Age ChartBorn in 1952 (Shōwa 27)
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 1952 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1952 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1958 (Shōwa 33) | 1959 (Shōwa 34) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1964 (Shōwa 39) | 1965 (Shōwa 40) |
| Junior high school entry | 1964 (Shōwa 39) | 1965 (Shōwa 40) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1967 (Shōwa 42) | 1968 (Shōwa 43) |
| High school entry | 1967 (Shōwa 42) | 1968 (Shōwa 43) |
| High school graduation | 1970 (Shōwa 45) | 1971 (Shōwa 46) |
| University entry | 1970 (Shōwa 45) | 1971 (Shōwa 46) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1974 (Shōwa 49) | 1975 (Shōwa 50) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1970 (Shōwa 45) |
| Turns 20 | 1972 (Shōwa 47) |
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 | 2012 (Heisei 24) | 2011 (Heisei 23) |
| Koki | 70 | 2022 (Reiwa 4) | 2021 (Reiwa 3) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2029 | 2028 |
| Sanju | 80 | 2032 | 2031 |
| Beiju | 88 | 2040 | 2039 |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2042 | 2041 |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2051 | 2050 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2052 | 2051 |
Other years of the Dragon
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 1952 (Shōwa 27, year of the Dragon) are 74 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 73.