Converter › Meiji era › Meiji 1
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).