Convert Japanese Calendar to Western Calendar
Introduction to the Japanese Calendar
In Japan, the date shown on official documents is often based on the traditional Japanese calendar rather than the more familiar western (or Gregorian) calendar.
The following will help you convert Japanese calendar to Western (Gregorian) calendar (or Western (Gregorian) calendar to Japanese calendar).
What is the Traditional Japanese Calendar?
The traditional Japanese calendar expresses the year in terms of the number of years the emperor has been in power to that point. So, for example, Reiwa 4 means the fourth year of the reign of the Reiwa emperor (2022 in the Western / Gregorian calendar).
This means that each time an emperor dies or steps down, and a new emperor takes his place, the year resets to 1 (being the first year of that emperor’s reign).
When is the Japanese Calendar Used?
The Japanese calendar is mainly (though not always) used in official documents.
Transition Years
A transition year is a year in which one emperor’s reign ends and another begins. In such cases, the Japanese calendar shows two years, i.e., the last year of the preceding era AND the first year of the new era.
So, for example 2019 (when the Heisei era ended and the Reiwa emperor commenced), can be expressed as Heisei 31 (the last year of the reign of the Heisei emperor) or as Reiwa 1 (the first year of the reign of the Reiwa emperor).
Be Careful!! Make Sure You Are In The Correct Era!!!
A note of caution! Take care when checking the date on older documents. As noted above, the Japanese calendar resets to Year 1 each time a new emperor takes the throne. Therefore, it is important to ensure that you are looking at the correct era – Reiwa 4 is 2022 while Heisei 4 is 1992.
Summary of Japanese Era Since 1868
The following is a summary of the Japanese era since 1868.
| Year (Western / Gregorian Calendar) | Name of Era | Name of Era (in Japanese) |
| 2019 to Present | Reiwa era | 令和 |
| 1989 to 2019 | Heisei era | 平成 |
| 1926 to 1989 | Showa era | 昭和 |
| 1912 to 1926 | Taisho era | 大正 |
| 1868 to 1912 | Meiji era | 明治 |
Convert Japanese Calendar to Western (Gregorian) Calendar
You can use the following tables to convert Japanese calendar to western calendar (or convert Western calendar to Japanese calendar).
CURRENT – REIWA ERA 令和 – 2019 to Present
| Western / Gregorian Year | Japanese Calendar Year – 令和 |
| 2023 | Reiwa 5 |
| 2022 | Reiwa 4 |
| 2021 | Reiwa 3 |
| 2020 | Reiwa 2 |
| 2019 | Reiwa 1 / Heisei 31 |
HEISEI ERA 平成 – 1989 to 2019
| Western / Gregorian Year | Japanese Calendar Year – 平成 |
| 2019 | Reiwa 1 / Heisei 31 |
| 2018 | Heisei 30 |
| 2017 | Heisei 29 |
| 2016 | Heisei 28 |
| 2015 | Heisei 27 |
| 2014 | Heisei 26 |
| 2013 | Heisei 25 |
| 2012 | Heisei 24 |
| 2011 | Heisei 23 |
| 2010 | Heisei 22 |
| 2009 | Heisei 21 |
| 2008 | Heisei 20 |
| 2007 | Heisei 19 |
| 2006 | Heisei 18 |
| 2005 | Heisei 17 |
| 2004 | Heisei 16 |
| 2003 | Heisei 15 |
| 2002 | Heisei 14 |
| 2001 | Heisei 13 |
| 2000 | Heisei 12 |
| 1999 | Heisei 11 |
| 1998 | Heisei 10 |
| 1997 | Heisei 9 |
| 1996 | Heisei 8 |
| 1995 | Heisei 7 |
| 1994 | Heisei 6 |
| 1993 | Heisei 5 |
