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Shōwa 23 in the Western calendar
昭和二十三年
=
1948
Year 23 of the Shōwa era is 1948 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1948
Kanji form
昭和二十三年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
S23
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
戊子 Earth Rat
Era position
Year 23 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 昭和二十三年 — 二十三 is two-ten-three, so it reads 23.
Quick conversion rule: Shōwa year + 1925 = Western year (Shōwa 23 + 1925 = 1948).
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Common questions about Shōwa 23
What year is Shōwa 23 in the Western calendar?
Shōwa 23 (昭和23年) is 1948. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to S23, and in kanji it is written 昭和二十三年.
How do I convert a Shōwa year to a Western year?
Add 1925. Shōwa 23 + 1925 = 1948, and the same rule works for every year in the Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989).
How is Shōwa 23 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 昭和二十三年 — the number is written with the kanji numeral 二十三. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 昭和二十三年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Shōwa 23?
1948 is the year of the Earth Rat (戊子) 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 23 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.