Age ChartBorn in 1953 (Shōwa 28)
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 1953 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1953 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1959 (Shōwa 34) | 1960 (Shōwa 35) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1965 (Shōwa 40) | 1966 (Shōwa 41) |
| Junior high school entry | 1965 (Shōwa 40) | 1966 (Shōwa 41) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1968 (Shōwa 43) | 1969 (Shōwa 44) |
| High school entry | 1968 (Shōwa 43) | 1969 (Shōwa 44) |
| High school graduation | 1971 (Shōwa 46) | 1972 (Shōwa 47) |
| University entry | 1971 (Shōwa 46) | 1972 (Shōwa 47) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1975 (Shōwa 50) | 1976 (Shōwa 51) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1971 (Shōwa 46) |
| Turns 20 | 1973 (Shōwa 48) |
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 | 2013 (Heisei 25) | 2012 (Heisei 24) |
| Koki | 70 | 2023 (Reiwa 5) | 2022 (Reiwa 4) |
| Kiju | 77 | 2030 | 2029 |
| Sanju | 80 | 2033 | 2032 |
| Beiju | 88 | 2041 | 2040 |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2043 | 2042 |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2052 | 2051 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2053 | 2052 |
Other years of the Snake
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 1953 (Shōwa 28, year of the Snake) are 73 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 72.