| 1992 | Heisei 4 |
| 1991 | Heisei 3 |
| 1990 | Heisei 2 |
| 1989 | Heisei 1 / Showa 64 |
SHOWA ERA 昭和 – 1926 to 1989
| Western / Gregorian Year | Japanese Calendar Year – 昭和 |
| 1989 | Showa 64 / Heisei 1 |
| 1988 | Showa 63 |
| 1987 | Showa 62 |
| 1986 | Showa 61 |
| 1985 | Showa 60 |
| 1984 | Showa 59 |
| 1983 | Showa 58 |
| 1982 | Showa 57 |
| 1981 | Showa 56 |
| 1980 | Showa 55 |
| 1979 | Showa 54 |
| 1978 | Showa 53 |
| 1977 | Showa 52 |
| 1976 | Showa 51 |
| 1975 | Showa 50 |
| 1974 | Showa 49 |
| 1973 | Showa 48 |
| 1972 | Showa 47 |
| 1971 | Showa 46 |
| 1970 | Showa 45 |
| 1969 | Showa 44 |
| 1968 | Showa 43 |
| 1967 | Showa 42 |
| 1966 | Showa 41 |
| 1965 | Showa 40 |
| 1964 | Showa 39 |
| 1963 | Showa 38 |
| 1962 | Showa 37 |
| 1961 | Showa 36 |
| 1960 | Showa 35 |
| 1959 | Showa 34 |
| 1958 | Showa 33 |
| 1957 | Showa 32 |
| 1956 | Showa 31 |
| 1955 | Showa 30 |
| 1954 | Showa 29 |
| 1953 | Showa 28 |
| 1952 | Showa 27 |
| 1951 | Showa 26 |
| 1950 | Showa 25 |
| 1949 | Showa 24 |
| 1948 | Showa 23 |
| 1947 | Showa 22 |
| 1946 | Showa 21 |
| 1945 | Showa 20 |
| 1944 | Showa 19 |
| 1943 | Showa 18 |
| 1942 | Showa 17 |
| 1941 | Showa 16 |
| 1940 | Showa 15 |
| 1939 | Showa 14 |
| 1938 | Showa 13 |
| 1937 | Showa 12 |
| 1936 | Showa 11 |
| 1935 | Showa 10 |
| 1934 | Showa 9 |
| 1933 | Showa 8 |
| 1932 | Showa 7 |
| 1931 | Showa 6 |
| 1930 | Showa 5 |
| 1929 | Showa 4 |
| 1928 | Showa 3 |
| 1927 | Showa 2 |
| 1926 | Showa 1 / Taisho 15 |
TAISHO ERA 大正 – 1912 to 1926
| Western / Gregorian Year | Japanese Calendar Year – 大正 |
| 1926 | Taisho 15 / Showa 1 |
| 1925 | Taisho 14 |
| 1924 | Taisho 13 |
| 1923 | Taisho 12 |
| 1922 | Taisho 11 |
| 1921 | Taisho 10 |
| 1920 | Taisho 9 |
| 1919 | Taisho 8 |
| 1918 | Taisho 7 |
| 1917 | Taisho 6 |
| 1916 | Taisho 5 |
| 1915 | Taisho 4 |
| 1914 | Taisho 3 |
| 1913 | Taisho 2 |
| 1912 | Taisho 1 / Meiji 45 |
MEIJI ERA 明治 – 1868 to 1912
| Western / Gregorian Year | Japanese Calendar Year – 明治 |
| 1912 | Meiji 45 |
| 1911 | Meiji 44 |
| 1910 | Meiji 43 |
| 1909 | Meiji 42 |
| 1908 | Meiji 41 |
| 1907 | Meiji 40 |
| 1906 | Meiji 39 |
| 1905 | Meiji 38 |
| 1904 | Meiji 37 |
| 1903 | Meiji 36 |
| 1902 | Meiji 35 |
| 1901 | Meiji 34 |
| 1900 | Meiji 33 |
| 1899 | Meiji 32 |
| 1898 | Meiji 31 |
| 1897 | Meiji 30 |
| 1896 | Meiji 29 |
| 1895 | Meiji 28 |
| 1894 | Meiji 27 |
| 1893 | Meiji 26 |
| 1892 | Meiji 25 |
| 1891 | Meiji 24 |
| 1890 | Meiji 23 |
| 1889 | Meiji 22 |
| 1888 | Meiji 21 |
| 1887 | Meiji 20 |
| 1886 | Meiji 19 |
| 1885 | Meiji 18 |
| 1884 | Meiji 17 |
| 1883 | Meiji 16 |
| 1882 | Meiji 15 |
| 1881 | Meiji 14 |
| 1880 | Meiji 13 |
| 1879 | Meiji 12 |
| 1878 | Meiji 11 |
| 1877 | Meiji 10 |
| 1876 | Meiji 9 |
| 1875 | Meiji 8 |
| 1874 | Meiji 7 |
| 1873 | Meiji 6 |
| 1872 | Meiji 5 |
| 1871 | Meiji 4 |
| 1870 | Meiji 3 |
| 1869 | Meiji 2 |
| 1868 | Meiji 1 |
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The above is provided for general information purposes only and does not constitute advice to undertake or refrain from undertaking any action. Only qualified Japanese professionals are able to advise on Japan immigration, legal, and tax matters.