Calendar
Japan uses two different calendars to count years, the western calendar and the Imperial Calendar. The western calendar is the most commonly used in everyday life, but the Imperial calendar is still used very often in administrative documents.
The Imperial Calendar groups years under eras, that are grouped under periods and sub-periods.
Changes in periods correspond mainly to changes or governments, as well as their places of establishment.
Eras correspond to the reign of each emperor, from the beginning of its reign until his death.
For the first time in the history of the imperial lineage, the Emperor Akihito will abdicate on April, 30th and will set the Heisei era to an end still living.
Dates | Name in English | Name in Japanese |
Until 399 | Prehistory | 先史時代 SENSHIJIDAI |
According to the Shinto religion, the lineage of the emperors starts in -600BC, with the legendary Emperor Jinmu, direct descendant of Amaterasu, goddess of the Sun. | ||
400 - 1198 | Antiquity | 古代 KODAI |
400 - 707 | Yamato Period | 大和時代 YAMATO JIDAI |
707 - 781 | Nara Period | 奈良時代 NARA JIDAI |
781 - 1198 | Heian Period | 平安時代 HEIAN JIDAI |
1198 - 1611 | feodal Period (Middle age) | 中世 CHŪSEI |
1185 - 1333 | Kamakura Period | 鎌倉時代 KAMAKURA JIDAI |
1333 - 1573 | Muromachi Period | 室町時代 MUROMACHI JIDAI |
1573 - 1603 | Azuchi Momoyama Period | 安土桃山時代 AZUCHI MOMOYAMA JIDAI |
1611 - 1867 | Premodern Period | 近世 KINSEI |
1603 - 1867 | Edo Period | 江戸時代 JIDAI |
1868 - Now | Modern Period - Contemporary Period | 近代・現代 KINDAI - GENDAI |
1868 - 1912 | Meiji Era | 明治時代 MEIJI JIDAI |
1912 - 1926 | Taishō Era | 大正時代 TAISHŌ JIDAI |
1926 - 1989 | Shōwa Era | 昭和時代 SHŌWA JIDAI |
1989 - 2019 | Heisei Era | 平成時代 HEISEI JIDAI |
2019 - Now | Reiwa Era | 令和時代 REIWA JIDAI |
Western year | Era | Year in the era | Age |
1868 | Meiji | 1 | 156 |
1869 | Meiji | 2 | 155 |
1870 | Meiji | 3 | 154 |
1871 | Meiji | 4 | 153 |
1872 | Meiji | 5 | 152 |
1873 | Meiji | 6 | 151 |
1874 | Meiji | 7 | 150 |
1875 | Meiji | 8 | 149 |
1876 | Meiji | 9 | 148 |
1877 | Meiji | 10 | 147 |
1878 | Meiji | 11 | 146 |
1879 | Meiji | 12 | 145 |
1880 | Meiji | 13 | 144 |
1881 | Meiji | 14 | 143 |
1882 | Meiji | 15 | 142 |
1883 | Meiji | 16 | 141 |
1884 | Meiji | 17 | 140 |
1885 | Meiji | 18 | 139 |
1886 | Meiji | 19 | 138 |
1887 | Meiji | 20 | 137 |
1888 | Meiji | 21 | 136 |
1889 | Meiji | 22 | 135 |
1890 | Meiji | 23 | 134 |
1891 | Meiji | 24 | 133 |
1892 | Meiji | 25 | 132 |
1893 | Meiji | 26 | 131 |
1894 | Meiji | 27 | 130 |
1895 | Meiji | 28 | 129 |
1896 | Meiji | 29 | 128 |
1897 | Meiji | 30 | 127 |
1898 | Meiji | 31 | 126 |
1899 | Meiji | 32 | 125 |
1900 | Meiji | 33 | 124 |
1901 | Meiji | 34 | 123 |
1902 | Meiji | 35 | 122 |
1903 | Meiji | 36 | 121 |
1904 | Meiji | 37 | 120 |
1905 | Meiji | 38 | 119 |
1906 | Meiji | 39 | 118 |
1907 | Meiji | 40 | 117 |
1908 | Meiji | 41 | 116 |
1909 | Meiji | 42 | 115 |
1910 | Meiji | 43 | 114 |
1911 | Meiji | 44 | 113 |
1912 | Taishō | 1 | 112 |
