Japanese Eras and the Imperial Calendar (Nengō)

In ancient Japan, the years were counted according to the reign of an emperor, this system is known as nengō or Japanese Imperial Calendar.

During the Meiji era, in 1873, the government announced the adoption of the Gregorian calendar still used for everyday civil dating.

Even today, the nengō system is used among the Japanese, being required in some official government documents. Let's learn a little about this system and the eras (or periods) that are vital in the use of the Japanese Imperial Calendar.

The eras (periods) of Japan

The eras of Japan (元号; gengō or 年号; nengō) is a means of counting time that starts from the beginning of an emperor's reign until the end of that reign. The Japanese used to use this counting to indicate their year of birth, or the year in which they lived.

Example: The Heisei era began in 1989 with the reign of Emperor Akihito. Someone born in 1995 falls in year 7 of Heisei (平成7年). Heisei closed in 2019; since 1 May 2019 Japan has been in the Reiwa era (令和), so a Gregorian year such as 2026 is Reiwa 8 (令和8年).

In the table below you will find the beginning of each era, starting from the Meiji era or Modern Japan:

Period / Era	Kanji	Emperor	Calendar / Start – End
Meiji	明治	Emperor Meiji	1868–1912
Taishō	大正	Emperor Taishō	1912–1926
Shōwa	昭和	Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito)	1926–1989
Heisei	平成	Emperor Akihito	1989–2019
Reiwa	令和	Emperor Naruhito	2019–present

Throughout Japan's history, there have been thousands of internal wars, and many emperors had a short reign. So the periods (or eras) that we will see in the table below were counted according to historical events and not by the reign of an emperor.

This counting system was adopted in 645 by Emperor Kotoku, with the first era known as Taika, which is present in the Asuka Period.

Era (Period)	Start of Era	End of Era
Asuka Period	538	710
Nara Period	710	794
Heian Period	794	1185
Kamakura Period	1185	1333
Daikakuji and Jimyōin	--	--
Muromachi Period	1392	1573
Sengoku Period	1467	1573
Azuchi-Momoyama Period	1573	1603
Edo Period	1603	1867

At the end of the article, we will leave a list with the names of all the eras according to the reign of each emperor.

It is worth remembering that the name of the Era or Period is not the same as the name of the emperor; he can determine the name, and sometimes after his death, he ends up being called by the name he gave to his period of reign.

Japanese Imperial Calendar

As already explained, the Japanese Imperial Calendar is calculated by the year of reign of each emperor. It is not very difficult to understand.

The Gregorian calendar common in many countries is often written Day/Month/Year (or Month/Day/Year in the U.S.); in Japan, official forms reverse the order and use Year 年 / Month 月 / Day 日. The Japanese imperial calendar is represented by the year of the period or era.

The number comes after the Kanji of the Era and then comes the kanji for year 年. Example: 昭和7年/12月/ 21日

Meiji	明治
Taishō	大正
Shōwa	昭和
Heisei	平成
Reiwa	令和

When an era begins mid-year, the same Gregorian year can carry two labels: 2019 is Heisei 31 until 30 April and Reiwa 1 (元年, gannen — the first year of the era) from 1 May. Official forms usually expect the era name plus the year number, not only the Western year.

If you need to know in which year you were born in the Japanese imperial calendar, we recommend this site (click here), or you can check the table below, which is in descending order:

