Japanese dates
This entry makes use of Japanese characters and will require Japanese language support to be installed on your computer in order to avoid the characters being replaced by question marks, or blanked out.
Writing the date in Japanese also makes use of the system of numbers and counters. Thus, when the date is written out in full, the format is as follows:
yyyyå¹´mmæddæ¥, where å¹´ is the counter for years, æ for months and æ¥ for days. Thus 13 September, 2008 would be written as 2008å¹´9æ13æ¥.
Sometimes, instead of the Western year being used, the year of the current Emperor's reign is used. Thus, 2008 could be written as Heisei (å¹³æ) 20, or to use the date format above: å¹³æ20å¹´9æ13æ¥. To arrive at a Western date, based on a era, you take the commencement date of the era (1989 in the case of Heisei), subtract 1 (as 1989 would be year 1 of Heisei, not year 0) and add the number of years of the era. Thus Heisei 20 = 1989 - 1 + 20 = 2008. The specific eras will be discussed in more detail below.
Days of the Week
With the Japanese names for the days of the week, counters are built into the names themselves, with each name being broken down into three parts - the first being the name of the day, the second indicating it is a weekday (you æ) and the third,bi (æ¥) being the counter for days. The days themselves are named after the Sun and Moon, as well as the five elements - fire, water, metal, earth and wood.
| Weekday | Kanji | Japanese | Meaning |
| Monday | æææ¥ | getsuyoubi | Moon |
| Tuesday | ç«ææ¥ | kayoubi | Fire / Mars |
| Wednesday | æ°´ææ¥ | suiyoubi | Water / Mercury |
| Thursday | æ¨ææ¥ | mokuyoubi | Wood/ Jupiter |
| Friday | éææ¥ | kinyoubi | Metal / Venus |
| Saturday | åææ¥ | doyoubi | Earth / Saturn |
| Sunday | æ¥ææ¥ | nichiyoubi | Sun |
Months of the Year
Although there are Japanese names for each month of the year, in recent times, they have taken a far more pragmatic approach and simply named each month for its corresponding number. Thus January is ichigatsu (ä¸æ) or "first month". The table below sets out the new and old names for the months of the year.
| Month | Kanji | Current Japanese | Old Japanese | Kanji | Meaning |
| January | ä¸æ | ichigatsu | mutsuki | ç¦æ | Month of Harmony |
| February | äºæ | nigatsu | kisaragi | å¦æ | Month of wearing extra layers of clothes |
| March | ä¸æ | sangatsu | yayoi | å¼¥ç | Month of growth |
| April | åæ | shigatsu | uzuki | å¯æ | Month of unohana |
| May | äºæ | gogatsu | satsuki | æ©æ | Month of planting rice sprouts |
| June | å æ | rokugatsu | minazuki | æ°´ç¡æ | Month of no water |
| July | ä¸æ | shichigatsu | fumizuki | ææ | Month of literary |
| August | å «æ | hachigatsu | hazuki | èæ | Month of leaves |
| September | ä¹æ | kugatsu | nagatsuki | é·æ | Autumn long month |
| October | åæ | juugatsu | kannazuki | ç¥ç¡æ | Month of no gods |
| November | åä¸æ | juuichigatsu | shimotsuki | éæ | Month of frost |
| December | åäºæ | juunigatsu | shiwasu | 師走 | Month of running priests |
The Era System
The Japanese Era System is a common calendar scheme used in Japan, which identifies a year by the combination of the Japanese era name (NengÅ å¹´å·, meaning "year name") and the year number within the era.
For example, the year 2008 is Heisei 20, written as å¹³æ20. Sometimes an era name is expressed with the first letter of the romanized name. For example, S50 would mean ShÅwa 50, or 1975.
