) ➝ Detailed historical survey of abacus use from Mesopotamia to medieval Europe.
• Moon, Parry. The Abacus: Its History; Its Design; Its Possibilities (1971) ➝ Connects history with modern teaching relevance.
• Gullberg, Jan. Mathematics From the Birth of Numbers (1997) ➝ A broad view of math history, with sections on abacus use.

Websites

• Wikipedia – Abacus ➝ Regularly updated encyclopedia entry with cultural variations and illustrations.

Soroban Techniques (Japanese Abacus)

Books

• Kojima, Takashi. The Japanese Abacus: Its Use and Theory (1954).
• Kojima, Takashi. Advanced Abacus: Japanese Theory and Practice (1963).
• The Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Soroban: Its Use and Practice (1967).
• Tani, Yukio. The Magic Calculator: The Way of the Abacus (1964).
• Kato, Fukutaro. SOROBAN pelo Método Moderno (1969).
• Martinez, Beluva Sulliuent. Soroban in America (circa 1980).

Websites

• Bernazzani, Dave. The Soroban Abacus Handbook (PDF, 2005). ➝ Concise, free reference on setup and operations.
• Soroban/Abacus Discussion Group ➝ Active online forum for teachers and enthusiasts.

Research & Academic Context

Research on abacus and mental abacus training is promising but still developing. Results vary between studies, so we describe findings carefully rather than promising specific outcomes.

• How experts calculate: Hanakawa, T. et al. (2003). “Neural correlates underlying mental calculation in abacus experts: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.” NeuroImage, 19(2), 296–307. Found that abacus experts rely more on visuospatial brain areas when calculating mentally.
• Mental abacus as a visual number system: Frank, M. C. & Barner, D. (2012). “Representing exact number visually using mental abacus.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 141(1), 134–149.
• Classroom trial: Barner, D. et al. (2016). “Learning mathematics in a visuospatial format: A randomized, controlled trial of mental abacus instruction.” Child Development, 87(4), 1146–1158. Reported gains in arithmetic for children who kept up regular practice, with the largest benefits among those with stronger spatial working memory.

Takeaway for parents and teachers: consistent, short practice sessions matter more than intensity, and the abacus works best alongside regular school math, not instead of it.

Everyday References for Kids

• Shops & Markets: Counting coins, making change.
• Cooking: Doubling/halving recipes builds arithmetic.
• Calendars: Counting days to birthdays/holidays.
• Sports Scores: Adding points/runs as practice.

What We Avoid

• No commercial academies or branded franchises.
• No ad-heavy websites.
• No apps or tools requiring children’s personal data.

Guidance for Parents & Teachers

• Use references to enrich FunAbacus lessons, not replace them.
• Begin with accessible books before advanced manuals.
• Show links between abacus and history for context.
• Supervise children’s online exploration, even with safe sites.

Summary

• Explore history (Pullan, Moon, Gullberg).
• Practice soroban techniques (Kojima, Tani, Kato, Martinez).
• Use safe online resources (Wikipedia, Bernazzani PDF, forums).
• Apply everyday math in life as practice.

🎉 With these references, learners can go beyond FunAbacus lessons and see the abacus as a living, global story of numbers.