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Meiji 1 in the Western calendar
明治元年
=
1868
Year 1 (gannen 元年) of the Meiji era is 1868 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1868
Kanji form
明治元年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
M1
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
戊辰 Earth Dragon
Era position
Year 1 of 45
Meiji era (Oct 23, 1868 – Jul 29, 1912)
Age today
Era-change year
The Meiji era was proclaimed on October 23, 1868 and applied retroactively to the whole calendar year, so year tables treat all of 1868 as Meiji 1.
How to read it
On coins and formal documents the year is written 明治元年 — the first year of an era is written 元年 (gannen, “origin year”), not 1年.
Quick conversion rule: Meiji year + 1867 = Western year (Meiji 1 + 1867 = 1868).
Convert another year
Any year from Meiji 1 (1868) onward. Everything runs in your browser.
Nearby years
Common questions about Meiji 1
What year is Meiji 1 in the Western calendar?
Meiji 1 (明治元年) is 1868. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to M1, and in kanji it is written 明治元年.
How do I convert a Meiji year to a Western year?
Add 1867. Meiji 1 + 1867 = 1868, and the same rule works for every year in the Meiji era (Oct 23, 1868 – Jul 29, 1912).
How is Meiji 1 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 明治元年 — the first year of an era is written 元年 (gannen, “origin year”) rather than 一年. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 明治元年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Meiji 1?
1868 is the year of the Earth Dragon (戊辰) in the Japanese sexagenary cycle.
Is the Meiji era still used today?
No — the Meiji era covers Oct 23, 1868 – Jul 29, 1912, so Meiji 1 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.