Age ChartBorn in 1948 (Shōwa 23)
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 1948 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1948 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1954 (Shōwa 29) | 1955 (Shōwa 30) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1960 (Shōwa 35) | 1961 (Shōwa 36) |
| Junior high school entry | 1960 (Shōwa 35) | 1961 (Shōwa 36) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1963 (Shōwa 38) | 1964 (Shōwa 39) |
| High school entry | 1963 (Shōwa 38) | 1964 (Shōwa 39) |
| High school graduation | 1966 (Shōwa 41) | 1967 (Shōwa 42) |
| University entry | 1966 (Shōwa 41) | 1967 (Shōwa 42) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1970 (Shōwa 45) | 1971 (Shōwa 46) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1966 (Shōwa 41) |
| Turns 20 | 1968 (Shōwa 43) |
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 | 2008 (Heisei 20) | 2007 (Heisei 19) |
| Koki | 70 | 2018 (Heisei 30) | 2017 (Heisei 29) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2025 (Reiwa 7) | 2024 (Reiwa 6) |
| Sanju | 80 | 2028 | 2027 |
| Beiju | 88 | 2036 | 2035 |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2038 | 2037 |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2047 | 2046 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2048 | 2047 |
Other years of the Rat
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 1948 (Shōwa 23, year of the Rat) are 78 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 77.