Japanese era converter
Turn a Western year into a Japanese era year, or an era year into a Western year, and find the era of an exact date. A zodiac sign and an age chart are included.
Western year → Japanese era
Reiwa 8
丙午
Japanese era → Western year
2026
Convert a date
Age chart
| Year | Japanese era | Zodiac | Age after birthday | Age before birthday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Reiwa 8 | 丙午 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | Reiwa 7 | 乙巳 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | Reiwa 6 | 甲辰 | 2 | 1 |
| 2023 | Reiwa 5 | 癸卯 | 3 | 2 |
| 2022 | Reiwa 4 | 壬寅 | 4 | 3 |
| 2021 | Reiwa 3 | 辛丑 | 5 | 4 |
| 2020 | Reiwa 2 | 庚子 | 6 | 5 |
| 2019 | Heisei 31 / Reiwa 1 (gannen) | 己亥 | 7 | 6 |
| 2018 | Heisei 30 | 戊戌 | 8 | 7 |
| 2017 | Heisei 29 | 丁酉 | 9 | 8 |
| 2016 | Heisei 28 | 丙申 | 10 | 9 |
| 2015 | Heisei 27 | 乙未 | 11 | 10 |
| 2014 | Heisei 26 | 甲午 | 12 | 11 |
| 2013 | Heisei 25 | 癸巳 | 13 | 12 |
| 2012 | Heisei 24 | 壬辰 | 14 | 13 |
| 2011 | Heisei 23 | 辛卯 | 15 | 14 |
| 2010 | Heisei 22 | 庚寅 | 16 | 15 |
| 2009 | Heisei 21 | 己丑 | 17 | 16 |
| 2008 | Heisei 20 | 戊子 | 18 | 17 |
| 2007 | Heisei 19 | 丁亥 | 19 | 18 |
| 2006 | Heisei 18 | 丙戌 | 20 | 19 |
| 2005 | Heisei 17 | 乙酉 | 21 | 20 |
| 2004 | Heisei 16 | 甲申 | 22 | 21 |
| 2003 | Heisei 15 | 癸未 | 23 | 22 |
| 2002 | Heisei 14 | 壬午 | 24 | 23 |
| 2001 | Heisei 13 | 辛巳 | 25 | 24 |
| 2000 | Heisei 12 | 庚辰 | 26 | 25 |
| 1999 | Heisei 11 | 己卯 | 27 | 26 |
| 1998 | Heisei 10 | 戊寅 | 28 | 27 |
| 1997 | Heisei 9 | 丁丑 | 29 | 28 |
| 1996 | Heisei 8 | 丙子 | 30 | 29 |
| 1995 | Heisei 7 | 乙亥 | 31 | 30 |
| 1994 | Heisei 6 | 甲戌 | 32 | 31 |
| 1993 | Heisei 5 | 癸酉 | 33 | 32 |
| 1992 | Heisei 4 | 壬申 | 34 | 33 |
| 1991 | Heisei 3 | 辛未 | 35 | 34 |
| 1990 | Heisei 2 | 庚午 | 36 | 35 |
| 1989 | Showa 64 / Heisei 1 (gannen) | 己巳 | 37 | 36 |
| 1988 | Showa 63 | 戊辰 | 38 | 37 |
| 1987 | Showa 62 | 丁卯 | 39 | 38 |
| 1986 | Showa 61 | 丙寅 | 40 | 39 |
| 1985 | Showa 60 | 乙丑 | 41 | 40 |
| 1984 | Showa 59 | 甲子 | 42 | 41 |
| 1983 | Showa 58 | 癸亥 | 43 | 42 |
| 1982 | Showa 57 | 壬戌 | 44 | 43 |
| 1981 | Showa 56 | 辛酉 | 45 | 44 |
| 1980 | Showa 55 | 庚申 | 46 | 45 |
| 1979 | Showa 54 | 己未 | 47 | 46 |
| 1978 | Showa 53 | 戊午 | 48 | 47 |
| 1977 | Showa 52 | 丁巳 | 49 | 48 |
| 1976 | Showa 51 | 丙辰 | 50 | 49 |
| 1975 | Showa 50 | 乙卯 | 51 | 50 |
| 1974 | Showa 49 | 甲寅 | 52 | 51 |
| 1973 | Showa 48 | 癸丑 | 53 | 52 |
| 1972 | Showa 47 | 壬子 | 54 | 53 |
| 1971 | Showa 46 | 辛亥 | 55 | 54 |
| 1970 | Showa 45 | 庚戌 | 56 | 55 |
| 1969 | Showa 44 | 己酉 | 57 | 56 |
| 1968 | Showa 43 | 戊申 | 58 | 57 |
| 1967 | Showa 42 | 丁未 | 59 | 58 |
| 1966 | Showa 41 | 丙午 | 60 | 59 |
| 1965 | Showa 40 | 乙巳 | 61 | 60 |
| 1964 | Showa 39 | 甲辰 | 62 | 61 |
| 1963 | Showa 38 | 癸卯 | 63 | 62 |
| 1962 | Showa 37 | 壬寅 | 64 | 63 |
| 1961 | Showa 36 | 辛丑 | 65 | 64 |
| 1960 | Showa 35 | 庚子 | 66 | 65 |
| 1959 | Showa 34 | 己亥 | 67 | 66 |
| 1958 | Showa 33 | 戊戌 | 68 | 67 |
| 1957 | Showa 32 | 丁酉 | 69 | 68 |
| 1956 | Showa 31 | 丙申 | 70 | 69 |
| 1955 | Showa 30 | 乙未 | 71 | 70 |
| 1954 | Showa 29 | 甲午 | 72 | 71 |
| 1953 | Showa 28 | 癸巳 | 73 | 72 |
| 1952 | Showa 27 | 壬辰 | 74 | 73 |
| 1951 | Showa 26 | 辛卯 | 75 | 74 |
| 1950 | Showa 25 | 庚寅 | 76 | 75 |
| 1949 | Showa 24 | 己丑 | 77 | 76 |
| 1948 | Showa 23 | 戊子 | 78 | 77 |
| 1947 | Showa 22 | 丁亥 | 79 | 78 |
| 1946 | Showa 21 | 丙戌 | 80 | 79 |
| 1945 | Showa 20 | 乙酉 | 81 | 80 |
| 1944 | Showa 19 | 甲申 | 82 | 81 |
| 1943 | Showa 18 | 癸未 | 83 | 82 |
| 1942 | Showa 17 | 壬午 | 84 | 83 |
| 1941 | Showa 16 | 辛巳 | 85 | 84 |
| 1940 | Showa 15 | 庚辰 | 86 | 85 |
| 1939 | Showa 14 | 己卯 | 87 | 86 |
| 1938 | Showa 13 | 戊寅 | 88 | 87 |
| 1937 | Showa 12 | 丁丑 | 89 | 88 |
| 1936 | Showa 11 | 丙子 | 90 | 89 |
| 1935 | Showa 10 | 乙亥 | 91 | 90 |