Calculating Year Periods
When calculating either the nengÅ, or corresponding Western year, remember that the first year of the era is 1, not 0. Thus, to calculate the dates of the Heisei era, which began in 1989, add or subtract 1988 (1989 - 1) from the year in question. Thus 2007 was Heisei 19 (2007 - 1988), and conversely Heisei 5 would be 1988 + 5 = 1993.
Modern NengÅ
It was only with the reign of Emperor Meiji that the system of "one reign, one era" (ä¸ä¸ä¸å issei-ichigen) came into use, meaning that era names would change only on Imperial succession.
The first year of an era is called gan-nen (å å¹´). Subsequent years are counted from the beginning of the following calendar year. For example, the ShÅwa era commenced on 25 December, 1926, and the second year of ShÅwa started a week later on 1 January, 1927. It would also imply that 1926 , can be written as both TaishÅ 15 (the era name of the deceased Emperor) and ShÅwa 1.
The practice of issei-ichigen was only formalised in 1979, when the Era Name Law (å å·æ³, gengÅ-hÅ) was passed. Thus since 1868, there have been only four nengÅ: Meiji (ææ²»), TaishÅ (大æ£), ShÅwa (æå) and Heisei (å¹³æ).[1]
Historical NengÅ
Prior to the convention that started with the Meiji Era, the start of a new era could be declared for any number of reasons. The main reasons for declaring a new era would be the first, fifth and 58th years of the "sexagenary cycle" (åå¹²åäºæ¯ Jikkan JÅ«nishi), based on the Chinese system of 60 combinations of the two basic cycles, the ten calendar signs and the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac, the ascension of a new Emperor, an auspicious event, or a natural disaster.
Many periods were only three or four years long and the names had nothing to do with the Emperor of the time. Furthermore, a change of emperor did not necessarily mean an immediate change to a new era; this normally occurred between one to two years after the Emperor's death.[2]
The nengÅ system in use today was initiated by Emperor Mommu (697 - 707) in 701, after two previous attempts by Emperor KÅtoku in 654, and Emperor Temmu in 686 were abandoned. The current system has continued uninterrupted through today. Eras prior to 701 are generally linked to the first year of the relevant emperor's reign. Thus the first year of the era of Emperor Jimmu from 660 to 581 B.C. is refrred to as Jimmu-Tennou gan-nen (ç¥æ¦å¤©çå å¹´), or the "first year of Emperor Jimmu".[3]
Complete List of Japanese Eras [4]
Ancient Age (Prior to 1185 AD)
The Yamato (大åæ代) and Nara (å¥è¯æ代) Periods
| First year (gannen) | Name | Kanji |
| 701 | TaihÅ | å¤§å® |
| 704 | Keiun | æ ¶é² |
| 708 | WadÅ | åé |
