[2025 Japan Public Holidays] Do you have to keep away from the Golden Week when touring to Japan? Record of Japanese nationwide holidays and lengthy holidays | Peak and off-seasons for touring in Japan

Japan’s peak vacationer season: late December to New Yr, Golden Week in Might and Obon Pageant in August

On the finish of December, Japan holds many conventional actions to have a good time the New Yr. Along with returning to their hometowns to have a good time the New Yr, the Japanese even have the customized of visiting shrines throughout the New Yr, so native shrines will likely be very crowded.

Amongst Japan’s public holidays, Structure Memorial Day, Greenery Day and Kids’s Day in late April and early Might are shut in date, and weekends may be strung collectively to kind a vacation of greater than per week, which is normally the most well-liked journey season for Japanese individuals. Along with rising resort prices, the native visitors can be very excessive, so it’s best to keep away from touring to Japan throughout this era.

One other peak vacationer season is the Obon Pageant (お盆), which falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month annually and is a crucial competition in Japan for honoring ancestors and the spirits of deceased family. Though Obon isn’t a nationwide vacation in Japan, many corporations can have a four-day vacation round August 13-16, and most Japanese will take the “Mountain Day” vacation to return house and journey, so main transportation and vacationer sights will likely be crowded and really busy. When you journey throughout this era, along with planning and making reservations for eating places and sights upfront, you also needs to pay particular consideration to retailer opening hours.

Low season for journey in Japan: mid-Might to June and early September to mid-October

If you wish to keep away from the crowds, go to Japan from mid-Might to the tip of June after Japan’s Golden Week, and from September to mid-October after the beginning of faculty. For the reason that cherry blossom season and Japan’s Golden Week holidays are over in mid-Might, there are comparatively few vacationers from all around the world, and because the nationwide holidays have simply ended, there will likely be fewer native vacationers, so you’ll be able to get pleasure from a extra snug journey area. The interval from early September to mid-October, from the beginning of the college yr in Japan to earlier than the autumn maple leaf season, can be the low season for tourism, and air tickets and lodging costs are comparatively low-cost.

Japanese Nationwide Vacation Celebrations

Though air tickets and accommodations are costlier throughout Japan’s nationwide holidays, and additionally it is the height vacationer season, vacationers can personally take part in native celebrations and expertise the distinctive Japanese competition tradition and full of life environment. The next are the traits and celebrations of Japan’s nationwide holidays:

1. New Yr’s Day (January 1)

In the beginning of the brand new yr, many Japanese households will carry out “Hatsumode”, which is the primary go to to a shrine within the new yr, to wish for peace all year long. In the course of the New Yr interval, though some companies will droop enterprise, many corporations will launch discounted fortunate luggage, attracting many individuals to line as much as purchase them.

2. Coming of Age Day (January 13)

Coming of Age Day is a day the place varied locations maintain coming-of-age ceremonies to have a good time younger individuals turning 20 turning into adults.

3. Nationwide Founding Day (February 11)

This present day is the day when the primary Emperor Jimmu of Japan ascended the throne based on the information within the Nihon Shoki, and is used to commemorate the spirit of Japan’s founding. Many shrines maintain festivals on today, and the “Fengzhu Parade” (Fengzhu Parade) is held yearly close to the Meiji Jingu Shrine in Tokyo.

4. Emperor’s Birthday (February 23)

On the Emperor’s birthday, a normal birthday ceremony is held within the Chowaden Corridor of the Imperial Palace, with members of the Imperial household attending the ceremony and the general public additionally capable of enter the sq. in entrance of the corridor to want the Emperor a cheerful birthday.

5. Spring Equinox (March 20)

It represents the start of spring, when the cherry blossoms are on the brink of bloom.

6. Showa Day (April 29)

The beginning of Japan’s “Golden Week”. “Showa Day” was previously referred to as “Tencho Day”, and Tencho means “to commemorate the Emperor’s birthday”, so it was designated because the birthday of Emperor Showa. On that day, the Showa Memorial Park will likely be open freed from cost for guests to enter the park to benefit from the flowers; in earlier years, many public services have additionally provided free admission, similar to Ueno Zoo.

7. Structure Day (Might 3)

A nationwide vacation established to commemorate the formal implementation of the Japanese Structure.

8. Inexperienced Day (Might 4)

The “Inexperienced Day” vacation is aimed toward elevating the general public’s consciousness of conservation and inspiring them to cherish nature. On that day, admission to parks similar to Ueno Zoological Park, Shinjuku Gyoen Nationwide Backyard, and Fukuoka Metropolis Zoo and Botanical Gardens will likely be free, permitting residents to get pleasure from nature and greenery.

9. Kids’s Day (Might 5)

Based on Japan’s National Holidays Law, Kids’s Day is outlined as a day to “respect youngsters’s individuality, measure youngsters’s happiness, and categorical gratitude to their moms.” On that day, individuals will hold carp streamers representing progress on roofs, courtyards, roads, and so on., and also will bathe in calamus soup.

10. Sea Day (July 21)

As Japan is surrounded by the ocean, “Umi no Higashi” is widely known to specific gratitude for the ocean’s blessings and to wish for Japan’s prosperity. Japanese individuals use this day without work to benefit from the solar and the seaside. Some cities and counties maintain festivals, such because the “Sea Lantern Pageant” at Tokyo’s Odaiba Seaside Park, the place individuals pray for maritime security. Many additionally maintain “fireworks festivals,” such because the “Yugawara Onsen Fireworks Pageant” in Kanagawa Prefecture.

11. Mountain Day (August 11)

Because the identify suggests, “Mountain Day” is a day to get near the mountains and categorical gratitude to the forests. Japanese individuals hike and drive up mountains to benefit from the stunning surroundings, and go to zoos and botanical gardens to study concerning the pure atmosphere. Probably the most well-known occasion of the day is the “Yamanohi Day Nationwide Conference”.

12. Respect for the Aged Day (September 15)

Respect for the Aged Day is a day to point out respect to the aged. Japanese individuals normally return to their hometowns to go to their family, have household reunion dinners collectively or give items to their dad and mom to point out their love.

13. Autumnal Equinox (September 23)

It represents the start of autumn. In addition to being an essential interval for tomb sweeping and ancestor worship, additionally it is the start of the maple viewing season.

14. Sports activities Day (October 13)

Initially named “Sports activities Day”, it was established to commemorate the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and was renamed “Sports activities Day” within the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to advertise sports activities tradition. On today yearly, Japan holds an “ekiden race” relay race. Amongst them, the Izumo Ekiden Race, Hakone Ekiden Race and All Japan University Ekiden Race are collectively referred to as the “Three Main Ekiden Races in Japan”.

15. Tradition Day (November 3)

A competition celebrating tradition and artwork, many museums, artwork galleries and even theme parks are open without spending a dime on today.

16. Labor Appreciation Day (November 23)

Labor Thanksgiving Day originated from the “New Tasting Pageant” held to thank the god of the harvest. It’s now aimed toward thanking individuals for his or her arduous work.

FAQ

When are the height and off-seasons for tourism in Japan?

Along with the cherry blossom season in April and the maple viewing season in November, that are well-liked with vacationers from all around the world, Japan’s Golden Week in Might and the Obon Pageant in August are additionally peak vacationer seasons, and lots of Japanese residents will journey throughout the lengthy holidays.

The off-season is from mid-Might to the tip of June after Japan’s Golden Week, and from September to mid-October after the beginning of faculty.

What number of public holidays are there in Japan?

Japan has 16 public holidays in whole, not together with the Obon competition in August, when Japanese corporations normally provide holidays.