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Shōwa 13 in the Western calendar
昭和十三年
=
1938
Year 13 of the Shōwa era is 1938 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1938
Kanji form
昭和十三年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
S13
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
戊寅 Earth Tiger
Era position
Year 13 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 昭和十三年 — 十三 is ten-three, so it reads 13.
Quick conversion rule: Shōwa year + 1925 = Western year (Shōwa 13 + 1925 = 1938).
Convert another year
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Nearby years
Common questions about Shōwa 13
What year is Shōwa 13 in the Western calendar?
Shōwa 13 (昭和13年) is 1938. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to S13, and in kanji it is written 昭和十三年.
How do I convert a Shōwa year to a Western year?
Add 1925. Shōwa 13 + 1925 = 1938, and the same rule works for every year in the Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989).
How is Shōwa 13 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 昭和十三年 — the number is written with the kanji numeral 十三. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 昭和十三年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Shōwa 13?
1938 is the year of the Earth Tiger (戊寅) 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 13 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.