22.-2.22

Monday, 22/02/10 - that's the date we write down using Gregorian calendar system, the internationally accepted civil calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII.

It's also written as 22.-2.22 for the year Hesei 22 (2010), Feb.22 in Japan.

On January 7, 1989, after the death of the Emperor, Keizo Obuchi, then Chief Cabinet Secretary and later Prime Minister of Japan, publicly announced the end of the Showa era, and heralded the new era name 'Hesei' for the new incoming Emperor. Heisei is intended to mean 'peace everywhere, then the Hesei era went into effect immediately after the announcement of the new emperor on January 8, 1989. (source:Wikipedia)

To commemorate the 22.-2.22 of Hesei year, JR West plans to sell 150,000 commemorative platform tickets (printed with 22.-2.22) priced at 120 yen, allow people to go through ticket gates to platform to see off and meet passengers or shop inside the premises. The tickets will be valid until March 31.

(source: Japan Times)

(picture courtesy of : Japan Times)

A quick way to convert the current year to Hesei is to take the last two digits and add 12. Example for 2012: 10+12= Hesei 22.