Age ChartBorn in 1951 (Shōwa 26)
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 1951 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1951 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1957 (Shōwa 32) | 1958 (Shōwa 33) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1963 (Shōwa 38) | 1964 (Shōwa 39) |
| Junior high school entry | 1963 (Shōwa 38) | 1964 (Shōwa 39) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1966 (Shōwa 41) | 1967 (Shōwa 42) |
| High school entry | 1966 (Shōwa 41) | 1967 (Shōwa 42) |
| High school graduation | 1969 (Shōwa 44) | 1970 (Shōwa 45) |
| University entry | 1969 (Shōwa 44) | 1970 (Shōwa 45) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1973 (Shōwa 48) | 1974 (Shōwa 49) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1969 (Shōwa 44) |
| Turns 20 | 1971 (Shōwa 46) |
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 | 2011 (Heisei 23) | 2010 (Heisei 22) |
| Koki | 70 | 2021 (Reiwa 3) | 2020 (Reiwa 2) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2028 | 2027 |
| Sanju | 80 | 2031 | 2030 |
| Beiju | 88 | 2039 | 2038 |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2041 | 2040 |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2050 | 2049 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2051 | 2050 |
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 1951 (Shōwa 26, year of the Rabbit) are 75 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 74.