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Japanese Age Calculator

Calculate your age in the Japanese traditional system — find your Kazoedoshi age, Japanese Era (Gengō), and more!

🗓️ Enter Your Date of Birth


🔸 You are 1 year old at birth (not 0)

🔸 Age increases every January 1st (not on your birthday)

🔸 Your Kazoedoshi age is ${kazoedoshi} — ${kazoedoshi - westernAge} year${kazoedoshi - westernAge !== 1 ? 's' : ''} more than Western age


📝 Note: Japan officially switched to Western age system in 1902, but Kazoedoshi is still used in traditional ceremonies, New Year celebrations, and some Buddhist rituals.

`;// Fun Facts buildFunFacts(westernAge, kazoedoshi, zodiac, birthEra, season, y);// Show results document.getElementById('jacResults').style.display = 'block'; document.getElementById('jacResults').scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'start' }); };// ── Build Timeline ──────────────────────────────────────── function buildTimeline(birth, today) { const container = document.getElementById('resEraTimeline'); container.innerHTML = '';ERAS.forEach(era => { const eraEnd = era.end || today; if (birth > eraEnd) return;const isActive = (era.end === null) || (today >= era.start && today <= era.end); const bornInEra = birth >= era.start; const startYear = bornInEra ? birth.getFullYear() : era.start.getFullYear(); const endYear = (era.end && era.end < today) ? era.end.getFullYear() : today.getFullYear(); const yearsLived = endYear - startYear + (bornInEra ? 0 : 1);const item = document.createElement('div'); item.className = 'jac-timeline-item' + (isActive ? ' active' : ''); item.innerHTML = `
${era.kanji} ${era.name} Era (${era.roman}) ${bornInEra ? `You were born in this era` : `Era started before your birth`} — lived approximately ${yearsLived} year${yearsLived !== 1 ? 's' : ''} in this era ${isActive ? ' (Current Era ✓)' : ''}
`; container.appendChild(item); }); }// ── Build Fun Facts ─────────────────────────────────────── function buildFunFacts(western, kazoe, zodiac, birthEra, season, birthYear) { const ul = document.getElementById('resFunFacts'); ul.innerHTML = '';const facts = [ `🎌 In Japan, you would be called ${kazoe} years old in traditional ceremonies`, `🐉 Your Japanese Zodiac is the ${zodiac.emoji} ${zodiac.name} — ${zodiac.desc}`, `🌸 You were born in ${season.name} — Japanese season: ${season.jp}`, `🏯 You were born in the ${birthEra ? birthEra.name : 'Showa'} Era of Japan`, `🎋 In Japan, age ${western} is written as ${western}歳 (${western} sai)`, `🎍 The Japanese New Year (正月 Shōgatsu) is the most important time — your Kazoedoshi increases then!`, ];if (western >= 20) facts.push(`🍶 In Japan, 20 years old (成人式 Seijin-shiki) is the Coming of Age ceremony — a major milestone!`); if (western >= 60) facts.push(`🎊 At 60 years old (還暦 Kanreki), Japanese celebrate completing one full zodiac cycle — a grand birthday!`); if (western >= 70) facts.push(`🌟 At 70 years old (古希 Koki), Japanese celebrate with special traditions from ancient Chinese poetry!`); if (western >= 77) facts.push(`🎉 At 77 years old (喜寿 Kiju), the character 喜 (joy) resembles 七十七 — a special Japanese celebration!`); if (western >= 88) facts.push(`✨ At 88 years old (米寿 Beiju), the character 米 (rice) resembles 八十八 — rice is sacred in Japan!`); if (western >= 99) facts.push(`👑 At 99 years old (白寿 Hakuju), removing one stroke from 百 (100) gives 白 (white) — incredibly rare milestone!`);facts.forEach(f => { const li = document.createElement('li'); li.innerHTML = f; ul.appendChild(li); }); }// ── Copy ────────────────────────────────────────────────── window.copyJACResult = function() { const westernAge = document.getElementById('resWesternAge').textContent; const kazoe = document.getElementById('resKazoedoshi').textContent; const era = document.getElementById('resEraName').textContent; const eraYear = document.getElementById('resEraYear').textContent; const zodiac = document.getElementById('resZodiac').textContent;const text = `Japanese Age Calculator Results: Western Age: ${westernAge} years old Kazoedoshi (Traditional Japanese): ${kazoe} years old Current Japanese Era: ${era} ${eraYear} Japanese Zodiac: ${zodiac}`;navigator.clipboard.writeText(text) .then(() => showToast('✅ Copied!')) .catch(() => showToast('❌ Copy failed')); };// ── Share ───────────────────────────────────────────────── window.shareJACResult = function() { const westernAge = document.getElementById('resWesternAge').textContent; const kazoe = document.getElementById('resKazoedoshi').textContent; const era = document.getElementById('resEraName').textContent; const zodiac = document.getElementById('resZodiac').textContent;const text = `I calculated my Japanese age! 🎌 Western: ${westernAge} years | Kazoedoshi: ${kazoe} | Era: ${era} | Zodiac: ${zodiac}`;if (navigator.share) { navigator.share({ title: 'Japanese Age Calculator', text }).catch(() => {}); } else { showToast('📋 Use Copy instead!'); } };// ── Reset ───────────────────────────────────────────────── window.resetJAC = function() { daySelect.value = ''; document.getElementById('jacMonth').value = ''; yearSelect.value = ''; document.getElementById('jacError').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('jacResults').style.display = 'none'; };// ── Toast ───────────────────────────────────────────────── function showToast(msg) { const t = document.createElement('div'); t.textContent = msg; t.style.cssText = 'position:fixed;bottom:24px;left:50%;transform:translateX(-50%);background:#C62828;color:#fff;padding:12px 20px;border-radius:10px;font-size:14px;font-weight:600;z-index:9999;box-shadow:0 4px 15px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);'; document.body.appendChild(t); setTimeout(() => t.remove(), 2200); }})();

