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Shōwa 64 in the Western calendar
昭和六十四年
=
1989
Year 64 of the Shōwa era is 1989 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1989
Kanji form
昭和六十四年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
S64
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
己巳 Earth Snake
Era position
Year 64 of 64
Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989)
Age today
Era-change year
Shōwa 64 lasted just seven days: January 1 – 7, 1989. From January 8, 1989 the year became Heisei 1 — which makes Shōwa 64 coins collector favorites.
How to read it
On coins and formal documents the year is written 昭和六十四年 — 六十四 is six-ten-four, so it reads 64.
Quick conversion rule: Shōwa year + 1925 = Western year (Shōwa 64 + 1925 = 1989).
Convert another year
Any year from Meiji 1 (1868) onward. Everything runs in your browser.
Same Western year, different era
1989 is split between two eras because the era changed mid-year: Heisei 1. Documents dated 1989 can therefore carry either name — check the month before converting.
Nearby years
Common questions about Shōwa 64
What year is Shōwa 64 in the Western calendar?
Shōwa 64 (昭和64年) is 1989. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to S64, and in kanji it is written 昭和六十四年.
How do I convert a Shōwa year to a Western year?
Add 1925. Shōwa 64 + 1925 = 1989, and the same rule works for every year in the Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989).
How is Shōwa 64 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 昭和六十四年 — the number is written with the kanji numeral 六十四. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 昭和六十四年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Shōwa 64?
1989 is the year of the Earth Snake (己巳) 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 64 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.