{"id":28989,"date":"2025-01-16T14:15:00","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T05:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/?p=28989"},"modified":"2025-07-25T12:05:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T03:05:32","slug":"guide-to-japanese-public-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/guide-to-japanese-public-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to Japanese public holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>There are a total of <strong>16 Japanese public holidays<\/strong> throughout the year. They can range from the typical New Year\u2019s and National Foundation Day to the more obscure Coming of Age Day and the Emperor\u2019s Birthday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here you will find a guide to national holidays in Japan: their names, their origin, and fun facts! Let\u2019s go down the list so that you can plan your next adventure in Japan with all the fun festivities throughout the year in mind!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"798\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Japanese-new-year-hanging-decorations.jpg\" alt=\"Decorations hanging on a wall for new year, one of the first Japanese public holidays.\" class=\"wp-image-163100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Japanese-new-year-hanging-decorations.jpg 798w, https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Japanese-new-year-hanging-decorations-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Japanese-new-year-hanging-decorations-768x420.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Japanese Public Holidays at the Beginning of the Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>New Year&#8217;s Day Holidays:<\/strong> January 1st &#8211; 3rd<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Coming of Age Day:<\/strong> second Monday of January<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Foundation Day:<\/strong> February 11th<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Emperor\u2019s Birthday<\/strong>: (current Emperor) February 23rd <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">New Year\u2019s Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Ganjitsu <\/em>\u5143\u65e5, \u201cNew Year\u2019s Day\u201d, kicks off <em>Sh\u014dgatsu<\/em> \u6b63\u6708, which is generally the first 3 days of the year. It\u2019s one of the most important Japanese public holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/japanese-new-year-tradition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Year&#8217;s holiday<\/a>, Japanese people eat a special combination of <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/osechi-ryouri-the-japanese-new-year-delicious-food\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Osechi-Ry\u014dri<\/em><\/a> (\u304a\u7bc0\u6599\u7406) consisting of sweet, sour, and dried foods that can be kept without refrigeration. This goes back to the days before households had fridges and stores closed for the holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most Japanese people head to a <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/japanese-shinto-shrine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">shrine<\/a> on New Year\u2019s Day to pray, especially after getting up bright and early to see the <strong>first sunrise of the year<\/strong>. People climb mountains for hours in the night to sit and prepare for this sunrise. It\u2019s a highly recommended activity to anyone visiting Japan during the New Year holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then there\u2019s the Japanese custom of writing <strong>New Year&#8217;s Day postcards<\/strong> (\u5e74\u8cc0\u72b6, n<em>engaj\u014d<\/em>) by hand to close family and friends, wishing them a happy new year and letting them know everyone is happy and well (and alive). Children also receive a New Year\u2019s gift&nbsp;(\u304a\u5e74\u7389, <em>Otoshidama<\/em>), money wrapped in envelopes from their parents or grandparents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"798\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Coming-of-Age-day-kimono.jpg\" alt=\"Coming of Age Day kimono on display at a store in Japan.\" class=\"wp-image-163134\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Coming-of-Age-day-kimono.jpg 798w, https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Coming-of-Age-day-kimono-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Coming-of-Age-day-kimono-768x420.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Coming of Age Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Seijin no Hi&nbsp;<\/em>(\u6210\u4eba\u306e\u65e5, \u201cComing of Age Day\u201d) is on the <strong>second Monday of January<\/strong>. It\u2019s a celebration to congratulate those who have reached the <strong>age of 20<\/strong>\u2014the age of adulthood in Japan. At local and prefectural offices, young adults gather for speeches in coming of age ceremonies, with women donning long-sleeved <em>kimono<\/em> (\u632f\u8896, <em>Furisode<\/em>) and men in <em>Hakama<\/em>&nbsp;(\u88b4, men\u2019s formal skirt)\u2014though nowadays men tend to wear a western styled suit. After the formal parts are over, friends group up and have a night out on the town. Oh to be a young adult!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>National Foundation Day<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>On <strong>February 11<\/strong>, the country celebrates <em>Kenkoku Kinen no Hi<\/em> (\u5efa\u56fd\u8a18\u5ff5\u306e\u65e5, \u201cNational Foundation Day\u201d). On this supposed day, Emperor Jimmu came to the throne on the first day of the first month of what was the lunar calendar at the time. It\u2019s a reflection on <strong>Japanese citizenship and pride<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Emperor\u2019s Birthday<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The current<strong><em> Tenn\u014d<\/em><em> Tanj\u014dbi<\/em><\/strong> (\u5929\u7687\u8a95\u751f\u65e5) is on February 23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is one of two occasions that the public may enter the inner grounds of the <a href=\"https:\/\/sankan.kunaicho.go.jp\/multilingual\/lang\/en\/koukyo\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Imperial Palace<\/a>. On this day, the Emperor and Empress, as well as members of the imperial family, wave hello to the congratulatory crowds from the palace balcony. What a way to celebrate a birthday, huh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Japanese Public Holidays in the Spring and Summer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Vernal Equinox Day:<\/strong> between March 19th -22nd*<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Showa