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Shōwa 12 in the Western calendar
昭和十二年
=
1937
Year 12 of the Shōwa era is 1937 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1937
Kanji form
昭和十二年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
S12
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
丁丑 Fire Ox
Era position
Year 12 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 昭和十二年 — 十二 is ten-two, so it reads 12.
Quick conversion rule: Shōwa year + 1925 = Western year (Shōwa 12 + 1925 = 1937).
Convert another year
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Nearby years
Common questions about Shōwa 12
What year is Shōwa 12 in the Western calendar?
Shōwa 12 (昭和12年) is 1937. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to S12, and in kanji it is written 昭和十二年.
How do I convert a Shōwa year to a Western year?
Add 1925. Shōwa 12 + 1925 = 1937, and the same rule works for every year in the Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989).
How is Shōwa 12 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 昭和十二年 — the number is written with the kanji numeral 十二. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 昭和十二年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Shōwa 12?
1937 is the year of the Fire Ox (丁丑) 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 12 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.