Japanese Era Converter (Wareki)

Convert Japanese era years (Reiwa, Heisei, Shōwa, Taishō, Meiji) to Western years and back, with the exact era change dates and an age chart with 干支.

Gregorian date → era
Year converter
Age is the age reached on this year's birthday (subtract 1 if it has not come yet). The zodiac follows the calendar year, as in Japan; in the Chinese calendar it changes at Lunar New Year.

What it does

Japan names years after the era (gengō) of the reigning emperor: Reiwa began on 1 May 2019. Official forms, driving licences and bank documents use the era year (wareki), so birth years often need converting. The chart lists each Western year with its era year, age and 干支.

How to use it

  1. Pick a Gregorian date to see it in the era; the result updates as you type.
  2. Use the year converter in either direction: type the era year or the Gregorian year.
  3. Use the year chart to look up birth years, ages and zodiac signs.

Frequently asked questions

How do I convert a Japanese era year to the Western year?
Add the era's offset: Reiwa + 2018, Heisei + 1988, Shōwa + 1925, Taishō + 1911, Meiji + 1867. Reiwa 8 is 2026. The first year of an era is written 元年 (gannen) instead of 1.

Why does 1989 have two era years?
Emperor Shōwa died on 7 January 1989 and Heisei began the next day, so 1 to 7 January 1989 is Shōwa 64 and the rest of the year is Heisei 1. The same happened in 1912, 1926 and 2019, when Heisei 31 ended on 30 April and Reiwa 1 began on 1 May.

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