Day:<\/strong> April 29th<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Constitution Memorial Day:<\/strong> May 3rd<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Greenery Day:<\/strong> May 4th<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Children&#8217;s Day:<\/strong> May 5th<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Marine Day:<\/strong> third Monday of July<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mountain Day:<\/strong> August 11th<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Vernal Equinox Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually somewhere between March 19-22 *based on astronomical measurements, <em>Shunbun no Hi<\/em>&nbsp;(\u6625\u5206\u306e\u65e5, \u201cVernal Equinox Day\u201d) started out as a<strong> Shintoist-related event<\/strong>. It now celebrates the <strong>spring equinox<\/strong>, when daylight and night hours are the same. It\u2019s the official change of the seasons, just as the <em>Shuubun no Hi<\/em>&nbsp;(\u79cb\u5206\u306e\u65e5, \u201cAutumnal Equinox Day\u201d) stands for the changing into Autumn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Vernal Equinox is usually a time to <strong>visit loved ones\u2019 graves<\/strong>, pay homage to ancestors, and renew their lives by cleaning their homes. People take the day off work to spend time with their families and take in the coming of the spring season after a tough <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/things-to-do-in-japan-in-winter-magical-place\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">winter<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Showa Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Held on <strong>April 29<\/strong>, <em>Shouwa no Hi<\/em>&nbsp;(\u662d\u548c\u306e\u65e5, \u201cShowa Day\u201d) is a holiday in honor of the <strong>birthday of Emperor Showa <\/strong>Hirohito, reigning emperor from 1926 to 1989. The meaning of this holiday is to reflect on the turbulent 63 years of the Showa era, a time consisting of Japanese invasions of foreign countries, attempted <em>coup d\u2019\u00e9tats<\/em>, totalitarianism, World War II, and the rocket rise of the Japanese post-war economic miracle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It also kicks off the all-important <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/golden-week-holidays-in-japan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Golden Week<\/a> (\u30b4\u30fc\u30eb\u30c7\u30f3\u30a6\u30a4\u30fc\u30af), the busiest time of the year for travel in Japan. This week is the mother of all Japanese public holidays. Showa Day, Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, and Children\u2019s Day\u2014depending on the year\u2014can all line up to form an ultimate holiday week (or more!) for busy Japanese salarymen, and some companies even close down completely. It\u2019s busy, and an&nbsp;expensive time to fly, but it\u2019s warm and&nbsp;fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Constitution Memorial Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Kenpou Kinenbi<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;(\u61b2\u6cd5\u8a18\u5ff5\u65e5, \u201cConstitution Memorial Day\u201d), on May 3, celebrates the creation of the 1947 new constitution of post-World War II Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Greenery Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Midori no Hi<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;(\u7dd1\u306e\u65e5, \u201cGreenery Day\u201d) is officially a day to commune with nature. It was meant to acknowledge Emperor Shouwa\u2019s admiration for plants without mentioning his name in the holiday, as the wartime emperor can be controversial. In practice though, it\u2019s another day that forms the ever-loved Golden Week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Children\u2019s Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Kodomo no Hi<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;(\u5b50\u4f9b\u306e\u65e5, \u201cChildren\u2019s Day\u201d) wraps up Golden Week, taking place on <strong>May 5<\/strong>. Meant to celebrate children as well as their fathers and mothers, on this day you\u2019ll find <strong>carp fish-shaped flags<\/strong> hung on poles over their homes. A black carp above represents the father, red for the mother, and an additional carp below for the children. Carps are part of a Chinese legend about a carp swimming upstream to become a dragon and thus flying up to heaven.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marine Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Held on the <strong>third Monday of July<\/strong>, <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/marine-day-in-japan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Marine Day<\/a> (\u6d77\u306e\u65e5, <em>Umi no Hi<\/em>) is a celebration of the ocean and its bounty. As an island nation, the ocean has always been a very important part of Japanese culture.&nbsp;It also usually comes around the end of the <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/japans-rainy-season-isnt-all-bad\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">rainy season<\/a>, which makes it even more of a reason for people to get out and take advantage of the <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/summer-in-japan-festivals-foods-fun-across-country\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">summer<\/a> sun by having a day on the beach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mountain Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Just like Marine Day, <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/mountain-day-in-japan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mountain Day<\/a><i> <\/i>(\u5c71\u306e\u65e5<strong>,<\/strong> <em>Yama no Hi<\/em> ) is a Japanese public holiday to be with the mountains and appreciate the blessings it brings. Since 2016, every <strong>August 11<\/strong> has been Mountain Day. Along with its endless coastlines and connection to the ocean, Japan\u2019s rugged mountains deserve just as much admiration and respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"798\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Aged-day-elderly-person.jpg\" alt=\"Elderly woman looking out of window in Japan.\" class=\"wp-image-163164\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Aged-day-elderly-person.jpg 798w, https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Aged-day-elderly-person-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Aged-day-elderly-person-768x420.