Japanese era converter

Turn a Western date into its Japanese era year — Reiwa 8, Heisei 31 — or an era year back into the Western calendar.

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Before you use it

Works well for

  • Reading dates on Japanese forms and documents
  • Converting birth years for applications
  • Finding the zodiac year (eto)

Not the right tool for

  • Exact dates before 1873 (old lunisolar calendar)
  • Eras before Meiji

How Japanese eras work

Japan counts years by imperial era (gengō) alongside the Western calendar. A new era begins when a new emperor takes the throne, and its first year is called gannen (元年). The current era, Reiwa (令和), began on 1 May 2019, so 2026 is Reiwa 8.

Years with two eras

When an era changes mid-year, that Western year belongs to two eras: 1989 is both Shōwa 64 (until 7 January) and Heisei 1; 2019 is Heisei 31 until 30 April and Reiwa 1 from 1 May. Enter an exact date to get the right one.

Where you'll see it

Japanese forms, residence cards, bank documents, driving licences and expiry dates often use the era year. Foreign residents and businesses dealing with Japanese paperwork convert dates constantly.

Frequently asked questions

What year is Reiwa 1?

2019, starting on 1 May. Reiwa 8 is 2026.

How do I convert quickly in my head?

Reiwa year + 2018 = Western year. Heisei year + 1988, Shōwa year + 1925.

Why are dates before 1873 approximate?

Japan used a lunisolar calendar until 1872 and switched to the Gregorian calendar on 1 January 1873 (Meiji 6).