Calendars & dates / Calendar reference
Japanese School Year Chart
Build entrance and graduation dates for a Japanese résumé, showing Western and Japanese era dates with gap and repeat year options.
Japanese School Year Chart: Shows the usual April entrance and March graduation dates from elementary school through higher education. Choose a four-year, six-year or two-year route, add gap years before higher education and repeat years within it, and optionally include master’s and doctoral study. Copy the table as text and check it against your school records. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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| Western date | Japanese era date | School | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-04 | 平成19年4月 | Elementary school | Entrance (入学) |
| 2013-03 | 平成25年3月 | Elementary school | Graduation (卒業) |
| 2013-04 | 平成25年4月 | Junior high school | Entrance (入学) |
| 2016-03 | 平成28年3月 | Junior high school | Graduation (卒業) |
| 2016-04 | 平成28年4月 | High school | Entrance (入学) |
| 2019-03 | 平成31年3月 | High school | Graduation (卒業) |
| 2019-04 | 平成31年4月 | University | Entrance (入学) |
| 2023-03 | 令和5年3月 | University | Graduation (卒業) |
The cohort runs from 2 April to 1 April of the following year. A 1 April birth joins the earlier cohort because legal age increases on the day before the birthday.
These are standard April entrance and March graduation dates. Check your school records before using them on a résumé. Gap years shift higher education; repeat years delay its graduation and later graduate study. Actual course lengths vary.
School entry cohort
School Education Act article 17 and the Act on Age Calculation establish the entry rule. Children born from 2 April through 1 April of the next year share a cohort, since age increases on the day before the birthday. The Ministry of Education explanation (https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/shugaku/detail/1422233.htm) describes why 1 April births join the earlier year.
Era dates and course lengths
Era boundaries are date-specific: Shōwa ends on 7 January 1989, Heisei runs from 8 January 1989 through 30 April 2019, and Reiwa begins on 1 May 2019. April 2019 is therefore Heisei 31, while May is Reiwa 1. The National Diet Library era reference (https://www.ndl.go.jp/koyomi/chapter3/s1.html) explains Japanese eras.
The chart assumes six elementary years, three junior high years, three high school years, and the selected higher education length. Master’s study adds two years and doctoral study three. Actual courses, transfers and non-April starts require your own records.
How to use it
- Enter your birth date.
- Choose your higher education route and any gap or repeat years.
- Copy the entrance and graduation rows into your résumé.
Privacy & limitations
Your inputs and results stay in this browser. Nothing is uploaded.
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Frequently asked questions
Does 1 April belong to the earlier cohort?
Yes. Someone born on 1 April 2001 enters elementary school in April 2007, alongside someone born on 2 April 2000. A 2 April 2001 birth enters in April 2008.
Where do gap and repeat years apply?
Gap years postpone higher education entrance and everything after it. Repeat years extend higher education and shift graduate study. Earlier school dates stay at the standard cohort dates.
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