Foreigners across Japan are still referring to the Internet to confirm the year they were born, according to local news sources.
Foreign-born Derrick Burns prefaced his Google search this week by telling the post office clerk he just needed to “quickly check when I was born”.
“I’m pretty sure I was born in Showa 51,” Burns told staff in an attempt to save face.
Post office staff reportedly smiled and bowed in a show of respect and pity for the man.
Recently published research has found gaijin are regularly using search terms such as “Showa”, “Western calendar”, “Japanese calendar”, and “Why are Japanese years still calculated by the number of years the Emperor has reigned?”
Foreigners are now able to find their year of birth by searching “When was I born in Japan The Rising Wasabi?” and examining the chart below.
“The ‘When was I born in Japan The Rising Wasabi?’ chart saved my life,” says 8-years-a-gaijin Stephanie Cook.
“I nearly died from embarrassment when I couldn’t remember my Japanese calendar birthday year, but I was able to reduce that embarrasment from severe to shoganai after referencing the ‘When was I born in Japan The Rising Wasabi?’ chart.
Image: TRW
The「When was I born in Japan The Rising Wasabi?」Chart
| 2018 | Heisei 30 |
| 2017 | Heisei 29 |
| 2016 | Heisei 28 |
| 2015 | Heisei 27 |
| 2014 | Heisei 26 |
| 2013 | Heisei 25 |
| 2012 | Heisei 24 |
| 2011 | Heisei 23 |
| 2010 | Heisei 22 |
| 2009 | Heisei 21 |
| 2008 | Heisei 20 |
| 2007 | Heisei 19 |
| 2006 | Heisei 18 |
| 2005 | Heisei 17 |
| 2004 | Heisei 16 |
| 2003 | Heisei 15 |
| 2002 | Heisei 14 |
| 2001 | Heisei 13 |
| 2000 | Heisei 12 |
| 1999 | Heisei 11 |
| 1998 | Heisei 10 |
| 1997 | Heisei 9 |
| 1996 | Heisei 8 |
| 1995 | Heisei 7 |
| 1994 | Heisei 6 |
| 1993 | Heisei 5 |
| 1992 | Heisei 4 |
| 1991 | Heisei 3 |
| 1990 | Heisei 2 |
| 1989 | Heisei 1 / Showa 64 |
| 1988 | Showa 63 |
| 1987 | Showa 62 |
| 1986 | Showa 61 |
| 1985 | Showa 60 |
| 1984 | Showa 59 |
| 1983 | Showa 58 |
| 1982 | Showa 57 |
| 1981 | Showa 56 |
| 1980 | Showa 55 |
| 1979 | Showa 54 |
| 1978 | Showa 53 |
| 1977 | Showa 52 |
| 1976 | Showa 51 |
| 1975 | Showa 50 |
| 1974 | Showa 49 |
| 1973 | Showa 48 |
| 1972 | Showa 47 |
| 1971 | Showa 46 |
| 1970 | Showa 45 |
| 1969 | Showa 44 |
| 1968 | Showa 43 |
| 1967 | Showa 42 |
| 1966 | Showa 41 |
| 1965 | Showa 40 |
| 1964 | Showa 39 |
| 1963 | Showa 38 |
| 1962 | Showa 37 |
| 1961 | Showa 36 |
| 1960 | Showa 35 |
| 1959 | Showa 34 |
| 1958 | Showa 33 |
| 1957 | Showa 32 |
| 1956 | Showa 31 |
| 1955 | Showa 30 |
| 1954 | Showa 29 |
| 1953 | Showa 28 |
| 1952 | Showa 27 |
| 1951 | Showa 26 |
| 1950 | Showa 25 |
| 1949 | Showa 24 |
| 1948 | Showa 23 |
| 1947 | Showa 22 |
| 1946 | Showa 21 |
| 1945 | Showa 20 |
| 1944 | Showa 19 |
| 1943 | Showa 18 |
| 1942 | Showa 17 |
| 1941 | Showa 16 |
| 1940 | Showa 15 |
| 1939 | Showa 14 |
| 1938 | Showa 13 |
| 1937 | Showa 12 |
| 1936 | Showa 11 |
| 1935 | Showa 10 |
| 1934 | Showa 9 |
| 1933 | Showa 8 |
| 1932 | Showa 7 |
| 1931 | Showa 6 |
| 1930 | Showa 5 |
| 1929 | Showa 4 |
| 1928 | Showa 3 |
| 1927 | Showa 2 |
| 1926 | Showa 1 / Taisho 15 |
