How to Read Japanese Coin Dates: Imperial Era System Explained

Japanese coins and many collectibles use the imperial year system (元号, gengō). Here’s how to read the dates you’ll see on coins, medals, and packaging.

1. Why Japan uses imperial years

Since the late 7th century Japan has named periods after the reigning emperor. The year resets to 1 when a new era begins. So "Showa 60" means the 60th year of the Showa era, not 1960.

2. The five modern eras

• Meiji (明治) — 1868–1912
• Taisho (大正) — 1912–1926
• Showa (昭和) — 1926–1989
• Heisei (平成) — 1989–2019
• Reiwa (令和) — 2019–present

3. Conversion formula

Gregorian year = era start year + imperial year − 1. Example: Showa started in 1926, so Showa 60 = 1926 + 60 − 1 = 1985.

4. Examples

Showa 60 = 1985 · Reiwa 6 = 2024 · Heisei 31 = 2019.

5. Where the date appears

On most modern Japanese coins the year appears in kanji on the obverse, often with the era name (e.g. 昭和六十年).

6. Can’t decode it?

Use our translation tool: upload a photo of the inscription and get the translation plus cultural context.