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Shōwa 47 in the Western calendar
昭和四十七年
=
1972
Year 47 of the Shōwa era is 1972 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1972
Kanji form
昭和四十七年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
S47
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
壬子 Water Rat
Era position
Year 47 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 昭和四十七年 — 四十七 is four-ten-seven, so it reads 47.
Quick conversion rule: Shōwa year + 1925 = Western year (Shōwa 47 + 1925 = 1972).
Convert another year
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Nearby years
Common questions about Shōwa 47
What year is Shōwa 47 in the Western calendar?
Shōwa 47 (昭和47年) is 1972. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to S47, and in kanji it is written 昭和四十七年.
How do I convert a Shōwa year to a Western year?
Add 1925. Shōwa 47 + 1925 = 1972, and the same rule works for every year in the Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989).
How is Shōwa 47 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 昭和四十七年 — the number is written with the kanji numeral 四十七. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 昭和四十七年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Shōwa 47?
1972 is the year of the Water Rat (壬子) 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 47 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.