Japanese era converter: Reiwa, Heisei and Showa to Gregorian dates

The three eras you will meet on documents

Year 1 of an era is the year the era started, so the first and the last year of an era share a Gregorian year with the previous or the next era: 1989 is both Showa 64 and Heisei 1.

Common mistakes

• Adding the era year to the start year without subtracting 1: Reiwa 8 is 2026, not 2027.
• Using the wrong era for dates around an era change, such as early January 1989 or late April 2019.
• Mixing up the era letters often printed on Japanese forms: R for Reiwa, H for Heisei, S for Showa.

Need a Japanese document translated?

A NAATI-certified translator translates your koseki, licence or certificate into English, converts every era date and certifies the translation. See Japanese document translation, or upload your document.

FAQ

What year is Reiwa 1, Heisei 1 or Showa 64?

Reiwa 1 is 2019 (from 1 May), Heisei 1 is 1989 (from 8 January) and Showa 64 is 1989 (1 to 7 January). Within an era, add the era year to the year before the era started: Reiwa 8 is 2018 + 8 = 2026.

Why does the converter refuse Heisei 31, 1 May?

Because that date does not exist: Heisei ended on 30 April 2019 and Reiwa started on 1 May 2019. A date that falls outside its era is refused rather than guessed.

Do Japanese months follow the Gregorian calendar?

Yes. Since 1873, Japanese months and days are the Gregorian ones; only the year is counted by era.

Can I use the converted date on my application?

Use it to check your dates. On a certified translation of a Japanese document, the translator gives the Gregorian date and takes responsibility for it.

Other calendars (Nepali, Persian, Thai, Taiwanese, Ethiopian, Hijri): document date converter.