When Are Japan’s Public Holidays?

Japan has up to 18 national holidays a year. Some of them you’ll hardly notice, while others can completely throw off your plans by filling the Shinkansen, causing things to close on random days, or turning the queue for that theme park ride you’re looking forward to from 45 minutes to two hours. Trying to tailor your trip to avoid doing certain things on public holidays is an excellent idea, but to do that, you need to know when they are.

This is an AI-generated image to illustrate the concept of busy holidays in Japan. It is not intended to show a real location or an actual situation.

When Are Japan’s Public Holidays?

December 29 to January 1st – New Year’s Holiday

Marks the beginning of the year; families gather for traditional celebrations.

Visiting shrines and temples is customary for Japanese people on New Year’s Day; avoid doing so on this day if you want to avoid crowds.

You might also find some smaller businesses closed around this time. However, major tourist attractions, shops, trains, and so on will still run as normal, although Shinkansen reservations will be required on the Nozomi between Tokyo and Hakata. Book these on Smartex or via Klook.

Second Monday in January – Coming of Age Day

This holiday, celebrated on January 11th in 2027 and January 10th in 2028, honours those who have turned 20 during the last school year (April 2nd of the year before and April 1st of this year). Twenty has traditionally been the age of legal adulthood in Japan. It changed to 18 in 2022, but most places still stick with the age of 20 for this event.

There are ceremonies in many towns, and you’ll see women wearing a special long-sleeved kimono called a furisode. Men may wear traditional dress or a Western suit.

This holiday is unlikely to significantly impact your trip unless you’re visiting the Disney parks, where many young people gather to celebrate after the ceremony.

February 11th – National Foundation Day

Always celebrated on the same date, it commemorates the founding of Japan.

There will be minimal impact on travel, unless it falls on a Monday or Friday, creating a long weekend.

February 23rd – Emperor’s Birthday

Celebration of the Emperor’s Birthday.

This is one of the only days of the year that the Imperial Palace opens to the public. It can attract large crowds.

If the Emperor’s Birthday falls on a Sunday, the holiday will happen on Monday, 24th February instead. This may have a greater impact on travel as it will create a long weekend.

Around March 20th – Vernal Equinox Day

Celebrates the beginning of Spring, nature and living things.

Traditionally, people in Japan would participate in activities that correlate with the things the holiday celebrates – so, on this day, head into nature. That tradition continues to some extent, with people visiting parks on this day, especially if the cherry blossoms have already begun to bloom.

This is one of the holidays that can change its date from year to year. The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan decide the exact date on which it will fall, but it is usually the 20th or 21st of March.

If the date falls on a Sunday, it’s observed on the Monday.

End of April – Early May – Golden Week

The big one. This isn’t just one holiday, but four holidays in one week between April 29th and May 5th. Many people also take the other days off, meaning it’s one of the busiest times of the year for travel in Japan.

The holidays are Showa Day on April 29th, Constitution Memorial Day on May 3rd, Greenery Day on May 4th, and Children’s Day on May 5th.

If any of these holidays fall on a Sunday, an extra holiday will be added on Monday. If that extra Monday is also the date of another holiday, then Tuesday gets added to the week as well.

In 2027, Golden Week will fall between April 29th and May 5th.

Golden Week will disrupt your trip. You must book Shinkansen seats in advance. Hotel prices can be higher in areas visited by Japanese guests; however, Tokyo can actually be a little quieter as people tend to leave to go elsewhere. Theme parks are best avoided at this time, especially on the actual public holidays.

Book things as early as you can – I’ve travelled during Golden Week twice now and the second time I booked my hotel 11 months in advance to get the lowest price I could find – I hadn’t even booked my flights. The price more than tripled nearer the time.

For an idea of what to expect when travelling in Golden Week in more detail (including an explanation of why there’s a picture of fish streamers above), see what happened when I first booked a trip to Tokyo over Golden Week.

Third Monday in July – Marine Day

Celebrated on July 20 in 2026 and July 19 in 2027, this honours the ocean’s importance to Japan.

Traditionally, people would go to the beach or water on this day – you’ll still find some special events in waterfront areas, such as Odaiba.

August 11 – Mountain Day

Encourages appreciation for mountains. I’m not sure what else to say about that!

Fun fact though, it’s Japan’s newest public holiday and only started being celebrated in 2016.