| 715 | Reiki | éäº |
| 717 | YÅrÅ | é¤è |
| 724 | Jinki | ç¥äº |
| 729 | TenpyŠ| 天平 |
| 749 | TenpyÅ-kanpÅ | 天平æå® |
| 749 | TenpyÅ-shÅhÅ | 天平åå® |
| 757 | TenpyÅ-hÅji | 天平å®å |
| 765 | TenpyÅ-jingo | 天平ç¥è· |
| 767 | Jingo-keiun | ç¥è·æ¯é² |
| 770 | HÅki | å®äº |
| 781 | Ten'Å | å¤©å¿ |
| 782 | Enryaku | å»¶æ¦ |
The Heian Period (å¹³å®æ代) 794 - 1185
| First year (gannen) | Name | Kanji |
| 806 | DaidÅ | 大å |
| 810 | KÅnin | å¼ä» |
| 824 | TenchÅ | å¤©é· |
| 834 | JÅwa | æ¿å |
| 848 | KajÅ | å祥 |
| 851 | Ninju | <font=3>ä»å¯¿ |
| 854 | SaikÅ | <font=3>æè¡¡ |
| 857 | Tennan | <font=3>å¤©å® |
| 859 | JÅgan | <font=3>è²è¦³ |
| 877 | GangyÅ | <font=3>å æ ¶ |
| 885 | Ninna | <font=3>ä»å |
| 889 | KanpyÅ | <font=3>å¯å¹³ |
| 898 | ShÅtai | <font=3>ææ³° |
| 901 | Engi | <font=3>延å |
| 923 | EnchÅ | <font=3>å»¶é· |
| 931 | JÅhei | <font=3>æ¿å¹³ |
| 938 | TengyÅ | <font=3>å¤©æ ¶ |
| 947 | Tenryaku | <font=3>å¤©æ¦ |
| 957 | Tentoku | <font=3>天徳 |
| 961 | Åwa | <font=3>å¿å |
| 964 | KÅhÅ | <font=3>åº·ä¿ |
| 968 | Anna | <font=3>å®å |
| 970 | Tenroku | <font=3>å¤©ç¦ |
| 973 | Ten'en | <font=3>天延 |
| 976 | JÅgen | <font=3>è²å |
| 978 | Tengen | <font=3>天å |
| 983 | Eikan | <font=3>永観 |
| 985 | Kanna | <font=3>å¯å |
| 987 | Eien | <font=3>永延 |
| 988 | Eiso | <font=3>æ°¸ç¥ |
| 990 | ShÅryaku | <font=3>æ£æ¦ |
| 995 | ChÅtoku | <font=3>é·å¾³ |
| 999 | ChÅhÅ | <font=3>é·ä¿ |
| 1004 | KankÅ | <font=3>å¯å¼ |
| 1012 | ChÅwa | <font=3>é·å |
| 1017 | Kannin | <font=3>å¯ä» |
| 1021 | Jian | <font=3>æ²»å® |
| 1024 | Manju | <font=3>ä¸å¯¿ |
| 1028 | ChÅgen | <font=3>é·å |
| 1037 | ChÅryaku | <font=3>é·æ¦ |
| 1040 | ChÅkyÅ« | <font=3>é·ä¹ |
| 1044 | Kantoku | <font=3>å¯å¾³ |
| 1046 | EishÅ | <font=3>æ°¸æ¿ |
| 1053 | Tengi | <font=3>天å |
| 1058 | KÅhei | <font=3>康平 |
| 1065 | Jiryaku | <font=3>æ²»æ¦ |
| 1069 | EnkyÅ« | <font=3>å»¶ä¹ |
| 1074 | JÅhÅ | <font=3>æ¿ä¿ |
| 1077 | JÅryaku | <font=3>æ¿æ¦ |
| 1081 | EihÅ | <font=3>æ°¸ä¿ |
| 1084 | Åtoku | <font=3>å¿å¾³ |
| 1087 | Kanji | <font=3>å¯æ²» |
| 1094 | KahÅ | <font=3>åä¿ |
| 1096 | EichÅ | <font=3>æ°¸é· |
| 1097 | JÅtoku | <font=3>æ¿å¾³ |
| 1099 | KÅwa | <font=3>康å |
| 1104 | ChÅji | <font=3>é·æ²» |
| 1106 | KajÅ | <font=3>åæ¿ |
| 1108 | Tennin | <font=3>å¤©ä» |
| 1110 | Ten'ei | <font=3>天永 |
| 1113 | EikyÅ« | <font=3>æ°¸ä¹ |
| 1118 | Gen'ei | <font=3>å æ°¸ |
| 1120 | HÅan | <font=3>ä¿å® |
| 1124 | Tenji | <font=3>天治 |
| 1126 | Daiji | <font=3>大治 |
| 1131 | TenshÅ | <font=3>å¤©æ¿ |
| 1132 | ChÅshÅ | <font=3>é·æ¿ |
| 1135 | HÅen | <font=3>ä¿å»¶ |
| 1141 | Eiji | <font=3>永治 |
| 1142 | KÅji | <font=3>康治 |
| 1144 | Ten'yÅ | <font=3>å¤©é¤ |
| 1145 | KyÅ«an | <font=3>ä¹ å® |
