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We have already learned well before how to make the date in Japanese. Unlike in American English, in Japanese, the data begins with the year, which is then followed by the month and then the day of the month. You can then go further and add the name of the day of the week after this in various ways. 

What we have not addressed so far is the fact that Japanese has another way of representing the date. We are used to using the Western Calendar, but the Japanese have their own calendar system. Also, Japan used to follow the lunar calendar. So, this lesson will address both of these things.  

For review, look at the following dates written in various fashions.

1. 2014年3月11日
    March 11, 2014

2. ２２００年１０月１３日 
    October 13, 2200

3. １７４５年４月９日
    April 9, 1745

4. 一九五四年一一月二五日
    November 25, 1954

5. １３年４月３日発売予定！
     Release 4/3/13! 

Abbreviation Note: Just as in English, the year may be abbreviated likewise. As such, 95年 almost always means 1995. Also, as we are in the 21st century, 13年 = 2013年. 

6. 四百五拾六年壱拾弐月参日　
    December 3rd, 456

Spelling Note: This last example uses 大字 numeral variants, which are often used in official documents as well as on money. This convention is closer to how numbers are used in Chinese. Although December would still be read off as じゅうにがつ, it is spelled as if it were read as いちじゅうにがつ. You will hardly ever encounter this convention, but it is important to know that it exists.

Orthography Note: Japanese numerals are written in various fonts in printed material. You will notice that people will have their own preferences. Some may use English fonts like in Ex. 1 or  some will use a Japanese font as in Ex. 2-5.  

  There are two calendar systems in use today in Japan. The most common is the Western Calendar (西暦せいれき) but the traditional calendar based on the era (年号ねんごう) of a political time period (改元かいげん) is used heavily in formal/official situations. Each period in the traditional calendar starts with 元年がんねん and then continues as you would expect. The current era is the 平成時代へいせいじだい, which will end presumably when the current sitting emperor passes away. 

7. 昭和しょうわ47年
    1972

8. 平成元年
    1989

Era names extend all the way to the beginning of Imperial reign in Japan, beginning with 神武天皇. For the majority of these first eras, the name of that era matches the traditional name of the emperor in question, which is usually a posthumous name coined with Buddhist influence. 

Later on, a tradition of coining a new term to commemorate an era takes shape. This practice continues to this day. Many speakers don't know era names older than the 明治時代, which began in 1868. Although speakers are exposed to many era names throughout the course of their education, knowledge about them is rather scattered. As such, it is not imperative of you to remember any of them but perhaps the last four.

The chart below, although quite long and extensive, shows all era names from the beginning (660 B.C.) to the present. Again, you don't have to memorize its contents. Use this as a reference whenever you come across a date you can't comprehend.  

Chart Note: Although the chart indicates what year each era begins, each era technically begins once the reign is switched to said emperor of that era. As such, you will need to do research regarding the month and day the transition would have taken place to create an accurate date for the years in which a new era begins.

The original Japanese calendar was based off the Chinese lunar calendar, which starts 3 to 7 weeks later than the Western calendar. The traditional names of these months are still popular in poetry, names, etc. You don't have to memorize them or how to write them.