Yen & Zen · For residents
Japanese age (kazoedoshi)
Your traditional Japanese age, used in celebrations like kanreki (還暦) and still present on some paperwork and rituals.
Traditional milestones
These celebrations mark specific ages in Japanese culture. Most are commemorated today using actual age (満歳), though kazoedoshi was used historically.
Completes the first 60-year sexagenary cycle. Traditionally celebrated by wearing a red vest and cap, symbolising rebirth.
Literally "ancient rarity"—from a Tang Dynasty poem. Celebrated with the colour purple.
The "joyous age". The character 喜 in cursive resembles 七十七 (77).
The "umbrella age". 傘 in shorthand looks like 八十.
The "rice age". The character 米 (rice) decomposes into 八十八 (88).
A simplified version of 卒 looks like 九十.
"White age". 百 (100) minus 一 (1) becomes 白. Celebrated in white.
What is kazoedoshi?
Japan has a traditional age system called kazoedoshi (数え年), where a person is counted as 1 at birth and gains a year every New Year's Day rather than on their birthday. This means your kazoedoshi age is always 1 or 2 years higher than your actual age (満歳, manzai). While Japan officially uses actual age for everything since 1950, kazoedoshi still appears in some Buddhist rituals, traditional celebrations like kanreki, and occasionally on older paperwork.