Public holidays in Japan in August 2026 and 2027
August has 1 day off in 2026 and 1 in 2027: Mountain Day. 3,428,406 visitors arrived in Japan in August 2025.
Public holidays in August
2026 and 2027 together, by date.
| Holiday | Date | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Day山の日 | Tuesday 11 August 2026 | 1 day |
| Mountain Day山の日 | Wednesday 11 August 2027 | 1 day |
Days when the Shinkansen is hardest to book
JR Central and JR West make every Nozomi reserved-seat only on these days.
Every Nozomi is reserved-seat only on these days. Passengers with an unreserved ticket cannot take a seat on a Nozomi. Hikari, Kodama, Mizuho and Sakura trains keep their unreserved cars.
| Period | Dates | Days |
|---|---|---|
| Obon | 7–16 August 2026 | 10 days |
Source: JR Central and JR West — Days when every Nozomi is reserved-seat only, fiscal 2026 (21 May 2026)
Busiest Shinkansen days: Obon 2026
JR Central's results for 7 to 16 August 2026.
- Total passengers
- 4,149,000
- Days counted
- 10 days
- Busiest from Tokyo
- 283,000 · Sat 8 Aug
- Busiest to Tokyo
- 294,000 · Sun 16 Aug
How busy August is with visitors
3,428,406 visitors arrived in August 2025, the 9th busiest month of the year. The figure for August 2026 is 3,098,900 (provisional or estimated).
Visitor arrivals to Japan by month, 2025
Final figures. The highlighted bar is this month.
Source: Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) — Visitor arrivals to Japan (released 16 September 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Are there public holidays in Japan in August?
Yes. Mountain Day is Tuesday 11 August 2026. Mountain Day is Wednesday 11 August 2027.
How many tourists visit Japan in August?
3,428,406 visitors arrived in August 2025, the 9th highest of the 12 months (JNTO final figures).
Which days in August are hardest to book on the Shinkansen?
Every Nozomi is reserved-seat only on these days: 7–16 August 2026 (Obon).
Related items
Sources for this page
- Cabinet Office National holidays (国民の祝日について)checked October 1, 2026
- JR Central and JR West Days when every Nozomi is reserved-seat only, fiscal 2026 (21 May 2026)checked October 1, 2026
- JR Central Obon 2026: passenger results (17 August 2026)checked October 1, 2026
- Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) Visitor arrivals to Japan (released 16 September 2026)checked October 1, 2026
Compiled by Japan Japan !! · Updated October 2, 2026