Gregorian Year	Imperial Year	Gregorian Year	Imperial Year
2026	Reiwa 8	1946	Shōwa 21
2025	Reiwa 7	1945	Shōwa 20
2024	Reiwa 6	1944	Shōwa 19
2023	Reiwa 5	1943	Shōwa 18
2022	Reiwa 4	1942	Shōwa 17
2021	Reiwa 3	1941	Shōwa 16
2020	Reiwa 2	1940	Shōwa 15
2019	Heisei 31 / Reiwa 1	1939	Shōwa 14
2018	Heisei 30	1938	Shōwa 13
2017	Heisei 29	1937	Shōwa 12
2016	Heisei 28	1936	Shōwa 11
2015	Heisei 27	1935	Shōwa 10
2014	Heisei 26	1934	Shōwa 9
2013	Heisei 25	1933	Shōwa 8
2012	Heisei 24	1932	Shōwa 7
2011	Heisei 23	1931	Shōwa 6
2010	Heisei 22	1930	Shōwa 5
2009	Heisei 21	1929	Shōwa 4
2008	Heisei 20	1928	Shōwa 3
2007	Heisei 19	1927	Shōwa 2
2006	Heisei 18	1926	Taishō 15 / Shōwa 1
2005	Heisei 17	1925	Taishō 14
2004	Heisei 16	1924	Taishō 13
2003	Heisei 15	1923	Taishō 12
2002	Heisei 14	1922	Taishō 11
2001	Heisei 13	1921	Taishō 10
2000	Heisei 12	1920	Taishō 9
1999	Heisei 11	1919	Taishō 8
1998	Heisei 10	1918	Taishō 7
1997	Heisei 9	1917	Taishō 6
1996	Heisei 8	1916	Taishō 5
1995	Heisei 7	1915	Taishō 4
1994	Heisei 6	1914	Taishō 3
1993	Heisei 5	1913	Taishō 2
1992	Heisei 4	1912	Meiji 45 / Taishō 1
1991	Heisei 3	1911	Meiji 44
1990	Heisei 2	1910	Meiji 43
1989	Shōwa 64 / Heisei 1	1909	Meiji 42
1988	Shōwa 63	1908	Meiji 41
1987	Shōwa 62	1907	Meiji 40
1986	Shōwa 61	1906	Meiji 39
1985	Shōwa 60	1905	Meiji 38
1984	Shōwa 59	1904	Meiji 37
1983	Shōwa 58	1903	Meiji 36
1982	Shōwa 57	1902	Meiji 35
1981	Shōwa 56	1901	Meiji 34
1980	Shōwa 55	1900	Meiji 33
1979	Shōwa 54	1899	Meiji 32
1978	Shōwa 53	1898	Meiji 31
1977	Shōwa 52	1897	Meiji 30
1976	Shōwa 51	1896	Meiji 29
1975	Shōwa 50	1895	Meiji 28
1974	Shōwa 49	1894	Meiji 27
1973	Shōwa 48	1893	Meiji 26
1972	Shōwa 47	1892	Meiji 25
1971	Shōwa 46	1891	Meiji 24
1970	Shōwa 45	1890	Meiji 23
1969	Shōwa 44	1889	Meiji 22
1968	Shōwa 43	1888	Meiji 21
1967	Shōwa 42	1887	Meiji 20
1966	Shōwa 41	1886	Meiji 19
1965	Shōwa 40	1885	Meiji 18
1964	Shōwa 39	1884	Meiji 17
1963	Shōwa 38	1883	Meiji 16
1962	Shōwa 37	1882	Meiji 15
1961	Shōwa 36	1881	Meiji 14
1960	Shōwa 35	1880	Meiji 13
1959	Shōwa 34	1879	Meiji 12
1958	Shōwa 33	1878	Meiji 11
1957	Shōwa 32	1877	Meiji 10
1956	Shōwa 31	1876	Meiji 9
1955	Shōwa 30	1875	Meiji 8
1954	Shōwa 29	1874	Meiji 7
1953	Shōwa 28	1873	Meiji 6
1952	Shōwa 27	1872	Meiji 5
1951	Shōwa 26	1871	Meiji 4
1950	Shōwa 25	1870	Meiji 3
1949	Shōwa 24	1869	Meiji 2
1948	Shōwa 23	1868	Meiji 1
1947	Shōwa 22

The table below shows all the periods of the Imperial calendar since 645:

