Japan uses the Gregorian calendar for daily life, but also counts years by imperial era (nengō). The current era is Reiwa, which began when Emperor Naruhito acceded on 1 May 2019. So 2026 is Reiwa 8 (令和8年). Era years reset to 1 with each new emperor.
Since 1873 Japan has used the Gregorian calendar for months and days. What is distinctly Japanese is the year numbering: years are counted within an imperial era (nengō), resetting to 1 each time a new emperor accedes.
The current era, Reiwa (令和, "beautiful harmony"), began on 1 May 2019. Reiwa 1 was 2019; 2026 is Reiwa 8. To convert from a Reiwa year to CE, add 2018.
Reiwa was preceded by Heisei (1989–2019) and Shōwa (1926–1989). Era names appear on coins, official documents, newspapers and many forms, alongside or instead of the Gregorian year.
Japan also celebrates many traditional festivals on the Gregorian calendar (it dropped the old lunisolar calendar in 1873), though a few, like Obon, retain lunar/regional timing.