1913 | Taishō | 2 | 111 |
1914 | Taishō | 3 | 110 |
1915 | Taishō | 4 | 109 |
1916 | Taishō | 5 | 108 |
1917 | Taishō | 6 | 107 |
1918 | Taishō | 7 | 106 |
1919 | Taishō | 8 | 105 |
1920 | Taishō | 9 | 104 |
1921 | Taishō | 10 | 103 |
1922 | Taishō | 11 | 102 |
1923 | Taishō | 12 | 101 |
1924 | Taishō | 13 | 100 |
1925 | Taishō | 14 | 99 |
1926 | Shōwa | 1 | 98 |
1927 | Shōwa | 2 | 97 |
1928 | Shōwa | 3 | 96 |
1929 | Shōwa | 4 | 95 |
1930 | Shōwa | 5 | 94 |
1931 | Shōwa | 6 | 93 |
1932 | Shōwa | 7 | 92 |
1933 | Shōwa | 8 | 91 |
1934 | Shōwa | 9 | 90 |
1935 | Shōwa | 10 | 89 |
1936 | Shōwa | 11 | 88 |
1937 | Shōwa | 12 | 87 |
1938 | Shōwa | 13 | 86 |
1939 | Shōwa | 14 | 85 |
1940 | Shōwa | 15 | 84 |
1941 | Shōwa | 16 | 83 |
1942 | Shōwa | 17 | 82 |
1943 | Shōwa | 18 | 81 |
1944 | Shōwa | 19 | 80 |
1945 | Shōwa | 20 | 79 |
1946 | Shōwa | 21 | 78 |
1947 | Shōwa | 22 | 77 |
1948 | Shōwa | 23 | 76 |
1949 | Shōwa | 24 | 75 |
1950 | Shōwa | 25 | 74 |
1951 | Shōwa | 26 | 73 |
1952 | Shōwa | 27 | 72 |
1953 | Shōwa | 28 | 71 |
1954 | Shōwa | 29 | 70 |
1955 | Shōwa | 30 | 69 |
1956 | Shōwa | 31 | 68 |
1957 | Shōwa | 32 | 67 |
1958 | Shōwa | 33 | 66 |
1959 | Shōwa | 34 | 65 |
1960 | Shōwa | 35 | 64 |
1961 | Shōwa | 36 | 63 |
1962 | Shōwa | 37 | 62 |
1963 | Shōwa | 38 | 61 |
1964 | Shōwa | 39 | 60 |
1965 | Shōwa | 40 | 59 |
1966 | Shōwa | 41 | 58 |
1967 | Shōwa | 42 | 57 |
1968 | Shōwa | 43 | 56 |
1969 | Shōwa | 44 | 55 |
1970 | Shōwa | 45 | 54 |
1971 | Shōwa | 46 | 53 |
1972 | Shōwa | 47 | 52 |
1973 | Shōwa | 48 | 51 |
1974 | Shōwa | 49 | 50 |
1975 | Shōwa | 50 | 49 |
1976 | Shōwa | 51 | 48 |
1977 | Shōwa | 52 | 47 |
1978 | Shōwa | 53 | 46 |
1979 | Shōwa | 54 | 45 |
1980 | Shōwa | 55 | 44 |
1981 | Shōwa | 56 | 43 |
1982 | Shōwa | 57 | 42 |
1983 | Shōwa | 58 | 41 |
1984 | Shōwa | 59 | 40 |
1985 | Shōwa | 60 | 39 |
1986 | Shōwa | 61 | 38 |
1987 | Shōwa | 62 | 37 |
1988 | Shōwa | 63 | 36 |
1989 | Heisei | 1 | 35 |
1990 | Heisei | 2 | 34 |
1991 | Heisei | 3 | 33 |
1992 | Heisei | 4 | 32 |
1993 | Heisei | 5 | 31 |
1994 | Heisei | 6 | 30 |
1995 | Heisei | 7 | 29 |
1996 | Heisei | 8 | 28 |
1997 | Heisei | 9 | 27 |
1998 | Heisei | 10 | 26 |
1999 | Heisei | 11 | 25 |
2000 | Heisei | 12 | 24 |
2001 | Heisei | 13 | 23 |
2002 | Heisei | 14 | 22 |
2003 | Heisei | 15 | 21 |
2004 | Heisei | 16 | 20 |
2005 | Heisei | 17 | 19 |
2006 | Heisei | 18 | 18 |
2007 | Heisei | 19 | 17 |
2008 | Heisei | 20 | 16 |
2009 | Heisei | 21 | 15 |
2010 | Heisei | 22 | 14 |
2011 | Heisei | 23 | 13 |
2012 | Heisei | 24 | 12 |
2013 | Heisei | 25 | 11 |
2014 | Heisei | 26 | 10 |
2015 | Heisei | 27 | 9 |
2016 | Heisei | 28 | 8 |
2017 | Heisei | 29 | 7 |
2018 | Heisei | 30 | 6 |
2019 | Heisei | 31 | 5 |
2019 | Reiwa | 31 | 5 |
2020 | Reiwa | 32 | 4 |
2021 | Reiwa | 33 | 3 |
2022 | Reiwa | 34 | 2 |
2023 | Reiwa | 35 | 1 |
2024 | Reiwa | 36 | 0 |
As new reigns usually don't start on January, 1st, it is common that the first year of an era is the last year of the preceding era.
