Age ChartBorn in 1961 (Shōwa 36)
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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 1961 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1961 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 1967 (Shōwa 42) | 1968 (Shōwa 43) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 1973 (Shōwa 48) | 1974 (Shōwa 49) |
| Junior high school entry | 1973 (Shōwa 48) | 1974 (Shōwa 49) |
| Junior high school graduation | 1976 (Shōwa 51) | 1977 (Shōwa 52) |
| High school entry | 1976 (Shōwa 51) | 1977 (Shōwa 52) |
| High school graduation | 1979 (Shōwa 54) | 1980 (Shōwa 55) |
| University entry | 1979 (Shōwa 54) | 1980 (Shōwa 55) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 1983 (Shōwa 58) | 1984 (Shōwa 59) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 1979 (Shōwa 54) |
| Turns 20 | 1981 (Shōwa 56) |
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 | 2021 (Reiwa 3) | 2020 (Reiwa 2) |
| Koki | 70 | 2031 | 2030 |
| Kiju | 77 | 2038 | 2037 |
| Sanju | 80 | 2041 | 2040 |
| Beiju | 88 | 2049 | 2048 |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2051 | 2050 |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2060 | 2059 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2061 | 2060 |
Other years of the Ox
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 1961 (Shōwa 36, year of the Ox) are 65 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 64.