Age ChartBorn in 1939 (Shōwa 14)
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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 1939 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1939 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1945 (Shōwa 20) | 1946 (Shōwa 21) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1951 (Shōwa 26) | 1952 (Shōwa 27) |
| Junior high school entry | 1951 (Shōwa 26) | 1952 (Shōwa 27) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1954 (Shōwa 29) | 1955 (Shōwa 30) |
| High school entry | 1954 (Shōwa 29) | 1955 (Shōwa 30) |
| High school graduation | 1957 (Shōwa 32) | 1958 (Shōwa 33) |
| University entry | 1957 (Shōwa 32) | 1958 (Shōwa 33) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1961 (Shōwa 36) | 1962 (Shōwa 37) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1957 (Shōwa 32) |
| Turns 20 | 1959 (Shōwa 34) |
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 | 1999 (Heisei 11) | 1998 (Heisei 10) |
| Koki | 70 | 2009 (Heisei 21) | 2008 (Heisei 20) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2016 (Heisei 28) | 2015 (Heisei 27) |
| Sanju | 80 | 2019 (Heisei 31 / Reiwa 1) | 2018 (Heisei 30) |
| Beiju | 88 | 2027 | 2026 (Reiwa 8) |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2029 | 2028 |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2038 | 2037 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2039 | 2038 |
Other years of the Rabbit
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 1939 (Shōwa 14, year of the Rabbit) are 87 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 86.