Year | End of era | Beginning of era |
1912 | 45th year of Meiji era until July, 29th | 1st year of Taishō era from July, 30th |
1926 | 15th year of Taishō era until December, 24th | 1st year of Shōwa era from December, 25th |
1989 | 64th year of Shōwa era until January, 7th | 1st year of Heisei era from January, 8th |
2019 | 31th year of Heisei era until April, 29th | 1st year of Reiwa era from Avril, 30th |
- As in most cases in Asian countries, dates are always written in the order Year - Month - Day.
Most common long format: 2024年10月11日
Most common short format: 2024.10.11
-
Names of eras are usually composed of 2kanji.
Long format with era name: 平成36年10月11日
Short format with era name: H36.10.11
For the most recent eras, Unicode characters have been created: ㍾ Meiji, ㍽ Taishō, ㍼ Shōwa,
㍻ Heisei. A character has also been reserved for the Reiwa era.
However, they are not often used. The first letter of the era name are more commonly used instead (M, T, S, H, R).
- Week days are often abbreviated to the first character: 月, 火, 水, 木, 金, 土, 日
Long format with week day: 2024年10月11日(金)
Short format with week day: 2024.10.11(金)
National holidays that fall on a Sunday are followed by a "compensation" day.
Dates | Name in English | Name in Japanese |
01 January | GANJITSU | New year's Day |
08 January | SEIJIN NO HI | Majority Day |
11 February | KENKOKU KINENBI | National Foundation Day |
12 February | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
23 February | TENNÔ TANJÔBI | Birthday of the Emperor |
20 March | SHUNBUN NO HI | Vernal Equinox Day |
21 March | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
29 April | SHÔWA NO HI | Birthday of Emperor Hirohito |
30 April | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
03 May | KEMPÔ KINENBI | Constitution Memorial Day |
04 May | MIDORI NO HI | Greenery Day |
05 May | KODOMO NO HI | Children's Day |
06 May | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
15 July | UMI NO HI | Marine Day |
16 September | KEIRÔ NO HI | Respect for the Aged Day |
22 September | SHÛBUN NO HI | Autumnal Equinox Day |
23 September | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
14 October | TAIIKU NO HI | Health and Sports Day |
03 November | BUNKA NO HI | Culture Day |
04 November | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
23 November | KINRÔ KANSHA NO HI | Labor Thanksgiving Day |
24 November | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
Dates | Name in English | Name in Japanese |
01 January | GANJITSU | New year's Day |
13 January | SEIJIN NO HI | Majority Day |
11 February | KENKOKU KINENBI | National Foundation Day |
23 February | TENNÔ TANJÔBI | Birthday of the Emperor |
24 February | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
20 March | SHUNBUN NO HI | Vernal Equinox Day |
21 March | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
29 April | SHÔWA NO HI | Birthday of Emperor Hirohito |
30 April | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
03 May | KEMPÔ KINENBI | Constitution Memorial Day |
04 May | MIDORI NO HI | Greenery Day |
05 May | KODOMO NO HI | Children's Day |
06 May | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
21 July | UMI NO HI | Marine Day |
15 September | KEIRÔ NO HI | Respect for the Aged Day |
23 September | SHÛBUN NO HI | Autumnal Equinox Day |
24 September | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
13 October | TAIIKU NO HI | Health and Sports Day |
03 November | BUNKA NO HI | Culture Day |
04 November | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
23 November | KINRÔ KANSHA NO HI | Labor Thanksgiving Day |
24 November | KYÛJITSU | Compensation day |
Western calendar | |
Imperial calendar | |
Era | |
Period | |
Change of era | |
1st year of an era | |
National holiday | |
Holiday |