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Japanese Public Holidays at the End of the Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Respect for the Aged Day:<\/strong> third Monday of September<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Health-Sports Day:<\/strong> second Monday of October<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Culture Day:<\/strong> November 3rd<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Labor Thanksgiving Day: <\/strong>November 23rd<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Respect for the Aged Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Keir\u014d no Hi<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;(\u656c\u8001\u306e\u65e5, \u201cRespect for the Aged Day\u201d) is on the <strong>third Monday of September<\/strong> because of the Happy Monday System. This system moved a number of Japanese public holidays to Mondays in order to allow for more three-day weekends for those who work a five-day week. In honor of elderly citizens, Respect for the Aged Day is a nice glimpse into how the Japanese respect their elders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Health-Sports Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Held annually on the <strong>second Monday of October<\/strong>, <em>Taiiku no Hi<\/em>\u00a0(\u4f53\u80b2\u306e\u65e5, \u201cHealth-Sports Day\u201d) is in commemoration of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. The government encourages sports and an active lifestyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/learn-about-the-japanese-education-system\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Japanese schools<\/a> hold their annual <strong><em>Undoukai <\/em><\/strong>(\u904b\u52d5\u4f1a) on this day, an enormous event for every school in which students participate in physical events, ranging from track-and-field to tug-of-war and local regional games. Teachers challenge students in relays, parents join goofy races carrying their kids or juggling sports equipment, and the entire day turns into an outdoor festival. It\u2019s quite an event to see!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"798\" height=\"436\" src=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Culture-day-kimono-dance.jpg\" alt=\"Woman wearing kimono and doing a traditional dance during Culture Day, one of the Japanese public holidays.\" class=\"wp-image-163121\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Culture-day-kimono-dance.jpg 798w, https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Culture-day-kimono-dance-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Culture-day-kimono-dance-768x420.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 798px) 100vw, 798px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Culture Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Culture Day <\/em><\/strong>(\u6587\u5316\u306e\u65e5, <em>Bunka no Hi<\/em>&nbsp;) is held every <strong>November 3<\/strong> to promote culture and academics. Art exhibitions are held and awards are given to artists and scholars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Labor Thanksgiving Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Kinrou Kansha no Hi<\/em><\/strong>&nbsp;(\u52e4\u52b4\u611f\u8b1d\u306e\u65e5, \u201cLabor Thanksgiving Day\u201d) is on <strong>November 23<\/strong>, as a day for giving thanks to one another for hard work and productivity. Its roots come from an ancient harvest festival, where the Emperor would dedicate the year\u2019s harvest to the gods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Punny and strange Japanese holidays<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of its real holidays, Japan has pun-filled \u201cholidays\u201d that take advantage of the way the language works: a non-phonetic writing style containing multiple pronunciations of the same character, due to its roots in Chinese characters intertwined with its own native pronunciations. In other words, it means tons of room for knee-slapping, groan-inducing puns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though nobody gets a day off for these days, they can come with <strong>bonuses<\/strong>!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every month on the 29, for example, is <em>Niku no Hi<\/em>&nbsp;(\u8089\u306e\u65e5, \u201cMeat day\u201d). Why, you ask? In Japanese, the number two is pronounced \u201c<em>ni<\/em>,\u201d and the number nine \u201c<em>kyuu<\/em>\u201d or \u201c<em>ku<\/em>.\u201d Put that together and you get ni-ku, or the word for meat. Get it? Ha! Browse the <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/japanese-supermarkets-a-daily-adventure\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supermarkets<\/a> on this day and you\u2019ll often find meat on sale for great prices!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On 11\/22 couples can sometimes find special deals due to 11 looking like \u201c<em>ii<\/em>\u201d meaning \u201cgood,\u201d and 22 pronounced as \u201c<em>fufu<\/em>,\u201d meaning couple. The puns are endless, and some are quite a stretch, but it\u2019s a fun way to see how the language works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It may seem like there are quite a lot of Japanese public holidays, but for as hard as they work, every single one is well deserved. Perhaps even more are needed! Come over and enjoy a holiday or two of your own in Japan, but keep a <strong>look out for Golden Week<\/strong>. If you\u2019re wondering why ticket prices are so expensive, this could be the reason! Get in <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contact with us<\/a> to start exploring your path to living and studying in Japan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you like to read more about Japanese culture, make sure to follow <a href=\"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/blog\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">our blog<\/a> where we cover everything you need to know about Japan!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are a total of 16 Japanese public holidays throughout the year. They can range from the typical New Year\u2019s and National Foundation Day to the more obscure Coming of Age Day and the Emperor\u2019s Birthday. Here you will find a guide to national holidays in Japan: their names, their origin, and fun facts! Let\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":159669,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[400],"tags":[679,683],"class_list":["post-28989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese-culture","tag-history","tag-tradition"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28989"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28989\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/159669"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gogonihon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}