Japanese Era Converter
Convert complete dates between the Western calendar and Japanese eras (Reiwa, Heisei, Showa, Taisho and Meiji), including transition dates and short forms.
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Western date to Japanese era
Choose a full date so transition years are handled correctly.
Japanese era to Western date
Use 1 for gannen, the first year of an era.
How to use it
- For Western to Japanese conversion, choose the complete Gregorian date.
- For Japanese to Western conversion, select the era and enter its year, month and day.
- Copy the full Japanese notation or the R/H/S/T/M short form into your draft.
- Before submitting a form, confirm whether its year field asks for 和暦 or 西暦.
How it works
The calculator compares the complete date with the official start and end dates of the five modern eras. It then counts the era year from that era's first calendar year.
The supported boundaries are Meiji from January 25, 1868; Taisho from July 30, 1912; Showa from December 25, 1926; Heisei from January 8, 1989; and Reiwa from May 1, 2019. This date-level comparison prevents mistakes in transition years.
Japanese residence, tax, school and employment paperwork may label a year field as 元号, 和暦 or 西暦. Treat this result as a transcription aid and follow the form issuer's directions.
Frequently asked questions
What Japanese era is 2026?
Most of 2026 is Reiwa 8, written 令和8年. Reiwa year numbers are converted to Western years by adding 2018, as long as the date is on or after the start of Reiwa.
Why does the converter ask for a full date?
An era can change during a calendar year. In 2019, dates through April 30 were Heisei 31, while dates from May 1 were Reiwa 1. A year alone cannot resolve that boundary.
What does gannen mean?
Gannen (元年) is the first year of an era. Select or enter year 1 in the calculator; the Japanese result uses 元年, the usual printed form.
What do R, H, S, T and M mean on Japanese forms?
They are common short forms for Reiwa, Heisei, Showa, Taisho and Meiji. For example, R8.8.31 means August 31, 2026.
Should I use a Japanese era on an immigration or city-hall form?
Follow the labels and instructions on that specific form. If it asks for 元号 or 和暦, use the era; if it asks for 西暦, use the four-digit Western year.