Age ChartBorn in 1938 (Shōwa 13)
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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 1938 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1938 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1944 (Shōwa 19) | 1945 (Shōwa 20) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1950 (Shōwa 25) | 1951 (Shōwa 26) |
| Junior high school entry | 1950 (Shōwa 25) | 1951 (Shōwa 26) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1953 (Shōwa 28) | 1954 (Shōwa 29) |
| High school entry | 1953 (Shōwa 28) | 1954 (Shōwa 29) |
| High school graduation | 1956 (Shōwa 31) | 1957 (Shōwa 32) |
| University entry | 1956 (Shōwa 31) | 1957 (Shōwa 32) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1960 (Shōwa 35) | 1961 (Shōwa 36) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1956 (Shōwa 31) |
| Turns 20 | 1958 (Shōwa 33) |
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 | 1998 (Heisei 10) | 1997 (Heisei 9) |
| Koki | 70 | 2008 (Heisei 20) | 2007 (Heisei 19) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2015 (Heisei 27) | 2014 (Heisei 26) |
| Sanju | 80 | 2018 (Heisei 30) | 2017 (Heisei 29) |
| Beiju | 88 | 2026 (Reiwa 8) | 2025 (Reiwa 7) |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2028 | 2027 |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2037 | 2036 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2038 | 2037 |
Other years of the Tiger
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 1938 (Shōwa 13, year of the Tiger) are 88 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 87.