Converter › Shōwa era › Shōwa 5
Shōwa 5 in the Western calendar
昭和五年
=
1930
Year 5 of the Shōwa era is 1930 in the Western calendar.
Western year
1930
Kanji form
昭和五年
as stamped on coins
Abbreviation
S5
on licenses & forms
Zodiac
庚午 Metal Horse
Era position
Year 5 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 昭和五年 — 五 is five, so it reads 5.
Quick conversion rule: Shōwa year + 1925 = Western year (Shōwa 5 + 1925 = 1930).
Convert another year
Any year from Meiji 1 (1868) onward. Everything runs in your browser.
Nearby years
Common questions about Shōwa 5
What year is Shōwa 5 in the Western calendar?
Shōwa 5 (昭和5年) is 1930. On Japanese forms it is often shortened to S5, and in kanji it is written 昭和五年.
How do I convert a Shōwa year to a Western year?
Add 1925. Shōwa 5 + 1925 = 1930, and the same rule works for every year in the Shōwa era (Dec 25, 1926 – Jan 7, 1989).
How is Shōwa 5 written on documents and coins?
It appears as 昭和五年 — the number is written with the kanji numeral 五. A full date follows the same order, with the month and day after the year: 昭和五年◯月◯日.
What is the zodiac sign for Shōwa 5?
1930 is the year of the Metal Horse (庚午) 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 5 is a past year. Japanese documents issued at the time still carry it.