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Shōwa 51 in the Western calendar
昭和五十一年
=
1976
Year 51 of the Shōwa era is 1976 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1976
Kanji form
昭和五十一年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
S51
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
丙辰 Fire Dragon
Era position
Year 51 of 64
Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989)
Age today
How to read it
On coins and formal documents the year is written 昭和五十一年 — 五十一 is five-ten-one, so it reads 51.
Quick conversion rule: Shōwa year + 1925 = Western year (Shōwa 51 + 1925 = 1976).
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Nearby years
Common questions about Shōwa 51
What year is Shōwa 51 in the Western calendar?
Shōwa 51 (昭和51年) is 1976. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to S51, and in kanji it is written 昭和五十一年.
How do I convert a Shōwa year to a Western year?
Add 1925. Shōwa 51 + 1925 = 1976, and the same rule works for every year in the Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989).
How is Shōwa 51 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 昭和五十一年 — the number is written with the kanji numeral 五十一. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 昭和五十一年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Shōwa 51?
1976 is the year of the Fire Dragon (丙辰) in the Japanese sexagenary cycle.
Is the Shōwa era still used today?
No — the Shōwa era covers Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989, so Shōwa 51 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.