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Brian Owens
11th October 2003, 21:41
Can anyone tell me when "Heisei gonen" was, compared to the Gregorian calendar? I know it was recent, but I need the exact year.

Also, do years in the traditional calendar start in January on the Gregorian, when the new Emperor took office, or other?

Thanks.

Brian Owens
15th October 2003, 04:24
Hmmm. Four days later, and no replies to my query.

Am I being shunned? Have I committed too many online offenses of etiquette?

Oh the shame and humiliation! :cry:

Daniel Lee
15th October 2003, 05:17
Brian,

Heisei 5-nen was 1993 (Heisei Gannen was 1988). Am I playing for cars or a trip to an exotic resort here? :p

Brian Owens
15th October 2003, 05:39
Originally posted by Daniel Lee
Am I playing for cars or a trip to an exotic resort here? :p

Sorry. Although you were the first player to give the correct answer, the time to win the prize has elapsed.


Originally posted by Daniel Lee
(Heisei Gannen was 1988).

What's "Gannen"?

The reason I asked about Heisei Go-nen is because I am trying to restore some lost memories after a serious illness. I have a rank certificate with that date on it, but I couldn't remember exactly when it was that I trained in that art, and the school has been closed for several years.

Thanks for your help.

Daniel Lee
15th October 2003, 05:45
Gannen (元年) is the first year of a new reign. Incidentally, Gantan (元旦) is New Year's Day.

All the best with it,

Adam Young
15th October 2003, 09:20
(Heisei Gannen was 1988). Gee, I hate to be anal about this, but Heisei Gannen was actually 1989 (which is, incidentally, the same year as Showa 64). ;)

You are right in saying Heisei 5-nen is 1993. I remember it well as it was the year of the keppan....

Daniel Lee
15th October 2003, 09:32
Thanks for the correction Adam - What a boo-boo :o

I think I can still get off on the technicality that I hadn't yet said "final answer" though :p See you soon!

Brian Owens
15th October 2003, 09:54
Originally posted by Daniel Lee
Gannen (元年) is the first year of a new reign. Incidentally, Gantan (元旦) is New Year's Day.

Just guessing here; Gantan is "inauguration day"?

Next question: so would the 6th month of Heisei 5-nen be June of 1993?


Originally posted by Adam Young
Gee, I hate to be anal about this, but Heisei Gannen was actually 1989 (which is, incidentally, the same year as Showa 64).

Now I'm really confused. How can the first year of the new reign be the 64th of the old reign?

As long as we're playing--is Mikado still the proper term for Japan's ruler?

Thanks guys.

Meik Skoss
15th October 2003, 15:34
No, Gantan is New Year's Day. Yes, Heisei 5-nen 6-gatsu is June 1993. The reason why a year can be both Showa 64 and Heisei Gannen is that the reign of the Emperor Showa ended with his death, and that of the Emperor Heisei began upon his accession to the throne. Emperors are properly referred to by their regnal names, incidentally, not their given names. Likewise, the Imperial family does not have a "myoji" or family name. (Unless it's Yamato? -- Joke, joke!)

The term currently used to refer to the Emperor of Japan is Tenno Heika (His/Your Majesty). The Empress is referred to as Kogo Heika. The Crown Prince is the Ko-taishi.

Hope this helps.

Brian Owens
15th October 2003, 22:36
Originally posted by Meik Skoss
The reason why a year can be both Showa 64 and Heisei Gannen is that the reign of the Emperor Showa ended with his death, and that of the Emperor Heisei began upon his accession to the throne.

So, if a new emperor accended in, say, August, the whole year beginning in January would still be his Gannen; is that correct?

And the whole year would also be the last year of the previous reign, no matter when in the year the previous emperor died?





Originally posted by Meik Skoss
Hope this helps.

Immensly. Thanks everyone.

Adam Young
16th October 2003, 02:49
So, if a new emperor accended in, say, August, the whole year beginning in January would still be his Gannen; is that correct?

And the whole year would also be the last year of the previous reign, no matter when in the year the previous emperor died?
Technically, the first year of an emperor's reign starts on the day of his ascension. Everything before is the last year of the previous emperor's reign. So in your example, the technically correct way to do things would be to refer to dates from January to July as OldEmperor XX-nen, and dates from August to December as NewEmperor Gannen. The entire next year will then be NewEmperor 2-nen (unless he dies and a third emperor ascends to the position).

The case is kind of moot in the case of Heisei Gannen and Showa 64-nen as the Heisei emperor became emperor on January 8, 1989. There are only 7 days that are technically Showa 64. And I think most people would not really get too bent out of shape if One referred to Heisei Gannen ichigatsu muika (January 6, 1989).

I think that is the orthodox position. How people actually use it in practice is another thing. I have never seen Showa 64 used, except in reference to this particular topic. 'Course, that doesn't mean it isn't used.

Most people tend to use western year dating anyway. Emperor reign dating is used mostly in government and official documents. I get a lot of surprised looks when I tell people I was born in Showa 45-nen. Quite a few younger people (30s and under) that I have met will claim that they are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with quick conversions between the two dating systems (even though it is pretty easy to do).

Adam Young
16th October 2003, 03:02
As long as we're playing--is Mikado still the proper term for Japan's ruler? What Meik said is right. Mikado is an old Japanese term, long obsolete. I have never heard the word even mentioned in Japan. I think that the word was adopted by Westerners in the Meiji era and for some reason stuck. There was of course there was that awful Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera, "The Mikado" (which opened in London in Meiji 18-nen ;) )which probably fixed the term in the Western lexicon.

Here, no one says Mikado, which incidentally can be written 帝 or 御門 (or just みかど).