Age ChartBorn in 1929 (Shōwa 4)
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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 1929 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1929 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1935 (Shōwa 10) | 1936 (Shōwa 11) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1941 (Shōwa 16) | 1942 (Shōwa 17) |
| Junior high school entry | 1941 (Shōwa 16) | 1942 (Shōwa 17) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1944 (Shōwa 19) | 1945 (Shōwa 20) |
| High school entry | 1944 (Shōwa 19) | 1945 (Shōwa 20) |
| High school graduation | 1947 (Shōwa 22) | 1948 (Shōwa 23) |
| University entry | 1947 (Shōwa 22) | 1948 (Shōwa 23) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1951 (Shōwa 26) | 1952 (Shōwa 27) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1947 (Shōwa 22) |
| Turns 20 | 1949 (Shōwa 24) |
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 | 1989 (Shōwa 64 / Heisei 1) | 1988 (Shōwa 63) |
| Koki | 70 | 1999 (Heisei 11) | 1998 (Heisei 10) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2006 (Heisei 18) | 2005 (Heisei 17) |
| Sanju | 80 | 2009 (Heisei 21) | 2008 (Heisei 20) |
| Beiju | 88 | 2017 (Heisei 29) | 2016 (Heisei 28) |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2019 (Heisei 31 / Reiwa 1) | 2018 (Heisei 30) |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2028 | 2027 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2029 | 2028 |
Other years of the Snake
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 1929 (Shōwa 4, year of the Snake) are 97 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 96.