How the Japanese Age Calculator Works

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Step 1

Enter your date of birth

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Step 2

Click Calculate Japanese Age

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Step 3

See your Japanese Era & Kazoedoshi

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Step 4

Discover your Zodiac & fun facts

Why Use Japanese Age Calculator

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Japanese Era System

Find your exact Reiwa, Heisei, Showa, Taisho or Meiji era year instantly

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Kazoedoshi Age

Get your traditional Japanese age used in ceremonies and cultural events

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Japanese Zodiac

Discover your Japanese zodiac animal and its unique personality traits

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Birth Season

Know your Japanese birth season with traditional Japanese season names

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Era Timeline

See which Japanese historical eras you have lived through in your lifetime

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Mobile Friendly

Works perfectly on all devices — phone, tablet and desktop

Japanese Age Calculator: Calculate Your Age the Japanese Way

Japan has one of the most unique age-counting systems in the world. If you’ve ever wondered how old you would be in Japan, or what Japanese era you were born in, our Japanese Age Calculator gives you all the answers instantly.

What is Japanese Age?

In Japan, age is not always calculated the same way as in Western countries. Japan actually has two different age systems — the modern Western system and the traditional Kazoedoshi system. Both are still used today in different situations, making it important to understand both.

The Two Japanese Age Systems

1. Western Age (満年齢 — Man-nenrei) This is the same system used worldwide. You are 0 years old at birth and gain one year on each birthday. Japan officially adopted this system in 1902 and it is used in legal, official, and everyday situations today.

2. Kazoedoshi Age (数え年) This is the traditional Japanese age system. In Kazoedoshi, you are considered 1 year old the moment you are born. Then, your age increases every January 1st (New Year’s Day) rather than on your actual birthday. This means a baby born on December 31st would turn 2 years old the very next day on January 1st!

For example — if your Western age is 25, your Kazoedoshi age is either 25 or 26 depending on whether January 1st has passed since your last birthday.

Kazoedoshi is still used today in traditional ceremonies, Buddhist rituals, and some New Year celebrations across Japan.

