Japan Public Holidays

Check Japan’s public holidays for 2026 and 2027, with travel notes for holiday periods.

Obon (mid-August) is a peak travel season, but NOT a public holiday. Trains, flights and roads are very busy around August 13–16, yet the only statutory holiday in August is Mountain Day (August 11).

2026 public holidays (16 national holidays)

Date Day Holiday Japanese
January 1 Thu New Year's Day 元日
January 12 Mon Coming of Age Day 成人の日
February 11 Wed National Foundation Day 建国記念の日
February 23 Mon The Emperor's Birthday 天皇誕生日
March 20 Fri Vernal Equinox Day 春分の日
April 29 Wed Showa Day 昭和の日
May 3 Sun Constitution Memorial Day 憲法記念日
May 4 Mon Greenery Day みどりの日
May 5 Tue Children's Day こどもの日
May 6 Wed Substitute Holiday 振替休日
July 20 Mon Marine Day 海の日
August 11 Tue Mountain Day 山の日
September 21 Mon Respect for the Aged Day 敬老の日
September 22 Tue Citizens’ Holiday 国民の休日
September 23 Wed Autumnal Equinox Day 秋分の日
October 12 Mon Sports Day スポーツの日
November 3 Tue Culture Day 文化の日
November 23 Mon Labor Thanksgiving Day 勤労感謝の日

Long weekends & holiday clusters in 2026

  • January 10 (Sat) – January 12 (Mon) — 3 days off (Coming of Age Day)
  • February 21 (Sat) – February 23 (Mon) — 3 days off (The Emperor's Birthday)
  • March 20 (Fri) – March 22 (Sun) — 3 days off (Vernal Equinox Day)
  • May 2 (Sat) – May 6 (Wed) — 5 days off (Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children's Day, Substitute Holiday)
  • July 18 (Sat) – July 20 (Mon) — 3 days off (Marine Day)
  • September 19 (Sat) – September 23 (Wed) — 5 days off (Respect for the Aged Day, Citizens’ Holiday, Autumnal Equinox Day)
  • October 10 (Sat) – October 12 (Mon) — 3 days off (Sports Day)
  • November 21 (Sat) – November 23 (Mon) — 3 days off (Labor Thanksgiving Day)

2027 public holidays (16 national holidays)

Date Day Holiday Japanese
January 1 Fri New Year's Day 元日
January 11 Mon Coming of Age Day 成人の日
February 11 Thu National Foundation Day 建国記念の日
February 23 Tue The Emperor's Birthday 天皇誕生日
March 21 Sun Vernal Equinox Day 春分の日
March 22 Mon Substitute Holiday 振替休日
April 29 Thu Showa Day 昭和の日
May 3 Mon Constitution Memorial Day 憲法記念日
May 4 Tue Greenery Day みどりの日
May 5 Wed Children's Day こどもの日
July 19 Mon Marine Day 海の日
August 11 Wed Mountain Day 山の日
September 20 Mon Respect for the Aged Day 敬老の日
September 23 Thu Autumnal Equinox Day 秋分の日
October 11 Mon Sports Day スポーツの日
November 3 Wed Culture Day 文化の日
November 23 Tue Labor Thanksgiving Day 勤労感謝の日

Long weekends & holiday clusters in 2027

  • January 1 (Fri) – January 3 (Sun) — 3 days off (New Year's Day)
  • January 9 (Sat) – January 11 (Mon) — 3 days off (Coming of Age Day)
  • March 20 (Sat) – March 22 (Mon) — 3 days off (Vernal Equinox Day, Substitute Holiday)
  • May 1 (Sat) – May 5 (Wed) — 5 days off (Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children's Day)
  • July 17 (Sat) – July 19 (Mon) — 3 days off (Marine Day)
  • September 18 (Sat) – September 20 (Mon) — 3 days off (Respect for the Aged Day)
  • October 9 (Sat) – October 11 (Mon) — 3 days off (Sports Day)

Golden Week and Silver Week

Golden Week is the run of holidays from late April into early May — Showa Day (April 29), Constitution Memorial Day (May 3), Greenery Day (May 4) and Children’s Day (May 5). With weekends and any substitute holidays, it becomes one of the longest breaks of the year and a peak season for domestic travel.

Silver Week is an occasional September cluster. When Respect for the Aged Day (third Monday of September) and the Autumnal Equinox Day fall close together, the weekday between two holidays becomes a “Citizens’ Holiday”, which can create a five-day break in some years (the exact dates are shown in each year’s list above when they occur).

How holidays affect travel

  • Golden Week (late Apr–early May), Obon (mid-Aug) and New Year (Dec 29–Jan 3): the three busiest travel periods. Shinkansen and flights fill up weeks ahead and hotel prices rise.
  • Book early for reserved train seats and popular accommodation during these windows.
  • Many attractions stay open on public holidays, but some museums and clinics close, and if a holiday falls on a Monday, sites that normally close on Mondays may shift their closure to the next day.

Holiday dates and Japanese names: Cabinet Office of Japan (内閣府, “National Holidays”). English names follow the Cabinet Office naming. Dataset covers 2024–2028; future equinox dates are calculated and may shift by a day. Derived from a single source shared with the Japanese 祝日一覧 page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Obon a public holiday in Japan?

No. Obon (mid-August, usually around August 13–16) is one of the busiest travel seasons in Japan, when many people return to their hometowns, but it is NOT a national public holiday. Businesses often close for a few days by custom, not by law. The only public holiday in August is Mountain Day (August 11).

What is Golden Week?

Golden Week is a cluster of national holidays from late April to early May: Showa Day (April 29), Constitution Memorial Day (May 3), Greenery Day (May 4) and Children’s Day (May 5). Combined with weekends and substitute holidays it produces one of the longest holiday stretches of the year, and it is a peak season for domestic travel — expect crowds and higher prices.

What is a substitute holiday?

When a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the following non-holiday weekday becomes a "substitute holiday" (振替休日). There is also the "Citizens’ Holiday" (国民の休日): a weekday sandwiched between two national holidays becomes a holiday too — this is what can create a five-day "Silver Week" in September in some years.

How are the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox dates decided?

The Vernal Equinox Day and Autumnal Equinox Day are set by astronomical calculation and are formally fixed in February of the preceding year via the official gazette. Future dates shown here are the calculated dates and may occasionally shift by a day.

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