National Holidays in Japan

May 4 – Greenery Day – As its name suggests, it is a day to commune with nature and to be thankful for blessings. However, in practice it is seen as just another day that expands the Japanese Golden Week period.

May 5 – Children’s Day – Children’s Day is an annual national holiday and is the final celebration in Golden Week. It is a day set aside to respect children’s personalities and to celebrate their happiness. It was designated a national holiday by the Japanese government in 1948.

July 7 – Tanabata – Also known as the “Star Festival”, Tanabata takes place on the 7th day of the 7th month of the year, when, according to a Chinese legend, the two stars Altair and Vega, which are usually separated from each other by the milky way, are able to meet. Because the 7th month of the lunar year roughly coincides with August rather than July, Tanabata is still celebrated on August 7 in some regions of Japan, but mainly on 7th July. A popular Tanabata custom is to write your wishes on a piece of paper, and hang it on a special bamboo tree, in the hope that the wishes become true.

July – Marine Day – Also known as ‘Ocean Day’, it is the only national holiday in July, and held on the third Monday of the month. It commemorates the return of the Meiji Emperor from the sea aboard a steamship called the Meiji Maru, and to ‘express gratitude for the blessings of the sea and wish prosperity for the oceanic country of Japan’.

July / August – Obon – An annual Buddhist time for commemorating  ancestors. It is believed that each year during obon, the ancestors’ spirits return to this world in order to visit their relatives. Traditionally, lanterns are hung in front of houses to guide the ancestors’ spirits, obon dances (bon odori) are performed, graves are visited and food offerings are made at house altars and temples. At the end of Obon, floating lanterns are put into rivers, lakes and seas in order to guide the spirits back into their world. Obon is observed from the 13th to the 15th day of the 7th month of the year, which is July according to the solar calendar. However, since the 7th month of the year roughly coincides with August rather than July according to the formerly used lunar calendar, Obon is still observed in mid August in many regions of Japan, while it is observed in mid July in other regions.

August 11 – Mountain Day – Created as a day to honour and give thanks to the blessings of the mountains, Mountain Day was officially announced in 2014, and first observed in 2016 after campaigns by various mountain-related groups. Mountain Day, or Yama no Hi in Japanese, is to provide “opportunities to get familiar with mountains and appreciate blessings from mountains.

September 1 – Disaster Prevention Day – Disaster prevention day is an annual event dedicated to disaster awareness and training. It’s a day to remember disasters of the past and prepare for the disasters of the future. Government agencies, businesses and schools throughout the country run disaster drills and education campaigns to mark the day.

September – Respect for the Aged Day – Respect for the Aged Day, or Keiro-no-Hi, is a national public holiday in Japan. As the name suggests, it’s a day to honour and respect the country’s elderly citizens. It is held on the third Monday of September each year.

September – Autumn Equinox Day – In Japan, Autumnal Equinox Day, Shubun no Hi, celebrates the arrival of autumn. This public holiday celebrated on September 22-24 depending on the year. People mark it by honouring ancestors and those who have passed away by going to grave sites and holding family gatherings.

September – Silver Week – When a day falls between two national holidays, it becomes an additional holiday known as the citizens’ holiday, and every 5 or 6 years, a weekend will be followed by the Respect for the Aged Day and the Autumn Equinox Day, separated by a Citizens’ Holiday! In reference to the elderly’s grey hair, this period is known as “Silver Week”. Despite its unusual occurrence, many Japanese naturally regard national holidays in September as Silver Week. 

October – Health & Sports Day – This national holiday was launched in 1966 to commemorate the 1964 Summer Tokyo Olympics. Held on the second Monday in October, it is common for schools across Japan to hold Sports Days that begin early in the morning and run until afternoon. Many of these events resemble a mini Olympics with a wide range of events.

November 3 – Culture Day – Bunka no Hi, or Culture Day, is a national holiday officially dedicated to a quest and appreciation for culture, arts and academic discoveries in Japan. It is also the only day most museums throughout the country are open for free!

November 15 – Shichigosan – November 15th is the Shichi-Go-San (“7-5-3”) Festival in Japan, celebrated as a gala day for five-year-old boys and three and seven-year-old girls. On this day, prayers are offered for the healthy and happy futures of the children. As it is not a national holiday, it is generally observed on the nearest weekend. These ages in particular are celebrated both because the ages of three, five and seven are seen as important markers of stages in a child’s growth, and because odd numbers are seen as lucky in Japan.

November 23 – Labour Thanksgiving Day – This national holiday is dedicated to celebrating workers and production, and is a national holiday incorporated in Japan’s Happy Monday System. If the day falls on a Sunday, it is celebrated on the Monday after it. Most businesses remain open on this day, but government services are closed.