Category: Blog

Japan has its own traditional way of expressing dates that can be confusing if you’re used to the Western (Gregorian) calendar. If you’ve ever looked at a Japanese form, government document, or historical reference and thought, “What year is Reiwa 6?”, then this post is for you.

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📌 Japanese Calendar: Era-Based System (年号, Nengō)

Japan uses a dual dating system:

• The Gregorian calendar (the one used internationally),
• And the Japanese era system (和暦, Wareki), which is based on the reign of the current emperor.

Each emperor’s reign marks a new era. Years are then counted from the beginning of that era.

Current and recent eras:

Era Name	Kanji	Romanized	Gregorian Start
Reiwa	令和	Reiwa	2019 (May 1)
Heisei	平成	Heisei	1989 (Jan 8)
Shōwa	昭和	Showa	1926 (Dec 25)
Taishō	大正	Taisho	1912 (Jul 30)
Meiji	明治	Meiji	1868 (Jan 25)

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🧠 Conversion Formula

To convert a Japanese date to a Western one:

Gregorian Year = Era Start Year – 1 + Japanese Era Year

Examples:

• Reiwa 6 = 2019 – 1 + 6 = 2024
• Heisei 30 = 1989 – 1 + 30 = 2018
• Showa 45 = 1926 – 1 + 45 = 1970

💡 Note: Subtracting 1 accounts for the first year of the era being year “1,” not “0.”

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🧾 Example: Japanese Date on a Document

令和6年4月2日

Breakdown:

• 令和6年 = Reiwa year 6 → 2019 – 1 + 6 = 2024
• 4月 = April
• 2日 = 2nd

✅ Final Answer: April 2, 2024

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🔁 Convert English Dates to Japanese Dates

To reverse the process:

• If the year is 2023 → Reiwa started in 2019 → 2023 – 2019 + 1 = Reiwa 5

Example:
March 10, 2023 → 令和5年3月10日

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🛠 Bonus: Tools & Resources

If you don’t want to calculate manually every time, try:

• Japan’s Official Date Converter (JIS)
• Google Translate (often shows both formats)
• Japanese government sites often display both dates

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🧳 Why It Matters

If you’re:

• Filling out visa forms
• Applying for jobs or schools in Japan
• Researching history
• Reading manga or watching anime with timelines

…understanding this system will save you a ton of confusion.

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✍️ Final Thoughts

The Japanese date system might feel old-school, but it’s still widely used in official and cultural settings. Once you understand the era names and how to do the math, it’s actually pretty simple.

Got a Japanese date you’re trying to convert? Drop it in the comments!

Japan’s calendar system is a fascinating mix of modern precision and ancient tradition. While the country officially uses the Gregorian calendar, it also maintains a uniquely Japanese way of counting years—based on the emperor’s reign, known as the era name system (元号, gengō).

📆 Two Calendar Systems in Use

1. Gregorian Calendar (西暦, seireki)

The internationally recognized calendar (like 2025) is widely used in Japan for most official and day-to-day purposes—business, travel, schools, and legal documents.

2. Japanese Era Calendar (元号, gengō)

In parallel, Japan also tracks years based on the reign of its current emperor. Each emperor ushers in a new era name.

• Current Era: Reiwa (令和)
• Started on: May 1, 2019
• 2025 = Reiwa 7 (令和7年)

Previous eras include:

• Heisei (平成): 1989–2019
• Shōwa (昭和): 1926–1989

📝 How to Read and Write Japanese Dates

Japan writes dates in the format Year-Month-Day (YYYY-MM-DD).

For example:

• Gregorian format: 2025年4月2日 (April 2, 2025)
• Japanese era format: 令和7年4月2日 (Reiwa 7, April 2)

This format is seen on everything from government documents to food packaging expiration dates.

🌸 Traditional Influences Still Visible

Though the Gregorian calendar is dominant, Japan still honors the lunisolar calendar in its cultural celebrations:

• Setsubun (節分): Celebrated in early February, marking the beginning of spring.
• Tanabata (七夕): Star Festival, held on July 7th or based on the lunar calendar.
• 24 Solar Terms (二十四節気): Seasonal markers still referenced in traditional farming and festivals.

🧐 Why This Matters

Whether you’re living in Japan, working with Japanese partners, or just fascinated by the culture, understanding how dates work in Japan is both practical and meaningful.

• Read documents, expiration dates, and forms accurately
• Understand cultural events rooted in tradition
• Appreciate how Japan blends its imperial heritage with modern life

✅ Final Thoughts

The Japanese calendar is not just a way to tell time—it’s a reflection of Japan’s history, identity, and cultural continuity. While the rest of the world counts 2025, Japan also marks it as Reiwa 7, continuing a tradition that dates back over a thousand years.