section_path: History
section_name: History
paragraph_text: History
  
  Over the centuries, Japan has used up to four systems for designating years: the Chinese sexagenary cycle, the era name (元号, gengō) system, the Japanese imperial year (皇紀 (kōki) or 紀元 (kigen)) and the Western Common Era (Anno Domini) (西暦, seireki) system. In the 21st century, however, the era system (gengō) and Western system (seireki) are the only ones still widely used.