Age ChartBorn in 1937 (Shōwa 12)
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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 1937 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1937 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1943 (Shōwa 18) | 1944 (Shōwa 19) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1949 (Shōwa 24) | 1950 (Shōwa 25) |
| Junior high school entry | 1949 (Shōwa 24) | 1950 (Shōwa 25) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1952 (Shōwa 27) | 1953 (Shōwa 28) |
| High school entry | 1952 (Shōwa 27) | 1953 (Shōwa 28) |
| High school graduation | 1955 (Shōwa 30) | 1956 (Shōwa 31) |
| University entry | 1955 (Shōwa 30) | 1956 (Shōwa 31) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1959 (Shōwa 34) | 1960 (Shōwa 35) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1955 (Shōwa 30) |
| Turns 20 | 1957 (Shōwa 32) |
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 | 1997 (Heisei 9) | 1996 (Heisei 8) |
| Koki | 70 | 2007 (Heisei 19) | 2006 (Heisei 18) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2014 (Heisei 26) | 2013 (Heisei 25) |
| Sanju | 80 | 2017 (Heisei 29) | 2016 (Heisei 28) |
| Beiju | 88 | 2025 (Reiwa 7) | 2024 (Reiwa 6) |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2027 | 2026 (Reiwa 8) |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2036 | 2035 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2037 | 2036 |
Other years of the Ox
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 1937 (Shōwa 12, year of the Ox) are 89 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 88.