Age ChartBorn in 1996 (Heisei 8)
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 1996 | Born 2 Apr – 31 Dec 1996 | |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary school entry (April) | 2002 (Heisei 14) | 2003 (Heisei 15) |
| Elementary school graduation (March) | 2008 (Heisei 20) | 2009 (Heisei 21) |
| Junior high school entry | 2008 (Heisei 20) | 2009 (Heisei 21) |
| Junior high school graduation | 2011 (Heisei 23) | 2012 (Heisei 24) |
| High school entry | 2011 (Heisei 23) | 2012 (Heisei 24) |
| High school graduation | 2014 (Heisei 26) | 2015 (Heisei 27) |
| University entry | 2014 (Heisei 26) | 2015 (Heisei 27) |
| University graduation (4 years) | 2018 (Heisei 30) | 2019 (Heisei 31 / Reiwa 1) |
Adulthood in Japan
| Celebration | Year |
|---|---|
| Turns 18 (legal age of adulthood in Japan since 1 April 2022) | 2014 (Heisei 26) |
| Turns 20 | 2016 (Heisei 28) |
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 | 2056 | 2055 |
| Koki | 70 | 2066 | 2065 |
| Kiju | 77 | 2073 | 2072 |
| Sanju | 80 | 2076 | 2075 |
| Beiju | 88 | 2084 | 2083 |
| Sotsuju | 90 | 2086 | 2085 |
| Hakuju | 99 | 2095 | 2094 |
| Hyakuju | 100 | 2096 | 2095 |
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 1996 (Heisei 8, year of the Rat) are 30 today if their birthday has passed this year, otherwise 29.