What is the Japanese Calendar System (元号)?
The Japanese era calendar system (元号, gengō) is a traditional method which is use in japna to dating years. This system use reign of emperors to define time periods. For example, the Reiwa era (令和) was started in 2019 with the accession of Emperor Naruhito, following the Heisei era (平成).
Why is it used in Japan?
This era system is deeply embedded in Japanese culture, mainly used in government forms, newspapers, driver's licenses, and even daily life. It reflects respect for the imperial family and offers a culturally unique way to reference time.
How does this tool help?
This tool helps convert modern Western calendar dates (e.g. 2025-06-24) into Japanese era format (e.g. 令和7年6月24日). This is useful for filling out official forms, preparing resumes (履歴書), or understanding documents written in era format.
Supported Eras:
- 令和 (Reiwa): From May 1, 2019 – Present
- 平成 (Heisei): Jan 8, 1989 – April 30, 2019
- 昭和 (Showa): Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989
- 大正 (Taisho): July 30, 1912 – Dec 24, 1926
- 明治 (Meiji): Jan 25, 1868 – July 29, 1912
Use Cases:
- Filling out official documents
- Historical research and genealogy
- Resume creation for Japan (履歴書)
- Learning about Japanese culture
Try the tool above and understand how Japanese timekeeping beautifully blends tradition with modern life.