| 1151 | Ninpei | <font=3>ä»å¹³ |
| 1154 | KyÅ«ju | <font=3>ä¹ å¯¿ |
| 1156 | HÅgen | <font=3>ä¿å |
| 1159 | Heiji | <font=3>平治 |
| 1160 | Eiryaku | <font=3>æ°¸æ¦ |
| 1161 | ÅhÅ | <font=3>å¿ä¿ |
| 1163 | ChÅkan | <font=3>é·å¯ |
| 1165 | Eiman | <font=3>æ°¸ä¸ |
| 1166 | Ninnan | <font=3>ä»å® |
| 1169 | KaÅ | <font=3>åå¿ |
| 1171 | JÅan | <font=3>æ¿å® |
| 1175 | Angen | <font=3>å®å |
| 1177 | JishÅ | <font=3>æ²»æ¿ |
| 1181 | YÅwa | <font=3>é¤å |
| 1182 | Juei | <font=3>寿永 |
| 1184 | Genryaku | <font=3>å æ¦ |
Middle Ages (1185 to 1573)
The Kamakura Period (>éåæ代) 1185 - 1333
| First year (gannen) | Name | Kanji |
| 1185 | Bunji | <font=3>ææ²» |
| 1190 | KenkyÅ« | <font=3>å»ºä¹ |
| 1199 | ShÅji | <font=3>æ£æ²» |
| 1201 | Kennin | <font=3>å»ºä» |
| 1204 | GenkyÅ« | <font=3>å ä¹ |
| 1206 | Ken'ei | <font=3>建永 |
| 1207 | JÅgen | <font=3>æ¿å |
| 1211 | Kenryaku | <font=3>å»ºæ¦ |
| 1213 | KenpÅ | <font=3>å»ºä¿ |
| 1219 | JÅkyÅ« | <font=3>æ¿ä¹ |
| 1222 | JÅÅ | <font=3>è²å¿ |
| 1224 | Gennin | <font=3>å ä» |
| 1225 | Karoku | <font=3>åç¦ |
| 1227 | Antei | <font=3>å®è² |
| 1229 | Kanki | <font=3>å¯å |
| 1232 | JÅei | <font=3>è²æ°¸ |
| 1233 | Tenpuku | <font=3>å¤©ç¦ |
| 1234 | Bunryaku | <font=3>ææ¦ |
| 1235 | Katei | <font=3>åç¦ |
| 1238 | Ryakunin | <font=3>æ¦ä» |
| 1239 | En'Å | <font=3>å»¶å¿ |
| 1240 | Ninji | <font=3>ä»æ²» |
| 1243 | Kangen | <font=3>å¯å |
| 1247 | HÅji | <font=3>å®æ²» |
| 1249 | KenchÅ | <font=3>å»ºé· |
| 1256 | KÅgen | <font=3>康å |
| 1257 | ShÅka | <font=3>æ£å |
| 1259 | ShÅgen | <font=3>æ£å |
| 1260 | Bun'Å | <font=3>æå¿ |
| 1261 | KÅcho | <font=3>å¼é· |
| 1264 | Bun'ei | <font=3>ææ°¸ |
| 1275 | Kenji | <font=3>建治 |
| 1278 | KÅan | <font=3>å¼å® |
| 1288 | ShÅÅ | <font=3>æ£å¿ |
| 1293 | Einin | <font=3>æ°¸ä» |
| 1299 | ShÅan | <font=3>æ£å® |
| 1302 | Kengen | <font=3>ä¹¾å |
| 1303 | Kagen | <font=3>åå |
| 1306 | Tokuji | <font=3>徳治 |
| 1308 | Enkei | <font=3>å»¶æ ¶ |
| 1311 | ÅchÅ | <font=3>å¿é· |
| 1312 | ShÅwa | <font=3>æ£å |
| 1317 | BunpÅ | <font=3>æä¿ |
| 1319 | Gen'Å | <font=3>å å¿ |
| 1321 | GenkyÅ | <font=3>å 亨 |
| 1324 | ShÅchÅ« | <font=3>æ£ä¸ |
| 1326 | Karyaku | <font=3>åæ¦ |
| 1329 | Gentoku | <font=3>å å¾³ |
| 1331 | GenkÅ | <font=3>å å¼ |
The Muromachi Period (室çºæ代) 1333 - 1573
Nanbokucho Period (ååææ代) 1336 - 1392
During this time, Japan was divided between the rival Southern and Northern Imperial courts, each with their own eras. It was decided in 1910 that the Southern Court had been the legitimate court during the period,[5] so the "Southern era" names are provided in official lists. However, as the "Northern era" names were actually used in most of the country, these are also provided.
