Calendar / Japan
Japanese Era Converter (和暦・西暦)
Convert between Western years and Japanese era years: Reiwa, Heisei, Shōwa, Taishō, and Meiji, with exact dates for the years an era changed.
Japanese Era Converter (和暦・西暦): Japanese era years count from the day a new era begins, and the first year is written 元年. Reiwa began on 1 May 2019, Heisei on 8 January 1989, Shōwa on 25 December 1926, Taishō on 30 July 1912, and Meiji in 1868. Dates are converted from 1 January 1873, when Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar; before that, the old calendar's dates differ from Western ones. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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Western year to Japanese era
Enter a year from 1868 on.
Japanese era to Western year
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Exact date
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All modern eras
| Era | Began | Ended | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 令和 (Reiwa) | May 1, 2019 | Current | R |
| 平成 (Heisei) | January 8, 1989 | April 30, 2019 | H |
| 昭和 (Shōwa) | December 25, 1926 | January 7, 1989 | S |
| 大正 (Taishō) | July 30, 1912 | December 24, 1926 | T |
| 明治 (Meiji) | October 23, 1868 | July 29, 1912 | M |
Quick conversions
Reiwa year + 2018 = Western year; Heisei + 1988; Shōwa + 1925; Taishō + 1911; Meiji + 1867. For the year an era changed, the Western year is the same for both era years: 2019 is both Heisei 31 and Reiwa 1.
For the animal of the Chinese zodiac for a year, use the Chinese zodiac calculator; for other calendars, the calendar converter.
Writing era dates
Official documents write the era in full, such as 令和8年10月1日, while forms often use the letter and dots, such as R8.10.1. Years count from the start of the era, not from 1 January, so the first year of an era is often short.
How to use it
- Enter a Western year to see its era year, such as 2026 = 令和8年.
- Or choose an era and an era year to find the Western year.
- For the years an era changed, enter the exact date.
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Related tools
Frequently asked questions
What year is Reiwa 8?
2026. To convert a Reiwa year, add 2018; for Heisei, add 1988; for Shōwa, add 1925.
Why does 1989 have two era years?
Shōwa 64 lasted from 1 to 7 January 1989, and Heisei began on 8 January; forms usually ask for the era of the exact date.
What do the letters R, H, and S mean?
They are the short forms used on forms and cards: R for Reiwa, H for Heisei, S for Shōwa, T for Taishō, and M for Meiji, so R8 is Reiwa 8.
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