Japan 2026 Public Holidays

New Year's Day

1 January. In many countries the day off moves to the following Monday when it falls on a weekend.

The first day of the Gregorian calendar year, and the most widely observed public holiday in the world — a day off in almost every country that uses the Gregorian calendar, regardless of religion. Several countries extend the break to 2 January, and some in East Asia keep both the Gregorian and a separate lunar new year.

January 2 Bank Holiday

2 January.

Not a statutory public holiday, but banks, government offices and most businesses stay closed from 1 to 3 January for the new year period. In practice one of the quietest stretches of the Japanese year, with many companies closing from late December.

January 3 Bank Holiday

3 January.

The last day of the new year closure for banks and government offices. Like 2 January it is a de facto rather than statutory holiday, and normal business resumes on 4 January.

Coming of Age Day

The second Monday of January.

Seijin no Hi honours everyone who has reached the age of majority in the past year, marked by ceremonies at city halls and by young women wearing furisode kimono. Moved to a Monday in 2000 under the Happy Monday system, which shifted several fixed-date holidays to create long weekends.

National Foundation Day

11 February.

Kenkoku Kinen no Hi marks the mythological accession of Emperor Jimmu in 660 BC. Abolished after the Second World War and restored in 1966, it remains a low-key holiday — deliberately so, given the date's association with pre-war nationalism.

Emperor's Birthday

23 February — the birthday of the reigning emperor, so the date changes with each accession.

Tenno Tanjobi celebrates the current emperor's birthday. The date moved to 23 February in 2020 for Emperor Naruhito, having been 23 December under Akihito and 29 April under Hirohito — the only Japanese public holiday whose date depends on who is on the throne.

Spring Equinox

Around 20 or 21 March, set each year by the National Astronomical Observatory.

Shunbun no Hi falls at the astronomical equinox and sits in the middle of the Buddhist week of Higan, when families visit and clean ancestral graves. Japan is unusual in making an astronomical event a statutory holiday; the exact date is fixed by observatory calculation the previous February.

Shōwa Day

29 April.

Showa no Hi is the birthday of Emperor Hirohito and opens Golden Week, Japan's busiest holiday stretch. The law frames it as a day to reflect on the turbulent Showa era (1926–1989) rather than to celebrate the emperor himself.

Constitution Memorial Day

3 May.

Kenpo Kinenbi marks the day the post-war constitution took effect in 1947, including the Article 9 renunciation of war. The second day of Golden Week.

Greenery Day

4 May.

Midori no Hi is a day for appreciating nature. It exists largely to fill the gap in Golden Week: until 2006 it fell on 29 April, and was moved to 4 May so that the stretch from 3 to 5 May became three consecutive holidays.

Children's Day

1 June across the post-Soviet states and much of Asia; other dates elsewhere.

Honours children. A public holiday in a number of countries, and in China a day off for children under thirteen rather than for everyone.

Sea Day

The third Monday of July.

Umi no Hi gives thanks for the ocean's bounty and marks Japan's dependence on the sea. Introduced in 1996 and the only such national holiday in the world.

Mountain Day

11 August.

Yama no Hi is Japan's newest public holiday, added in 2016 to give August a holiday and to encourage people to spend time in the mountains. It sits just before the Obon period, when much of the country travels home even though Obon itself is not a statutory holiday.

Respect for the Aged Day

The third Monday of September.

Keiro no Hi honours elderly citizens and their contribution to society. In the world's oldest-skewing large country it carries real weight; the government traditionally publishes the number of centenarians around this date.

Bridge Public holiday

A weekday sandwiched between two public holidays.

Japanese law makes any ordinary weekday that falls between two public holidays a holiday itself, so a Tuesday caught between a Monday and a Wednesday holiday becomes a day off automatically. The rule is why Golden Week and some September stretches run longer in some years than others.

Autumn Equinox

Around 22 or 23 September, set each year by the National Astronomical Observatory.

Shubun no Hi is the autumn counterpart to Shunbun no Hi, falling in the middle of the second Higan week of the year, when families again visit ancestral graves.

Sports Day

The second Monday of October.

Supotsu no Hi commemorates the opening of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and promotes physical activity. Schools across the country hold their undokai sports days around it.

Culture Day

3 November.

Bunka no Hi promotes culture and academic achievement, and is the day the Order of Culture is conferred at the Imperial Palace. The date was the birthday of Emperor Meiji and, later, the day the post-war constitution was promulgated in 1946.

Labor Thanksgiving Day

23 November.

Kinro Kansha no Hi gives thanks for labour and production. It replaced Niiname-sai, the imperial harvest festival at which the emperor offers the year's new rice — still performed at the palace on the same date.

December 31 Bank Holiday

31 December.

Not a statutory holiday, but banks and government offices close from 31 December through 3 January. Omisoka, the last day of the year, is spent cleaning the house and eating toshikoshi soba before temple bells ring 108 times at midnight.