Japan Public Holidays 2026: The Complete List and Dates
Japan observes 16 national holidays in 2026, plus two extra days off created by the country’s substitute-holiday and citizens’-holiday rules — 18 public holidays in total. If you’re planning a trip, the dates matter more than you’d think: Japan’s holiday weeks push bullet-train seats, hotels and popular sights to breaking point, and the difference between travelling on and off a holiday can be hundreds of dollars.
Below is the full 2026 calendar, the long weekends it creates, and what each one actually means for travellers.
Japan public holidays 2026 — full calendar
| Date | Day | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 January | Thursday | New Year’s Day (元日) | Shops and many restaurants close 1–3 Jan |
| 12 January | Monday | Coming of Age Day (成人の日) | Second Monday of January |
| 11 February | Wednesday | National Foundation Day (建国記念の日) | — |
| 23 February | Monday | The Emperor’s Birthday (天皇誕生日) | — |
| 20 March | Friday | Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日) | Date varies by year |
| 29 April | Wednesday | Showa Day (昭和の日) | Start of Golden Week |
| 3 May | Sunday | Constitution Memorial Day (憲法記念日) | Substitute holiday on 6 May |
| 4 May | Monday | Greenery Day (みどりの日) | — |
| 5 May | Tuesday | Children’s Day (こどもの日) | End of Golden Week |
| 6 May | Wednesday | Substitute holiday (振替休日) | Because 3 May fell on a Sunday |
| 20 July | Monday | Marine Day (海の日) | Third Monday of July |
| 11 August | Tuesday | Mountain Day (山の日) | — |
| 21 September | Monday | Respect for the Aged Day (敬老の日) | Third Monday of September |
| 22 September | Tuesday | Citizens’ Holiday (国民の休日) | Bridge day created by the two holidays either side |
| 23 September | Wednesday | Autumnal Equinox Day (秋分の日) | Date varies by year |
| 12 October | Monday | Sports Day (スポーツの日) | Second Monday of October |
| 3 November | Tuesday | Culture Day (文化の日) | — |
| 23 November | Monday | Labor Thanksgiving Day (勤労感謝の日) | — |
How Japan’s holiday rules work: a national holiday that falls on a Sunday moves to the next working day (振替休日, furikae kyūjitsu). And when two holidays sit either side of a single working day, that day becomes a holiday too (国民の休日, kokumin no kyūjitsu). That second rule is what turns 21 and 23 September 2026 into a five-day break.
Long weekends and holiday weeks in 2026
2026 has fewer three-day weekends than usual in Japan, because few holidays fall on a Monday. But it has two genuinely big breaks — and one of them only happens roughly every five years.
- 10–12 January — Coming of Age Day (Sat–Mon)
- 21–23 February — The Emperor’s Birthday (Sat–Mon)
- 20–22 March — Vernal Equinox Day (Fri–Sun)
- 29 April – 6 May — Golden Week. Officially the consecutive block runs 2–6 May (Sat–Wed); add two days of leave on 30 April and 1 May and you get eight days off in a row
- 18–20 July — Marine Day (Sat–Mon)
- 19–23 September — Silver Week, a five-day break (Sat–Wed) created by the citizens’-holiday rule. This alignment is rare — the last one was in 2020
- 10–12 October — Sports Day (Sat–Mon)
- 21–23 November — Labor Thanksgiving Day (Sat–Mon)
Golden Week (29 April – 6 May)
Japan’s biggest travel period. Four holidays land within eight days, and the whole country moves at once: Shinkansen services sell out weeks ahead, domestic flights spike, and hotels in Kyoto, Hakone and Okinawa can triple in price. It’s a wonderful time to be in Japan for festivals — and a terrible time to wing it. If you travel during Golden Week, book transport and accommodation as early as the system allows, or plan to stay put in one city.
Silver Week (19–23 September)
Rarer than Golden Week and less famous internationally, Silver Week gives five consecutive days off in 2026. Expect the same domestic travel surge as Golden Week, especially to Kyoto, Nara and the autumn-leaf regions. Note that 2026’s September break is the only one of its kind until the next five-year alignment.
Obon (mid-August)
Obon is not a public holiday, but it matters just as much. Around 13–16 August, Japanese families return to their home towns to honour ancestors. Trains and highways out of the big cities are packed on 12–13 August and back again on 16–17 August. Mountain Day on 11 August 2026 makes the week even busier.
What these dates mean for your trip
If you have flexibility, the smartest move is to treat Japan’s holiday weeks as periods to avoid or to plan around, and target the shoulder weeks instead.
- Avoid: 29 Apr – 6 May (Golden Week), 13–17 Aug (Obon), 19–23 Sep (Silver Week), 29 Dec – 3 Jan (New Year).
- Target: late May to mid-June, and late September to October — mild weather, thinner crowds, lower prices.
- Book early: during any holiday week, rail passes with seat reservations and any accommodation inside a 30-minute radius of a station.
Want the full month-by-month picture, including weather and crowd levels? Read our guide to the best time to visit Japan, which maps every holiday onto the seasons. And if you’re building an itinerary around a long weekend, start with our Japan travel guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Japan have in 2026?
Japan has 16 national holidays in 2026. Two additional days off are created by the holiday rules — a substitute holiday on 6 May (because Constitution Memorial Day falls on a Sunday) and a citizens’ holiday on 22 September (the bridge day in Silver Week). That makes 18 public holiday days in total.
When is Golden Week in 2026?
Golden Week 2026 runs from 29 April to 6 May. The core consecutive block is 2–6 May. With two days of annual leave on 30 April and 1 May, it becomes an eight-day break.
What is Silver Week?
Silver Week is a Japanese holiday period created when Respect for the Aged Day (third Monday of September) and the Autumnal Equinox sit close enough together that the day between them also becomes a holiday. In 2026 it falls on 19–23 September — five consecutive days off.
Is 6 May 2026 a public holiday in Japan?
Yes. Constitution Memorial Day falls on Sunday 3 May 2026, so the holiday moves to the next working day — Wednesday 6 May.
Do shops and restaurants close on Japanese public holidays?
Most shops, department stores, convenience stores and restaurants stay open on public holidays, and some run special promotions. The big exception is New Year (29 December – 3 January), when many independent shops, banks and smaller restaurants close. Museums and galleries often close on the Monday after a holiday.
Our sources
Holiday dates are verified against Japan’s Cabinet Office national-holiday calendar and cross-checked with the Public Holiday Law (国民の祝日に関する法律). Last reviewed: 15 October 2026. If a date is ever revised, this page is updated and the change is noted here.