Year	Period	Kanji
645	Taika	大化
650	Hakuchi	白雉
686	Shuchō	朱鳥
701	Taihō	大宝
704	Keiun	慶雲
708	Wadō	和銅
715	Reiki	霊亀
717	Yōrō	養老
724	Jinki	神亀
729	Tempyō	天平
749	Tempyōkampō	天平感宝
749	Tempyōshōhō	天平勝宝
757	Tempyōjōji	天平宝字
765	Tempyōjingo	天平神護
767	Jingokeiun	神護景雲
770	Hōki	宝亀
781	Ten'ō	天応
782	Enryaku	延暦
806	Daidō	大同
810	Kōnin	弘仁
823	Tenchō	天長
834	Jōwa	承和
848	Kashō	嘉祥
851	Ninju	仁寿
855	Saikō	斉衡
857	Ten'an	天安
859	Jōgan	貞観
877	Gangyō	元慶
885	Ninna	仁和
889	Kampyō	寛平
898	Shōtai	昌泰
901	Engi	延喜
923	Enchō	延長
931	Jōhei	承平
938	Tengyō	天慶
947	Tenryaku	天暦
957	Tentoku	天徳
961	Ōwa	応和
964	Kōhō	康保
968	Anna	安和
970	Tenroku	天禄
974	Ten'en	天延
976	Jōgen	貞元
979	Tengen	天元
983	Eikan	永観
985	Kanna	寛和
987	Eien	永延
989	Eiso	永祚
990	Shōryaku	正暦
995	Chōtoku	長徳
999	Chōhō	長保
1004	Kankō	寛弘
1013	Chōwa	長和
1017	Kannin	寛仁
1021	Jian	治安
1024	Manju	万寿
1028	Chōgen	長元
1037	Chōryaku	長暦
1040	Chōkyū	長久
1045	Kantoku	寛徳
1046	Eishō	永承
1053	Tengi	天喜
1058	Kōhei	康平
1065	Jiryaku	治暦
1069	Enkyū	延久
1074	Jōhō	承保
1078	Jōryaku	承暦
1081	Eihō	永保
1084	Ōtoku	応徳
1087	Kanji	寛治
1095	Kahō	嘉保
1097	Eichō	永長
1098	Jōtoku	承徳
1099	Kōwa	康和
1104	Chōji	長治
1106	Kajō	嘉承
1108	Tennin	天仁
1110	Tennei	天永
1113	Eikyū	永久
1118	Gen'ei	元永
1120	Hōan	保安
1124	Tenji	天治
1126	Daiji	大治
1131	Tenshō	天承
1132	Chōshō	長承
1135	Hōen	保延
1141	Eiji	永治
1142	Kōji	康治
1144	Ten'yō	天養
1145	Kyūan	久安
1151	Nimpei	仁平
1154	Kyūju	久寿
1156	Hōgen	保元
1159	Heiji	平治
1160	Eiryaku	永暦
1161	Ōhō	応保
1163	Chōkan	長寛
1165	Eiman	永万
1166	Nin'an	仁安
1169	Kaō	嘉応
1171	Shōan	承安
1175	Angen	安元
1177	Jishō	治承
1181	Yōwa	養和
1182	Juei	寿永
1184	Genryaku	元暦
1185	Bunji	文治
1190	Kenkyū	建久
1199	Shōji	正治
1201	Kennin	建仁
1204	Genkyū	元久
1206	Ken'ei	建永
1207	Jōgen	承元
1211	Kenryaku	建暦
1214	Kempō	建保
1219	Jōkyū	承久
1222	Jōō	貞応
1225	Gennin	元仁
1225	Karoku	嘉禄
1228	Antei	安貞
1229	Kanki	寛喜
1232	Jōei	貞永
1233	Tempuku	天福
1235	Bunryaku	文暦
1235	Katei	嘉禎
1239	Ryakunin	暦仁
1239	En'ō	延応
1240	Ninji	仁治
1243	Kangen	寛元
1247	Hōji	宝治
1249	Kenchō	建長
1256	Kōgen	康元
1257	Shōka	正嘉
1259	Shōgen	正元
1260	Bun'ō	文応
1261	Kōchō	弘長
1264	Bun'ei	文永
1275	Kenji	健治
1278	Kōan	弘安
1288	Shōō	正応
1293	Einin	永仁
1299	Shōan	正安
1303	Kengen	乾元
1303	Kagen	嘉元
1307	Tokuji	徳治
1308	Enkyō	延慶
1311	Ōchō	応長
1312	Shōwa	正和
1317	Bumpō	文保
1319	Gen'ō	元応
1321	Genkō	元亨
1325	Shōchu	正中
1326	Karyaku	嘉暦
1329	Gentoku	元徳
1331	Genkō (Southern)	元弘
1332	Shōkei	正慶
1334	Kemmu (Southern)	建武
1336	Eigen (Southern)	延元
1338	Ryakuō	暦応
1340	Kōkoku (Southern)	興国
1342	Kōei	康永
1345	Jōwa	貞和
1347	Shōhei (Southern)	正平
1350	Kan'ō	観応
1352	Bunna	文和
1356	Embun	延文
1361	Kōan	康安
1362	Jōji	貞治
1368	Ōan	応安
1370	Kentoku (Southern)	建徳
1372	Bunchū (Southern)	文中
1375	Eiwa	永和
1375	Tenju (Southern)	天授
1379	Kōryaku	康暦
1381	Eitoku	永徳
1381	Kōwa (Southern)	弘和
1384	Shitoku	至徳
1384	Genchū (Southern)	元中
1387	Kakei	嘉慶
1389	Kōō	康応
1390	Meitoku	明徳
1394	Ōei	応永
1428	Shōchō	正長
1429	Eikyō	永享
1441	Kakitsu	嘉吉
1444	Bun'an	文安
1449	Hōtoku	宝徳
1452	Kyōtoku	享徳
1455	Kōshō	康正
1457	Chōroku	長禄
1461	Kanshō	寛正
1466	Bunshō	文正
1467	Ōnin	応仁
1469	Bummei	文明
1487	Chōkyō	長享
1489	Entoku	延徳
1492	Meiō	明応
1501	Bunki	文亀
1504	Eishō	永正
1521	Daiei	大永
1528	Kyōroku	享禄
1532	Tembun	天文
1555	Kōji	弘治
1558	Eiroku	永禄
1570	Genki	元亀
1573	Tenshō	天正
1593	Bunroku	文禄
1596	Keichō	慶長
1615	Genna	元和
1624	Kan'ei	寛永
1645	Shōhō	正保
1648	Keian	慶安
1652	Jōō	承応
1655	Meireki	明暦
1658	Manji	万治
1661	Kambun	寛文
1673	Empō	延宝
1681	Tenna	天和
1684	Jōkyō	貞享
1688	Genroku	元禄
1704	Hōei	宝永
1711	Shōtoku	正徳
1716	Kyōhō	享保
1736	Gembun	元文
1741	Kampō	寛保
1744	Enkyō	延享
1748	Kan'en	寛延
1751	Hōreki	宝暦
1764	Meiwa	明和
1773	An'ei	安永
1781	Temmei	天明
1801	Kansei	寛政
1802	Kyōwa	享和
1804	Bunka	文化
1818	Bunsei	文政
1831	Tempō	天保
1845	Kōka	弘化
1848	Kaei	嘉永
1855	Ansei	安政
1860	Man'ei	万延
1861	Bunkyū	文久
1864	Genji	元治
1865	Keiō	慶応
1868	Meiji	明治
1912	Taishō	大正
1926	Shōwa	昭和
1989	Heisei	平成
2019	Reiwa	令和