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Shōwa 31 in the Western calendar
昭和三十一年
=
1956
Year 31 of the Shōwa era is 1956 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1956
Kanji form
昭和三十一年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
S31
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
丙申 Fire Monkey
Era position
Year 31 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 昭和三十一年 — 三十一 is three-ten-one, so it reads 31.
Quick conversion rule: Shōwa year + 1925 = Western year (Shōwa 31 + 1925 = 1956).
Convert another year
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Nearby years
Common questions about Shōwa 31
What year is Shōwa 31 in the Western calendar?
Shōwa 31 (昭和31年) is 1956. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to S31, and in kanji it is written 昭和三十一年.
How do I convert a Shōwa year to a Western year?
Add 1925. Shōwa 31 + 1925 = 1956, and the same rule works for every year in the Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989).
How is Shōwa 31 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 昭和三十一年 — the number is written with the kanji numeral 三十一. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 昭和三十一年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Shōwa 31?
1956 is the year of the Fire Monkey (丙申) 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 31 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.