Japan — Japanese national holidays

The following are Japanese national holidays and some of the most important other annual nationwide events. In addition, there are countless local annual festivals. If a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will also be a holiday. If a day lies between two national holidays, the day will also be turned into a holiday.

January 1 (national holiday)
New Year (shogatsu):

This is the most important holiday in Japan. While only January 1 is designated as a national holiday, many businesses remain closed through January 3.

Second Monday of January (national holiday)
Coming of Age (seijin no hi):

The Coming of Age festival is celebrated on the second Monday of January (it used to be celebrated always on January 15 until the year 1999). Its Japanese name is Seijin no hi. All young people who turn twenty years old in that year are celebrated on Seijin no hi. Twenty is the age considered as the beginning of adulthood. It is also the minimum legal age for voting, drinking, and smoking.

Celebrations are held nationwide in every town with most of the people turning 20 participating in formal dresses.

February 3
Beginning of spring (setsubun):

Setsubun is not a national holiday, but celebrated at shrines and temples nationwide.

February 11 (national holiday)
National Foundation Day (kenkoku kinenbi):

According to the earliest Japanese history records, on this day in the year 660 BC the first Japanese emperor was crowned.

February 14
Valentine's Day:

In Japan, women give chocolates to men on Valentine's Day. It is not a national holiday.

March 3
Doll's Festival (hina matsuri):

Also called girl's festival.

The Hina Matsuri or Doll Festival or Girl's Festival is celebrated on March 3. On this day, families with girls wish their daughters a successful and happy life. Dolls are displayed in the house together with peach blossoms. The doll festival has its origin in a Chinese custom in which bad fortune is transferred to dolls and then removed by abandoning the doll on a river. On Hina Matsuri, sweet sake is drunken and chirashi sushi is eaten.

March 14
White Day:

The opposite of Valentine's Day: Men give cakes or chocolates to women. It is not a national holiday.

March 21 (national holiday)
Spring Eqinox Day (shunbun no hi):

Graves are visited during the week (ohigan) of the Equinox Day.

April 29 (national holiday)
Showa Day (Showa no hi):

April 29 is the former birthday of Emperor Showa, who died in the year 1989. Until 2006, Greenery Day (see May 4) used to be celebrated on this day. Showa Day is part of the Golden Week.

May 3 (national holiday)
Constitution Day (kenpo kinenbi):

On this day in 1947, the new post war constitution was put into effect. It is part of the Golden Week.

May 4 (national holiday)
Greenery Day (midori no hi):

Until 2006, Greenery Day used to be celebrated on April 29, the birthday of former Emperor Showa. The day is dedicated to the environment and nature, because the emperor loved plants and nature. Before being declared Greenery Day, May 4 used to be a national holiday due to a law, which declares a day, that falls between two national holidays, a national holiday. It is part of the Golden Week

May 5 (national holiday)
Children's Day (kodomo no hi):

Also called Boy's Festival. Families pray for the health and future success of their sons by hanging up carp streamers and displaying samurai dolls, both symbolizing strength, power and success in life. (The Girl's Festival, by the way, is celebrated on March 3.) It is part of the Golden Week.

July/August 7
Star Festival (tanabata):

Tanabata is a festival rather than a national holiday.

Third Monday of July (national holiday)
Ocean Day (umi no hi):

A recently introduced national holiday to celebrate the ocean. The day marks the return of Emperor Meiji from a boat trip to Hokkaido in 1876.

July/August 13-15
Obon:

Obon is a festival to commemorate the deceased ancestors.

Third Monday of September (national holiday)
Respect for the Aged Day (keiro no hi):

Respect for the elderly and longlivity is celebrated on this national holiday.

September 23 (national holiday)
Autum Equinox Day (shubun no hi):

Graves are visited during the week (ohigan) of the Equinox Day.

Second Monday of October (national holiday)
Health and Sports Day (taiiku no hi):

On that day 1964, the Olympic games of Tokyo were opened.

November 3 (national holiday)
Culture Day (bunka no hi):

A day for promotion of culture and the love for freedom and peace. On the culture day, schools and the government award certain persons for their special, cultural activities.

November 15
Seven-Five-Three (shichigosan):

A festival for children, Shichigosan is not a national holiday.

November 23 (national holiday)
Labour Thanksgiving Day (kinro kansha no hi):

A national holiday for honoring labour.

December 23 (national holiday)
Emperor's Birthday (tenno no tanjobi):

The birthday of the current emperor is always a national holiday. If the emperor changes, the national holiday changes to the birthday date of the new emperor.

December 24-25
Christmas:

Christmas is not a national holiday, but it is celebrated by an increasing number of Japanese.

December 31
New Year's Eve (omisoka):

December 31 is not a national holiday.