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Shōwa 3 in the Western calendar
昭和三年
=
1928
Year 3 of the Shōwa era is 1928 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1928
Kanji form
昭和三年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
S3
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
戊辰 Earth Dragon
Era position
Year 3 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 昭和三年 — 三 is three, so it reads 3.
Quick conversion rule: Shōwa year + 1925 = Western year (Shōwa 3 + 1925 = 1928).
Convert another year
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Nearby years
Common questions about Shōwa 3
What year is Shōwa 3 in the Western calendar?
Shōwa 3 (昭和3年) is 1928. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to S3, and in kanji it is written 昭和三年.
How do I convert a Shōwa year to a Western year?
Add 1925. Shōwa 3 + 1925 = 1928, and the same rule works for every year in the Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989).
How is Shōwa 3 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 昭和三年 — the number is written with the kanji numeral 三. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 昭和三年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Shōwa 3?
1928 is the year of the Earth Dragon (戊辰) 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 3 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.