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Shōwa 39 in the Western calendar
昭和三十九年
=
1964
Year 39 of the Shōwa era is 1964 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1964
Kanji form
昭和三十九年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
S39
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
甲辰 Wood Dragon
Era position
Year 39 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 昭和三十九年 — 三十九 is three-ten-nine, so it reads 39.
Quick conversion rule: Shōwa year + 1925 = Western year (Shōwa 39 + 1925 = 1964).
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Nearby years
Common questions about Shōwa 39
What year is Shōwa 39 in the Western calendar?
Shōwa 39 (昭和39年) is 1964. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to S39, and in kanji it is written 昭和三十九年.
How do I convert a Shōwa year to a Western year?
Add 1925. Shōwa 39 + 1925 = 1964, and the same rule works for every year in the Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989).
How is Shōwa 39 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 昭和三十九年 — the number is written with the kanji numeral 三十九. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 昭和三十九年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Shōwa 39?
1964 is the year of the Wood Dragon (甲辰) 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 39 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.