# Japanese age calculator

Your age for Japanese forms, birth era year and zodiac animal.

## Zodiac animals (干支)

In Japan the zodiac year follows the calendar year, so everyone born in the same Western year shares an animal.

| Animal | Kanji | Recent years |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Rat | 子（ね） | 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020 |
| Ox | 丑（うし） | 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021 |
| Tiger | 寅（とら） | 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022 |
| Rabbit | 卯（う） | 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 |
| Dragon | 辰（たつ） | 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 |
| Snake | 巳（み） | 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 |
| Horse | 午（うま） | 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 |
| Sheep | 未（ひつじ） | 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 |
| Monkey | 申（さる） | 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 |
| Rooster | 酉（とり） | 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 |
| Dog | 戌（いぬ） | 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 |
| Boar | 亥（い） | 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019 |

*Animal by birth year*

## Common questions

### Which age do I write on Japanese forms?

Your full age in years (満年齢), the same as elsewhere: it goes up on your birthday.

### What is 数え年?

A traditional count where you are 1 at birth and gain a year every New Year. It's still used for some ceremonies but not on forms.

### What zodiac year is 2026?

2026 is the Year of the Horse (午, うま).