It’s always on the same day.

Around August 13-15 – Obon

Obon is not technically a public holiday, but it’s a time when people traditionally return to their hometowns, so many Japanese people travel now. The exact end date might vary; in 2026, it is from August 13 to 16, and the same dates are predicted for 2027.

This is another time of year when you will need to reserve Shinkansen seats. Some smaller family businesses might also close if the family go to visit relatives elsewhere.

If Mountain Day falls on a Friday and creates a long weekend with Obon, more people might travel for longer. Check the exact dates that shinkansen reservations become mandatory closer to the time and definitely reserve when seats go on sale.

Third Monday in September: Respect for the Aged Day

The exact date of this will vary. It is September 21st in 2026 and September 20th in 2027.

It’s unlikely to affect your trip too much – although see the note below.

Around September 23rd: Autumnal Equinox Day

Celebrates nature, ancestors and the beginning of the autumn season.

This date will vary as it depends on the position of the moon, but it is usually one day either side of September 23rd.

In 2027, it is on September 23rd; in 2027 it falls on September 22nd.

Second Monday in October: Health and Sports Day

Promotes sports and an active lifestyle. It takes place on the second Monday in October, so the date will vary.

It is 12th October in 2026 and October 11th in 2027

November 3rd: Culture Day

Promotes culture, the arts, and academic endeavour. Museums might be more crowded on this day as some of them waive their entrance fee to honour the day.

November 23rd: Labor Thanksgiving Day

Honours labour and production. Some businesses take this day off. If it falls on a Sunday, Monday will also be a holiday.

How Might The Holidays Affect Your Plans

Crowds will increase on public holidays, which could have some knock-on effects on certain aspects of your trip.

Shinkansen Reservations Might Be Needed

As we mentioned, during the three busiest holidays of the year – New Year, Golden Week and Obon – the Nozomi Shinkansen that travels between Tokyo and Hakata, calling at popular stops like Kyoto, Shin-Osaka, and Hiroshima, requires seat reservations in every car (usually, a couple of cars let you travel in an unreserved seat).

However, Shinkansen trains to other destinations can also become very busy, and even the slower trains that don’t require seat bookings may be fuller than usual. If you want to sit with your family, want to ensure you’re on a particular train or need the oversized luggage seats, I’d suggest booking seats on all your trains if you’re travelling during one of the big holidays.

Book in advance via the Smart Ex app or Klook from 30 days in advance – there’s little point booking before this, as you can’t select your seat.

Long Weekends Will Add Local Crowds

If a holiday creates a three-day weekend, expect Japanese people also to be travelling to holiday destinations like Kyoto, around Mount Fuji or Hakone and visiting the same sights that you want to see.

I accidentally ended up in Kyoto during the Culture Day long weekend last year, as rain had stopped my trains from going somewhere quieter. It was noticeably busier than when I’d been there two weeks earlier, particularly on buses – they were coming in too full to get on.

Outside of the transport though, I still managed to escape crowds – this picture in the Bonsai Garden was taken that weekend – by seeking out the quieter sights in Kyoto, so try to do the same if the people get a bit much.

Related Read: How to Beat the Crowds in Kyoto

Watch Out For Mondays – and Tuesdays

As mentioned earlier, if the scheduled date of a holiday falls on a Sunday, a substitute holiday will be observed on the following Monday. However, watch out if you are planning to visit a museum the day after a Monday holiday.

Many museums typically close on Mondays, but if that Monday is a holiday, they will open on that day and then take the following Tuesday off. I got caught by this at the cute Uruyasu Folk Museum after Golden Week and had to go back a week later! Check the museum’s website if you’re visiting around a holiday.

Other Opening Hours May Vary

This is one thing I learned around Golden Week: the normal order of Japan, well, basically, it goes on holiday too – places will be open on public holidays and take other days off. Or they just open randomly throughout the week.

Most public holidays don’t affect the major tourist attractions (except for increasing the crowds), but the New Year’s Holiday definitely can, with even very popular sights like the Peace Museum in Hiroshima closing for at least a day or two.

If you are travelling around a public holiday, but especially around New Year, check opening hours for things you want to visit carefully; you may need to be a bit flexible. If there’s somewhere you really want to go, check that they will be open on the day you plan to visit.

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