Japanese Eras Explained: How to Read Reiwa, Heisei and Showa Years

Fill in a form at a city office, open a notice from a bank, or look at a Japanese driver's license, and the date may not look like a date at all. Instead of 2026, you may see Reiwa 8. Japan officially counts years in two ways at once: the Western calendar that most of the world uses, and the nengo (era name) system, in which the years restart each time a new emperor takes the throne. The custom has roots going back more than 1,300 years.

This guide explains how the era system began, how era names are chosen today, what the current era Reiwa means, and how to turn Reiwa, Heisei, Showa, Taisho, and Meiji years into Western years with one simple formula. It also covers practical situations where you will meet era dates on a trip or while living in Japan.

Where the Era System Began

The idea of counting years by era names began in China in 140 BCE and was adopted by Japan in 645 CE, during the reign of Emperor Kotoku. The first Japanese era was called Taika (often rendered as great change), which marked a series of reforms. After Kotoku's death the use of era names was interrupted, and it was permanently re-adopted in 701. From then on, nearly every period of Japanese history has carried an era name.

Many early names were taken from Chinese classics. Taika, for example, drew on texts such as the Book of Documents, and Taiho came from the Classic of Changes. Before the modern period, court officials decided the names, and an era could change within a single emperor's reign, for reasons such as a celebration or a major event. That practice ended with the Meiji period.

One Emperor, One Era

Since the Meiji era, each era has corresponded to the reign of a single emperor, a rule that was formalized by the Era Name Law of 1979. The Meiji era ran from 23 October 1868 to 30 July 1912, and its name is usually understood to mean enlightened rule. The Taisho era followed from 1912 to 1926.

The Showa era ran from 25 December 1926 to 7 January 1989, the reign of Emperor Hirohito, and its name is often understood to mean enlightened peace. Because the emperor died on 7 January 1989, the last Showa year, Showa 64, lasted only seven days. The Heisei era then began on 8 January 1989 with the accession of Emperor Akihito and ended on 30 April 2019, when he abdicated. Its name, announced on 7 January 1989 by Chief Cabinet Secretary Keizo Obuchi, came from phrases in the Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Documents, and it expresses the idea of peace everywhere.

Reiwa: The Current Era

Reiwa began on 1 May 2019, the day Crown Prince Naruhito acceded to the throne as the 126th emperor, one day after his father Akihito abdicated. The name was announced on 1 April 2019 by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga at a televised press conference. Reiwa is the first era name taken from Japanese literature instead of Chinese classics. It comes from the Man'yoshu, an eighth-century anthology of waka (Japanese poetry), specifically from a preface to a set of poems about plum blossoms.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry explained the meaning as beautiful harmony, while noting that this was an explanation rather than an official or legally binding translation. The character rei can also mean order or command, so translations vary. As of this year, 2026, it is Reiwa 8. The first year of any era is called gannen, so 2019 is often written Reiwa gannen.

How an Era Name Is Chosen

Under guidelines adopted in 1979, a new era name should have a meaning that suits the nation's ideals, be two kanji (Chinese characters) long, be easy to write and read, not have been used before as an era name or imperial posthumous name, and not be a word in common use. A nine-member panel of experts, including seven men and two women, drew up a shortlist for Reiwa, and the cabinet chose the final name.

There is also a practical habit. The five modern eras are abbreviated by their first letters in romanized form, M for Meiji, T for Taisho, S for Showa, H for Heisei, and R for Reiwa. Writing S55 means 1980, and H22 means 2010. It is therefore expected that the next era name will begin with a different letter, so abbreviations remain clear.

Converting Era Years to Western Years

The conversion is simple. Find the first Western year of the era, add the era year, and subtract one. That is because the first year of the era counts as year 1, not year 0. Reiwa 1 is 2019, so Reiwa 8 is 2019 plus 8 minus 1, which is 2026. Heisei 22 is 1989 plus 22 minus 1, which is 2010.

For quick work, remember these numbers to add to the era year: Meiji plus 1867, Taisho plus 1911, Showa plus 1925, Heisei plus 1988, and Reiwa plus 2018. So Showa 39 is 1964, the year of the first Tokyo Olympics, Showa 45 is 1970, Heisei 7 is 1995, and Reiwa 3 is 2021. Going the other way, subtract the same number. For 1985, subtract 1925 to get Showa 60. Note that the year of a change contains two eras: 1989 is both Showa 64 and Heisei 1, and 2019 is both Heisei 31 and Reiwa 1.

Where You Will See Era Dates

Era dates appear on government forms, driver's licenses, bank paperwork, certificates, and many other official documents, sometimes with an abbreviation such as R8. Everyday businesses often use the Western year instead, so you may see both side by side.

Era names are also part of the cultural vocabulary. People talk about Showa-era nostalgia when describing retro cafes, old-style coffee shops, and classic pop music, and the Heisei period has its own set of memories. Calling something Showa-retro signals a warm, old-fashioned atmosphere.

Eras Beyond the Calendar

Because an era matches one reign, the era name is also used as the name of an emperor after his lifetime. Hirohito is remembered in Japan as Emperor Showa, and the emperor who reigned from 1868 to 1912 is Emperor Meiji. The names also live on in place names and holidays. Showa Day, a national holiday on 29 April, falls on the birthday of Emperor Showa, and Meiji Jingu, a large shrine in a forested park in Tokyo, is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken.

The system also shapes how people describe generations and history. Phrases such as Meiji Restoration, Taisho democracy, and Showa boom are common in books and television, and a person born in Heisei is called a Heisei-born. For a visitor, learning to read just a few era names makes museum labels, shrine histories, and family stories much easier to follow.

Plan Your Visit

If you are filling in forms in Japan, check whether a date field expects a Western year or an era year. Many forms have printed options to circle Meiji, Taisho, Showa, Heisei, or Reiwa, and a staff member can usually help. Bring a note of your birth year in both systems, because older forms may only ask for the era version. Some phone calendars can be switched to display the Japanese calendar if you want to practice.

Museums and historic sites are another good place to meet era years. A sign for a building from Taisho 12, for example, means it was built in 1923, and a plaque dated Meiji 30 means 1897. Use the formula and the numbers above, and you can read most dates quickly. If a date seems wrong, check the official site or ask a member of staff.