- Southern Court
| First year (gannen) | Name | Kanji |
| 1334 | Kemmu | <font=3>å»ºæ¦ |
| 1336 | Engen | <font=3>延å |
| 1340 | KÅkoku | <font=3>èå½ |
| 1346 | ShÅhei | <font=3>æ£å¹³ |
| 1370 | Kentoku | <font=3>建徳 |
| 1372 | BunchÅ« | <font=3>æä¸ |
| 1375 | Tenju | <font=3>天æ |
| 1381 | KÅwa | <font=3>å¼å |
| 1384 | GenchÅ« | <font=3>å ä¸ |
- Northern Court
| First year (gannen) | Name | Kanji |
| 1338 | RyakuÅ | <font=3>æ¦å¿ |
| 1342 | KÅei | <font=3>康永 |
| 1345 | JÅwa | <font=3>è²å |
| 1350 | KannÅ | <font=3>è¦³å¿ |
| 1352 | Bunna | <font=3>æå |
| 1356 | Enbun | <font=3>延æ |
| 1361 | KÅan | <font=3>åº·å® |
| 1362 | JÅji | <font=3>è²æ²» |
| 1368 | Åan | <font=3>å¿å® |
| 1375 | Eiwa | <font=3>æ°¸å |
| 1379 | KÅryaku | <font=3>åº·æ¦ |
| 1381 | Eitoku | <font=3>永徳 |
| 1384 | Shitoku | <font=3>è³å¾³ |
| 1387 | Kakei | <font=3>åæ ¶ |
| 1389 | KÅÅ | <font=3>åº·å¿ |
| 1390 | Meitoku | <font=3>æå¾³ |
Upon reunification in 1393, Genchū 9 became Meitoku 3.
Remainder of the Muromachi Period (室çºæ代) 1393 - 1573
| First year (gannen) | Name | Kanji |
| 1394 | Åei | <font=3>å¿æ°¸ |
| 1428 | ShÅchÅ | <font=3>æ£é· |
| 1429 | EikyŠ| <font=3>永享 |
| 1441 | Kakitsu | <font=3>åå |
| 1444 | Bun'an | <font=3>æå® |
| 1449 | HÅtoku | <font=3>å®å¾³ |
| 1452 | KyÅtoku | <font=3>享徳 |
| 1455 | KÅshÅ | <font=3>åº·æ£ |
| 1457 | ChÅroku | <font=3>é·ç¦ |
| 1460 | KanshÅ | <font=3>å¯æ£ |
| 1466 | BunshÅ | <font=3>ææ£ |
| 1467 | Ånin | <font=3>å¿ä» |
| 1469 | Bunmei | <font=3>ææ |
| 1487 | ChÅkyÅ | <font=3>é·äº« |
| 1489 | Entoku | <font=3>延徳 |
| 1492 | MeiÅ | <font=3>æå¿ |
| 1501 | Bunki | <font=3>æäº |
| 1504 | EishÅ | <font=3>æ°¸æ£ |
| 1521 | Daiei | <font=3>大永 |
| 1528 | KyÅroku | <font=3>äº«ç¦ |
| 1532 | Tenbun | <font=3>天æ |
| 1555 | KÅji | <font=3>å¼æ²» |
| 1558 | Eiroku | <font=3>æ°¸ç¦ |
| 1570 | Genki | <font=3>å äº |
Early Modern Ages (1573 to 1868)
Azuchi-Momoyama (å®åæ¡å±±) 1573 - 1603
| First year (gannen) | Name | Kanji |
| 1573 | TenshÅ | <font=3>å¤©æ£ |
| 1592 | Bunroku | <font=3>æç¦ |
