What are Japanese era names?
A Japanese era name (gengō) changes with the accession of a new emperor — the current era is "Reiwa." The Western (Gregorian) calendar year is used worldwide. Japanese official documents like résumés and government forms often require era-name dates, so converting between era years and Western years comes up often.
How to convert between era names and years
Find the era name for a Western year
Enter a Western year and the matching era name and era year appear automatically. For years with an era change (e.g. 1989 or 2019), both applicable era years are shown together.
Find the Western year for an era name
Pick an era and enter the era year, and the matching Western year is calculated automatically. Use ↑↓ to adjust by 1 year, or Shift+↑↓ for 10 years.
A shortcut for converting in your head
Just add a fixed offset for each era: Reiwa +2018 (e.g. Reiwa 8 → 2026), Heisei +1988 (e.g. Heisei 31 → 2019), Shōwa +1925 (e.g. Shōwa 64 → 1989), Taishō +1911, Meiji +1867. Subtract the same number to go from a Western year back to an era year.
What makes this tool different
- Covers every Japanese era from Taika (645) through Reiwa
- Correctly shows multiple era years for years with an era change
- Compares world calendars like Taiwan's Minguo Era and Thailand's Buddhist Era side by side
- Adjust years with ↑↓ (by 1) and Shift+↑↓ (by 10)
- Completely free, no sign-up, no ads
Frequently asked questions
How far back do Japanese era names go?
The earliest confirmed era name is "Taika," starting in 645, and the system has continued unbroken through to Reiwa today. This tool supports every era from Taika onward.
How are years with an era change (like 1989) shown?
1989 was both Shōwa 64 (Jan 1–7) and Heisei 1 (from Jan 8), so a year with an era change corresponds to multiple era years. This tool shows every applicable era year for that year together.
How do Taiwan's Minguo Era and Thailand's Buddhist Era work?
The Minguo Era is Taiwan's official calendar counted from the founding of the Republic of China in 1912; the Buddhist Era is Thailand's official calendar counted from the year of the Buddha's death. Both are calculated automatically from the Western year you enter.
Which era names are used for the Nanboku-chō period?
During the Nanboku-chō period (1331–1392), the Northern and Southern Courts used different era names in parallel. For simplicity, this tool uses the Northern Court's era names.