| 1934 | Showa 9 | 甲戌 | 92 | 91 |
| 1933 | Showa 8 | 癸酉 | 93 | 92 |
| 1932 | Showa 7 | 壬申 | 94 | 93 |
| 1931 | Showa 6 | 辛未 | 95 | 94 |
| 1930 | Showa 5 | 庚午 | 96 | 95 |
| 1929 | Showa 4 | 己巳 | 97 | 96 |
| 1928 | Showa 3 | 戊辰 | 98 | 97 |
| 1927 | Showa 2 | 丁卯 | 99 | 98 |
| 1926 | Taisho 15 / Showa 1 (gannen) | 丙寅 | 100 | 99 |
Years in which the era changed (such as 1989 and 2019) show both eras.
How to use it
- To find the era year, enter a "Western year" under "Western year → Japanese era". A year in which the era changed shows both eras.
- To go the other way, choose the "Era" and enter the "Year of the era" under "Japanese era → Western year". The Western year appears right away.
- To check an exact day, pick a "Date" under "Convert a date" to see which era it falls in and the year of that era.
- Scroll to the "Age chart" to see ages by birth year, and change the "Chart year" to see the ages in another year.
What it does
Five eras
Reiwa, Heisei, Showa, Taisho and Meiji are covered, converting in both directions between era years and Western years.
Years with two eras
A year in which the era changed shows both, such as 2019 for Heisei 31 and Reiwa 1, or 1989 for Showa 64 and Heisei 1.
Gannen, the first year
The first year of an era is written 元年 (gannen) in Japanese, and the tool shows it as "1 (gannen)".
Exact dates
Eras change on a date, so a date picker finds the right one: Reiwa from 1 May 2019, Heisei from 8 January 1989, Showa from 25 December 1926, Taisho from 30 July 1912 and Meiji from 25 January 1868 in this tool.
Sexagenary sign (干支)
Each year comes with its 干支, for example 丙午 for 2026.
Age chart
A chart from 1926 to this year lists the era year, the 干支, and the age after the birthday and before it.
Good to know
Japan counts years in eras, each with its own name, and year 1 of an era is called gannen. A new era usually starts partway through a Western year, which is why one Western year can belong to two eras. Heisei began on 8 January 1989, so 1989 is both Showa 64 and Heisei 1, and Reiwa began on 1 May 2019, so 2019 is both Heisei 31 and Reiwa 1. For a date in a year like these, use the exact date to see which era applies.
The sexagenary sign (干支) pairs one of ten stems with one of twelve branches, so the pairs repeat every 60 years. The "Age chart" lists each birth year from 1926 to this year with its era year, its 干支 and two ages: the first is the age this year after the birthday has passed, and the second, one year less, is the age before it. Use it to fill in a form that asks for an era year, or to check someone's age at a glance.
Questions and answers
How do I turn a Western year into a Reiwa year?
Subtract 2018: 2026 minus 2018 is Reiwa 8. For other eras, subtract 1988 for Heisei, 1925 for Showa, 1911 for Taisho and 1867 for Meiji. In a year when the era changed, use the exact date instead.
How do I find the era for an exact date?
Pick the date under "Convert a date". The tool uses the day each era began, so 30 April 2019 is Heisei and 1 May 2019 is Reiwa.
What does gannen mean?
Gannen (元年) is the first year of an era. The tool shows it as "1 (gannen)", so 2019 reads "Heisei 31 / Reiwa 1 (gannen)".
What is the 干支 of a year?
It is the sexagenary sign of the year, a pairing of a stem and a branch. The tool shows it under the era result and in the chart's "Zodiac" column, and 2026 is 丙午.
How does the age chart work?
Each row is a birth year from 1926 up to the chart year. "Age after birthday" is the age in the chart year once the birthday has passed, and "Age before birthday" is one year less.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The conversions are worked out in your browser, and there is no sign-up.