Japanese Eras
How to Read a Date on a Japanese Document
Seven slots, always in the same order, and five character pairs to recognise. After that, any form in Japan becomes readable.
Japan Know How archive
Japanese Eras
Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei and Reiwa converted in both directions, plus the transition years that catch people out. Also the traditional kazoedoshi age count, which can put you two years above your Western age and still shows up in temple ceremonies and family customs.
Japanese Eras
The Four Japanese Years That Belong to Two Eras
1912, 1926, 1989 and 2019 each split between two eras on a specific day. The exact boundaries, and why Showa 64 lasted a week.
Japanese Eras
Kazoedoshi: Japan’s Other Way of Counting Age
You are one at birth and everyone gains a year at New Year. A baby born on 30 December is two years old on 2 January - and that count still decides four ceremonies.
Japanese Eras
Showa, Heisei and Reiwa Year Tables
The tables you can scan instead of calculating, the anchors worth memorising, and how a new era name is actually chosen.
Japanese Eras
Japanese Era Years: Meiji to Reiwa, Explained
Japan runs two calendars at once. Five eras, one subtraction each, and the two details that turn a simple conversion into a wrong answer.