| 1596 | KeichÅ | <font=3>æ ¶é· |
The Edo Period (æ±æ¸æ代) 1603 - 1868
| First year (gannen) | Name | Kanji |
| 1615 | Genna | <font=3>å å |
| 1624 | Kan'ei | <font=3>å¯æ°¸ |
| 1644 | ShÅhÅ | <font=3>æ£ä¿ |
| 1648 | Keian | <font=3>æ ¶å® |
| 1652 | JÅÅ | <font=3>æ¿å¿ |
| 1655 | Meireki | <font=3>ææ¦ |
| 1658 | Manji | <font=3>ä¸æ²» |
| 1661 | Kanbun | <font=3>å¯æ |
| 1673 | EnpÅ | <font=3>å»¶å® |
| 1681 | Tenna | <font=3>天å |
| 1684 | JÅkyÅ | <font=3>è²äº« |
| 1688 | Genroku | <font=3>å ç¦ |
| 1704 | HÅei | <font=3>å®æ°¸ |
| 1711 | ShÅtoku | <font=3>æ£å¾³ |
| 1716 | KyÅhÅ | <font=3>äº«ä¿ |
| 1736 | Genbun | <font=3>å æ |
| 1741 | KanpÅ | <font=3>å¯ä¿ |
| 1744 | EnkyŠ| <font=3>延享 |
| 1748 | Kan'en | <font=3>å¯å»¶ |
| 1751 | HÅreki | <font=3>å®æ¦ |
| 1764 | Meiwa | <font=3>æå |
| 1772 | An'ei | <font=3>å®æ°¸ |
| 1781 | Tenmei | <font=3>天æ |
| 1789 | Kansei | <font=3>å¯æ¿ |
| 1801 | KyÅwa | <font=3>享å |
| 1804 | Bunka | <font=3>æå |
| 1818 | Bunsei | <font=3>ææ¿ |
| 1830 | TenpÅ | <font=3>å¤©ä¿ |
| 1844 | KÅka | <font=3>å¼å |
| 1848 | Kaei | <font=3>åæ°¸ |
The Modern Age (è¿ä»£) 1868 - 1945
| First year (gannen) | Name | Kanji |
| 1868 | Meiji | <font=3>ææ²» |
| 1912 | TaishÅ | <font=3>å¤§æ£ |
| 1926 | ShÅwa | <font=3>æå |
The Present (ç¾ä»£) 1945 -
| First year (gannen) | Name | Kanji |
| 1989 | Heisei | <font=3>å¹³æ |
External Links
Convert from Gregorian years to Japanese nengÅ and vice versa
References
- â http://www.ndl.go.jp/koyomi/e/
- â Ryusaku Tsunoda, et. al., comp., Sources of Japanese Tradition, Columbia University Press, 1958
- â Aston, W. G., trans., Nihongi : chronicles of Japan from the earliest times to A.D. 697, London : Allen and Unwin
- â Varley, H. Paul , "A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: JinnÅ ShÅtÅki of Kitabatake Chikafusa" translated by H. Paul Varley). New York: Columbia University Press, 1980
- â Morris, Ivan. The Nobility of Failure: Tragic Heroes in the History of Japan, New American Library, 1975.