Age ChartBorn in 1942 (Shōwa 17)
Last updated:
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 1942 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1942 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1948 (Shōwa 23) | 1949 (Shōwa 24) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1954 (Shōwa 29) | 1955 (Shōwa 30) |
| Junior high school entry | 1954 (Shōwa 29) | 1955 (Shōwa 30) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1957 (Shōwa 32) | 1958 (Shōwa 33) |
| High school entry | 1957 (Shōwa 32) | 1958 (Shōwa 33) |
| High school graduation | 1960 (Shōwa 35) | 1961 (Shōwa 36) |
| University entry | 1960 (Shōwa 35) | 1961 (Shōwa 36) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1964 (Shōwa 39) | 1965 (Shōwa 40) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1960 (Shōwa 35) |
| Turns 20 | 1962 (Shōwa 37) |
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 | 2002 (Heisei 14) | 2001 (Heisei 13) |
| Koki | 70 | 2012 (Heisei 24) | 2011 (Heisei 23) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2019 (Heisei 31 / Reiwa 1) | 2018 (Heisei 30) |
| Sanju | 80 | 2022 (Reiwa 4) | 2021 (Reiwa 3) |
| Beiju | 88 | 2030 | 2029 |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2032 | 2031 |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2041 | 2040 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2042 | 2041 |
Other years of the Horse
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 1942 (Shōwa 17, year of the Horse) are 84 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 83.