👑 Japan Gengo Lookup (元号)

A 元号 (gengō) is the Japanese era name used to count years. Since 1868 every emperor's reign has had a single gengō that begins at accession and ends at death or abdication. The system is unique among modern nations - Japan still prints the era name on currency, newspapers, and official documents alongside the Western year.

The five modern eras are Meiji (明治), Taishō (大正), Shōwa (昭和), Heisei (平成), and Reiwa (令和). Each name is drawn from classical Chinese literature and chosen for auspicious, peaceful meanings. Before Meiji, era names changed much more frequently and were often selected for supernatural or political reasons.

The name is chosen by a panel of experts from a classical text, and the two kanji are meant to convey hope and stability. If you have a Western year and want the era year, our era converter does the math; this tool focuses on what each name means and when it applied.

The lookup table holds the five modern eras with their exact start and end dates. Pick an era from the list to see its full span, its length in years, and the source text of its name. The current era, Reiwa, has no end date yet, so its length is shown as "ongoing."

The meanings come from the kanji and their literary source. Reiwa (令和) is from the Manyōshū poetry anthology - 令 means "auspicious" or "good" and 和 means "peace" (also the "wa" of Japan). Heisei (平成) is from the Records of the Grand Historian and the Book of Documents, meaning "peace everywhere." Shōwa (昭和) means "radiant peace," Taishō (大正) "great righteousness," and Meiji (明治) "enlightened rule."

Shōwa is by far the longest modern era at 62 years, spanning World War II and the post-war boom - which is why "Shōwa retro" is such a recognisable cultural label. To connect an era to a birth year's zodiac, see the zodiac calculator, or check the public holidays that fall within each era.

1. Select an era name from the dropdown (Meiji to Reiwa).
2. Click Lookup to see its start and end dates.
3. Read the length of the era and the meaning of its two kanji.
4. Note the literary source of the name (e.g. Manyōshū for Reiwa).
5. Link it to a Western year using the era converter if needed.

What does 令和 (Reiwa) mean?

Reiwa means "beautiful harmony." 令 (rei) conveys auspiciousness and 和 (wa) means peace - also the "wa" in "Japan." It is the first era name drawn from a Japanese text (the Manyōshū poetry anthology) rather than a Chinese classic.

How long did the Shōwa era last?

Shōwa lasted 62 years (1926-1989), the longest of the modern eras. It covered World War II and Japan's post-war economic miracle.

Why do era names change?

Under the 元号法 (1979), a new gengō begins at the start of a new emperor's reign and lasts until the next. Before that, names could change for other reasons during a reign.

What do the kanji of era names mean?

They are chosen for peaceful, auspicious meanings from classical literature: Meiji = enlightened rule, Taishō = great righteousness, Shōwa = radiant peace, Heisei = peace everywhere, Reiwa = beautiful harmony.

Are there era names before Meiji?

Yes - Japan used gengō for over a thousand years before Meiji, often changing them frequently. Meiji (1868) began the modern system of one name per reign.

How do I convert a gengō year to Western?

Use our era converter: pick the era and type the year (元年 = 1) to get the Gregorian year.

When reading old Japanese books, photos, or government records, the gengō tells you the period at a glance - a film set in "Showa 30s" means the late 1950s, a time of rapid economic growth. The era name is also why Japanese people often identify historical events by emperor rather than Western decade.

Since the 元号法 (Era Name Act) of 1979, a new gengō is established only at the start of a reign and lasts until the next - there are no more mid-reign changes. The name is kept secret until the day it begins, to avoid political association. If you are dating a document, remember the era can change mid-year (Reiwa began 1 May 2019), so cross-check with our era converter for boundary years.