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Japanese era converter
Japanese documents use era years such as Reiwa 8 instead of 2026. Convert in either direction, and see exactly when each era began and ended.
The five modern eras
| Era | First day | Last day | Years | Gregorian year = |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reiwa (令和) | May 1, 2019 | Present | — | era year + 2018 |
| Heisei (平成) | Jan 8, 1989 | Apr 30, 2019 | 31 | era year + 1988 |
| Showa (昭和) | Dec 25, 1926 | Jan 7, 1989 | 64 | era year + 1925 |
| Taisho (大正) | Jul 30, 1912 | Dec 24, 1926 | 15 | era year + 1911 |
| Meiji (明治) | Oct 23, 1868 | Jul 29, 1912 | 45 | era year + 1867 |
A new era starts when a new emperor takes the throne, so an era year changes on a specific day, not on January 1. That is why 1989 has two eras: January 1 to 7 was Showa 64, and from January 8 it was Heisei 1. In the same way, 2019 has Heisei 31 (until April 30) and Reiwa 1 (from May 1).
The quick rule
To get the Gregorian year, add a fixed number to the era year:
- Reiwa year + 2018. Reiwa 8 is 2026.
- Heisei year + 1988. Heisei 31 is 2019.
- Showa year + 1925. Showa 64 is 1989.
- Taisho year + 1911. Taisho 15 is 1926.
- Meiji year + 1867. Meiji 45 is 1912.
The first year of an era is written 元年 (gannen) in words, but forms and databases write it as 1.
Letters on forms
Forms often abbreviate the era with a letter: R for Reiwa, H for Heisei, S for Showa, T for Taisho and M for Meiji. So R8.4.1 means April 1, Reiwa 8, which is April 1, 2026.
Where you will see era years
City office paperwork, tax forms, driver's licenses, certificates, and many receipts and contracts use era years. If your own country's papers use the Gregorian calendar, you will need to convert both ways.
Frequently asked questions
What era is it now, and what year is 2026?
The current era is Reiwa, which began on May 1, 2019. The year 2026 is Reiwa 8.
Is Heisei 31 a full year?
No. Heisei 31 began on January 1, 2019 and ended on April 30, 2019, so it lasted four months. Reiwa 1 began on May 1, 2019.
Why can't I convert dates before 1873?
Japan used a lunar calendar until the end of 1872. The Gregorian calendar was adopted from January 1, 1873, which is Meiji 6. The era years before that do not line up with Gregorian dates day by day, so this tool starts at January 1, 1873. You can still convert Meiji 1 to 5 as years by adding 1867.
How do I read a date like 令和8年4月1日?
It reads Reiwa 8 (年, nen), month 4 (月, gatsu), day 1 (日, nichi): April 1, 2026.
Sources
- The era start dates are those of the imperial era names: Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei and Reiwa. The Gregorian calendar was adopted in Japan on January 1, 1873.
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Last updated: 2026-10-01