Age ChartBorn in 1928 (Shōwa 3)
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School years in Japan
In Japan a school year starts on 1 April; children born from 2 April to 1 April of the next year are in the same grade.
| Born 1 Jan – 1 Apr 1928 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1928 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1934 (Shōwa 9) | 1935 (Shōwa 10) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1940 (Shōwa 15) | 1941 (Shōwa 16) |
| Junior high school entry | 1940 (Shōwa 15) | 1941 (Shōwa 16) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1943 (Shōwa 18) | 1944 (Shōwa 19) |
| High school entry | 1943 (Shōwa 18) | 1944 (Shōwa 19) |
| High school graduation | 1946 (Shōwa 21) | 1947 (Shōwa 22) |
| University entry | 1946 (Shōwa 21) | 1947 (Shōwa 22) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1950 (Shōwa 25) | 1951 (Shōwa 26) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1946 (Shōwa 21) |
| Turns 20 | 1948 (Shōwa 23) |
Traditional longevity celebrations
Customs differ: celebrations are held either in the year of the full age or, traditionally, by the old count in which a person is 1 at birth.
| Celebration | Age | Year (full age) | Year (traditional count) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanreki | 60 | 1988 (Shōwa 63) | 1987 (Shōwa 62) |
| Koki | 70 | 1998 (Heisei 10) | 1997 (Heisei 9) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2005 (Heisei 17) | 2004 (Heisei 16) |
| Sanju | 80 | 2008 (Heisei 20) | 2007 (Heisei 19) |
| Beiju | 88 | 2016 (Heisei 28) | 2015 (Heisei 27) |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2018 (Heisei 30) | 2017 (Heisei 29) |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2027 | 2026 (Reiwa 8) |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2028 | 2027 |
Other years of the Dragon
Method
Ages are computed from today’s date in Japan time. ‘Birthday passed’ means the birthday in the current year has already come. The traditional count adds one to the current year minus the birth year. Japanese era years follow the Era Name Act and the cabinet orders changing the era; in a year when the era changed, both names are shown. School years follow the School Education Act and the Act on Age Calculation (a person reaches an age on the day before the birthday, so those born on 1 April join the earlier grade). Adulthood follows Article 4 of the Civil Code.
About this page
People born in 1928 (Shōwa 3, year of the Dragon) are 98 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 97.