Japanese Era System (元号 — Gengō)

One of the most fascinating parts of the Japanese calendar is the Era System. Japan counts years according to the reign of its Emperor, giving each era a special name and meaning. The current five modern eras are:

  • 🏯 Meiji (明治) — 1868 to 1912 — “Enlightened Rule”
  • 🏯 Taisho (大正) — 1912 to 1926 — “Great Righteousness”
  • 🏯 Showa (昭和) — 1926 to 1989 — “Radiant Japan”
  • 🏯 Heisei (平成) — 1989 to 2019 — “Achieving Peace”
  • 🏯 Reiwa (令和) — 2019 to present — “Beautiful Harmony”

So if you were born in 1990, you were born in Heisei 2 (平成2年). If you were born in 2000, that was Heisei 12. The era year always restarts from 1 when a new Emperor begins their reign.

Our calculator automatically detects which era you were born in and which era you are currently living in.

Japanese Zodiac (干支 — Eto)

Japan also uses the 12-year Chinese Zodiac cycle, known as Eto (干支) in Japanese. Each year is represented by an animal — Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Your birth year determines your zodiac animal, which carries special personality traits and characteristics in Japanese culture.

Special Japanese Age Milestones

Japan celebrates several important age milestones with traditional ceremonies:

  • 🎊 20 years — Seijin-shiki (成人式) — Coming of Age Day, a national holiday
  • 🎊 60 years — Kanreki (還暦) — Completing one full zodiac cycle, celebrated with red clothing
  • 🎊 70 years — Koki (古希) — Rare longevity celebration from ancient Chinese poetry
  • 🎊 77 years — Kiju (喜寿) — The character 喜 resembles 七十七 in Japanese writing
  • 🎊 88 years — Beiju (米寿) — The character 米 (rice) represents 八十八
  • 🎊 99 years — Hakuju (白寿) — Removing one stroke from 百 (100) gives 白 (white)

How to Use Our Japanese Age Calculator

Using our calculator is very simple:

  1. Select your Day, Month, and Year of birth
  2. Click “Calculate Japanese Age”
  3. Instantly see your Western age, Kazoedoshi age, Japanese Era, Zodiac animal, birth season, and era timeline

Why Use This Calculator?

Whether you are studying Japanese culture, planning a trip to Japan, filling out Japanese documents, or simply curious about your age in the Japanese system — this calculator gives you everything you need in seconds. It is completely free, works on all devices, and requires no registration.

Discover your Japanese identity today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about Japanese Age Calculator

What is Japanese age and how is it different from Western age?

Japanese age has two systems. The modern system (Man-nenrei) works like Western age — you are 0 at birth and gain one year on your birthday. The traditional system (Kazoedoshi) counts you as 1 at birth and adds a year every January 1st instead of your birthday.

What is Kazoedoshi age?

Kazoedoshi (数え年) is the traditional Japanese age system. You are considered 1 year old at birth and your age increases every New Year's Day (January 1st). This means your Kazoedoshi age is always 1 or 2 years more than your Western age depending on the time of year.

What is the Japanese Era system (Gengō)?

Japan uses an era system based on the Emperor's reign. Each era has a unique name and year count. The current era is Reiwa (令和), which started on May 1, 2019. Previous eras include Heisei, Showa, Taisho, and Meiji. Years are counted from 1 at the start of each new era.

What is the current Japanese era in 2025?

The current Japanese era is Reiwa (令和). It started on May 1, 2019 when Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne. The year 2025 is Reiwa 7 (令和7年) in the Japanese calendar system.

How do I find my Japanese zodiac sign?

Your Japanese zodiac (Eto — 干支) is determined by your birth year. Japan uses the same 12-year cycle as the Chinese zodiac — Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Our calculator automatically shows your zodiac animal based on your birth year.

Does Japan still use Kazoedoshi age today?

Japan officially uses the Western age system for legal and official purposes since 1902. However, Kazoedoshi is still used in traditional ceremonies, Buddhist rituals, New Year celebrations, and some cultural events. Our calculator shows both ages so you have the complete picture.

What are the special age milestones in Japan?

Japan celebrates several special ages — 20 years (Seijin-shiki Coming of Age), 60 years (Kanreki completing one zodiac cycle), 70 years (Koki), 77 years (Kiju), 88 years (Beiju), and 99 years (Hakuju). Each milestone has unique traditions and celebrations.

Is this Japanese age calculator free to use?

Yes, completely free! No registration, no hidden fees, no premium version. Use it unlimited times to calculate your Japanese age, era year, Kazoedoshi age, and zodiac sign anytime you want.

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