Lifestyle · Japanese calendar
Japanese zodiac (eto)
Each year in Japan belongs to one of twelve animals, the jūnishi. Combined with ten stems, they make a 60-year cycle called eto. The year's animal appears on New Year cards, shrine charms and decorations everywhere.
Find the zodiac for a year
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2026, the year of hinoe-uma
The pair 丙午 (hinoe-uma, "fire horse") comes once every 60 years. An old superstition said girls born in that year would be headstrong. In 1966, the last hinoe-uma year, births in Japan fell by about a quarter. 2026 is the next one.
The twelve animals
In order, with the kanji and its reading. The recent years for each are listed below the name.
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子 ne
Rat
2032, 2020, 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972
-
丑 ushi
Ox
2033, 2021, 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973
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寅 tora
Tiger
2034, 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974
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卯 u
Rabbit
2035, 2023, 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975
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辰 tatsu
Dragon
2036, 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976
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巳 mi
Snake
2037, 2025, 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977
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午 uma
Horse
2026, 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966
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未 hitsuji
Sheep
2027, 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967
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申 saru
Monkey
2028, 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968
-
酉 tori
Rooster
2029, 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969
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戌 inu
Dog
2030, 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970
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亥 i
Boar
2031, 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971
Eto in Japanese life
Eto (干支) is the pairing of ten stems (jikkan) and twelve animals (jūnishi) into a 60-year cycle. In everyday speech, people usually mean only the animal: asked their eto, most people answer "tora" (tiger) or "uma" (horse).
In Japan, the animal changes on New Year's Day. Many New Year cards (nengajō) show the coming year's animal, and shrines sell charms and clay bells shaped like it.
Turning 60 completes the full cycle and brings you back to your birth sign. That is why the 60th birthday, kanreki, is celebrated as a fresh start, traditionally with a red vest and hat.
Year table
The animal and 60-year sign for each year from 1940 to 2040.
- 2040 Monkey · 庚申
- 2039 Sheep · 己未
- 2038 Horse · 戊午
- 2037 Snake · 丁巳
- 2036 Dragon · 丙辰
- 2035 Rabbit · 乙卯
- 2034 Tiger · 甲寅
- 2033 Ox · 癸丑
- 2032 Rat · 壬子
- 2031 Boar · 辛亥
- 2030 Dog · 庚戌
- 2029 Rooster · 己酉
- 2028 Monkey · 戊申
- 2027 Sheep · 丁未
- 2026 Horse · 丙午
- 2025 Snake · 乙巳
- 2024 Dragon · 甲辰
- 2023 Rabbit · 癸卯
- 2022 Tiger · 壬寅
- 2021 Ox · 辛丑
- 2020 Rat · 庚子
- 2019 Boar · 己亥
- 2018 Dog · 戊戌
- 2017 Rooster · 丁酉
- 2016 Monkey · 丙申
- 2015 Sheep · 乙未
- 2014 Horse · 甲午
- 2013 Snake · 癸巳
- 2012 Dragon · 壬辰
- 2011 Rabbit · 辛卯
- 2010 Tiger · 庚寅
- 2009 Ox · 己丑
- 2008 Rat · 戊子
- 2007 Boar · 丁亥
- 2006 Dog · 丙戌
- 2005 Rooster · 乙酉
- 2004 Monkey · 甲申
- 2003 Sheep · 癸未
- 2002 Horse · 壬午
- 2001 Snake · 辛巳
- 2000 Dragon · 庚辰
- 1999 Rabbit · 己卯
- 1998 Tiger · 戊寅
- 1997 Ox · 丁丑
- 1996 Rat · 丙子
- 1995 Boar · 乙亥
- 1994 Dog · 甲戌
- 1993 Rooster · 癸酉
- 1992 Monkey · 壬申
- 1991 Sheep · 辛未
- 1990 Horse · 庚午
- 1989 Snake · 己巳
- 1988 Dragon · 戊辰
- 1987 Rabbit · 丁卯
- 1986 Tiger · 丙寅
- 1985 Ox · 乙丑
- 1984 Rat · 甲子
- 1983 Boar · 癸亥
- 1982 Dog · 壬戌
- 1981 Rooster · 辛酉
- 1980 Monkey · 庚申
- 1979 Sheep · 己未
- 1978 Horse · 戊午
- 1977 Snake · 丁巳
- 1976 Dragon · 丙辰
- 1975 Rabbit · 乙卯
- 1974 Tiger · 甲寅
- 1973 Ox · 癸丑
- 1972 Rat · 壬子
- 1971 Boar · 辛亥
- 1970 Dog · 庚戌
- 1969 Rooster · 己酉
- 1968 Monkey · 戊申
- 1967 Sheep · 丁未
- 1966 Horse · 丙午
- 1965 Snake · 乙巳
- 1964 Dragon · 甲辰
- 1963 Rabbit · 癸卯
- 1962 Tiger · 壬寅
- 1961 Ox · 辛丑
- 1960 Rat · 庚子
- 1959 Boar · 己亥
- 1958 Dog · 戊戌
- 1957 Rooster · 丁酉
- 1956 Monkey · 丙申
- 1955 Sheep · 乙未
- 1954 Horse · 甲午
- 1953 Snake · 癸巳
- 1952 Dragon · 壬辰
- 1951 Rabbit · 辛卯
- 1950 Tiger · 庚寅
- 1949 Ox · 己丑
- 1948 Rat · 戊子
- 1947 Boar · 丁亥
- 1946 Dog · 丙戌
- 1945 Rooster · 乙酉
- 1944 Monkey · 甲申
- 1943 Sheep · 癸未
- 1942 Horse · 壬午
- 1941 Snake · 辛巳
- 1940 Dragon · 庚辰
See also
Era start dates are the official dates of each change of era. Customs such as yakudoshi and shichi-go-san vary between shrines and regions.