Is it Showa 64 or Heisei 1?

January 1–7, 1989 is Showa 64, and from January 8 it is Heisei 1. The Showa era lasted until January 7, 1989, when Emperor Showa died, and the era changed to Heisei the next day. This tool decides by date, so entering a 1989 date switches automatically.

From which Western year does Reiwa start?

From May 1, 2019. January 1 to April 30, 2019 is Heisei 31, and from May 1 it is Reiwa 1. Reiwa N corresponds to the year 2018 + N, so Reiwa 8 is 2026.

Is there a trick to convert Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa in my head?

Each era has a fixed number to add: Showa +1925 (Showa 58 + 1925 = 1983), Heisei +1988, Reiwa +2018, Taisho +1911, and Meiji +1867. To go from Western to Japanese era, subtract the same number. Only the change years span two eras depending on the date, so check those with this tool.

What if I only know the era year and not the month and day?

Leave month and day as “Not specified” and you’ll see the Western period that matches that era year. For example, Reiwa 1 runs from May 1 to December 31, 2019, and Heisei 31 from January 1 to April 30, 2019. Years without an era change correspond directly to one Western year.

Should a Japanese résumé use Western or Japanese era years?

Either is fine, but always be consistent within one document. Mixing, such as a Japanese era date of birth with Western school years, makes it hard to read. If the form has a Showa/Heisei/Reiwa field, follow it; otherwise using Western years throughout is clearest.

Can I convert eras before Meiji?

This tool supports dates from Meiji 1 (January 25, 1868) onward; eras up to Keio are not supported. Also, until Meiji 5, December 2, the lunisolar calendar was used, so the year matches but month and day don’t align with the Gregorian calendar. A note is shown in the result for such dates.

Japanese Era (Wareki) ⇄ Western Year Converter (with Era Chart)

Enter a date to convert a Western date into a Japanese era date (Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei, Reiwa), or pick an era and year to convert back. Years that span an era change are handled correctly, and you can also see the zodiac sign, the short form like “S58.4.1”, and a chart for each era (Western year, zodiac, age this year).

ABOUT

About Japanese Era (Wareki) ⇄ Western Year Converter (with Era Chart)

The Japanese Era Converter converts in both directions: from a Western date to a Japanese era date (Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei, Reiwa), and from an era and year to a Western date. Era changes are counted as “the new era starts on that day”, so dates that span a change — like Showa 64 (Jan 7) and Heisei 1 (Jan 8, 1989) — switch correctly. Results also show the zodiac sign for the year and the short form like “S58.4.1”, and the era chart lists Western years, zodiac signs, and ages this year for each era.

How to use Japanese Era (Wareki) ⇄ Western Year Converter (with Era Chart)

1On the “Western → Japanese era” tab, pick a date to see the era date, short form, and zodiac sign
2If you only know the Western year, use “Look up by Western year only” (a year with an era change shows two eras)
3On the “Japanese era → Western” tab, choose an era and enter the year (enter 1 for the first year; month and day are optional)
4On the “Era chart” tab, switch eras to see every year with its Western year, zodiac sign, and age this year
5Share the result or a page with your dates using “Copy results” or “Copy URL”

Great for

Write your date of birth consistently in Western or Japanese era format on a Japanese résumé or official form
Quickly check which Western year “Showa 58” is while filling in a form
Convert expiry dates written in Japanese era years on a driver’s license or other documents
Check which era a date falls in during 1989 or 2019, when the era changed
Use the era chart to find people of a given school year or age for a reunion or birthday celebration

Good to know

Era changes count from the day of the change: January 7, 1989 is Showa 64 and January 8 is Heisei 1.
The first year of an era is written “gannen” (元年). Enter 1 for it.
Japanese era years and Western years don’t line up exactly. In a year with an era change, only the period shown belongs to that era year.
Dates from Meiji 1 (January 25, 1868) onward are supported. Earlier eras are not.
Until Meiji 5, December 2, Japan used the lunisolar calendar, so the year matches but month and day differ from the Gregorian calendar. A note is shown for such dates.
Ages in the chart are the age reached this year; people who haven’t had their birthday yet are one year younger.
All calculations happen in your browser; the dates you enter are never sent to a server.

Questions this tool answers

Use Japanese Era (Wareki) ⇄ Western Year Converter (with Era Chart) for searches like these:

which Western year is Showa 58?
what Reiwa year is it now?
when is the boundary between Heisei 31 and Reiwa 1?
convert a date of birth from Japanese era to Western year for a résumé
a Japanese era chart with ages
how to convert Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa years in my head

FAQ

Is it Showa 64 or Heisei 1?: January 1–7, 1989 is Showa 64, and from January 8 it is Heisei 1. The Showa era lasted until January 7, 1989, when Emperor Showa died, and the era changed to Heisei the next day. This tool decides by date, so entering a 1989 date switches automatically.
From which Western year does Reiwa start?: From May 1, 2019. January 1 to April 30, 2019 is Heisei 31, and from May 1 it is Reiwa 1. Reiwa N corresponds to the year 2018 + N, so Reiwa 8 is 2026.
Is there a trick to convert Showa, Heisei, and Reiwa in my head?: Each era has a fixed number to add: Showa +1925 (Showa 58 + 1925 = 1983), Heisei +1988, Reiwa +2018, Taisho +1911, and Meiji +1867. To go from Western to Japanese era, subtract the same number. Only the change years span two eras depending on the date, so check those with this tool.
What if I only know the era year and not the month and day?: Leave month and day as “Not specified” and you’ll see the Western period that matches that era year. For example, Reiwa 1 runs from May 1 to December 31, 2019, and Heisei 31 from January 1 to April 30, 2019. Years without an era change correspond directly to one Western year.
Should a Japanese résumé use Western or Japanese era years?: Either is fine, but always be consistent within one document. Mixing, such as a Japanese era date of birth with Western school years, makes it hard to read. If the form has a Showa/Heisei/Reiwa field, follow it; otherwise using Western years throughout is clearest.
Can I convert eras before Meiji?: This tool supports dates from Meiji 1 (January 25, 1868) onward; eras up to Keio are not supported. Also, until Meiji 5, December 2, the lunisolar calendar was used, so the year matches but month and day don’t align with the Gregorian calendar. A note is shown in the result for such dates.

Special Thanks

SOLO GUILD | サービス作るAIエンジニア

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