Japan public holidays 2026 and 2027: dates and closures

Every public holiday in Japan in 2026 and 2027 with its weekday: 18 days off in 2026 and 17 in 2027. Golden Week, Obon, Silver Week and New Year, what closes on each day, and the days when the Shinkansen is busiest.

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By year

Every day off in the year with its weekday, and the long weekends.

Two buses parked outside a building, each with a small Japanese flag attached to its front

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Public holidays in 2026

Japan has 18 days off in 2026: the 16 national holidays plus a substitute holiday on Wednesday 6 May 2026 and a Citizens' Holiday on Tuesday 22 September 2026.

Days off 18 3-day weekends 6

Public holidays in 2026

Final dates

New Year's Day: Thursday 1 January
Coming of Age Day: Monday 12 January
National Foundation Day: Wednesday 11 February
Emperor's Birthday: Monday 23 February
Vernal Equinox Day: Friday 20 March
Showa Day: Wednesday 29 April
Constitution Memorial Day: Sunday 3 May
Greenery Day: Monday 4 May
Children's Day: Tuesday 5 May
Substitute holiday: Wednesday 6 May
Marine Day: Monday 20 July
Mountain Day: Tuesday 11 August
Respect for the Aged Day: Monday 21 September
Citizens' Holiday: Tuesday 22 September
Autumnal Equinox Day: Wednesday 23 September
Sports Day: Monday 12 October
Culture Day: Tuesday 3 November
Labor Thanksgiving Day: Monday 23 November

Days off: 18
3-day weekends: 6
Longest break: 5 days
Golden Week: 2–6 May

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A green Tokyo city bus with two small Japanese flags on its front, stopped at a bus stop in Asakusa, Tokyo

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Public holidays in 2027

Japan has 17 days off in 2027: the 16 national holidays plus a substitute holiday on Monday 22 March 2027.

Days off 17 3-day weekends 6

Public holidays in 2027

Final dates

New Year's Day: Friday 1 January
Coming of Age Day: Monday 11 January
National Foundation Day: Thursday 11 February
Emperor's Birthday: Tuesday 23 February
Vernal Equinox Day: Sunday 21 March
Substitute holiday: Monday 22 March
Showa Day: Thursday 29 April
Constitution Memorial Day: Monday 3 May
Greenery Day: Tuesday 4 May
Children's Day: Wednesday 5 May
Marine Day: Monday 19 July
Mountain Day: Wednesday 11 August
Respect for the Aged Day: Monday 20 September
Autumnal Equinox Day: Thursday 23 September
Sports Day: Monday 11 October
Culture Day: Wednesday 3 November
Labor Thanksgiving Day: Tuesday 23 November

Days off: 17
3-day weekends: 6
Longest break: 5 days
Golden Week: 1–5 May

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Long breaks

New Year, Golden Week, Obon and Silver Week: dates, closures and the busiest trains.

A large crowd at a shrine at night during New Year hatsumode, many holding up phones

New Year 2026–27

New Year's Day, Friday 1 January 2027, is the only national holiday, but banks close from 31 December to 3 January and many sights close for several days.

Banks closed31 Dec – 3 Jan

Days off 3 days

New Year 2026–27Shogatsu

Banks closed 4 days

New Year's Day: Friday 1 January 2027
Banks closed: 31 December to 3 January
Every Nozomi reserved-only: 25 December 2026 to 5 January 2027
Busiest day last winter: Sunday 4 January 2026, 350,000 passengers heading to Tokyo

Days off: 3 days
Banks closed: 31 Dec – 3 Jan
Nozomi: Reserved only, 25 Dec – 5 Jan
Peak-day riders: 350,000

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Colourful koinobori carp streamers hanging in a row from a red cord at a festival in Sagamihara

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Golden Week 2027

Golden Week 2027 gives 5 days off in a row, from Saturday 1 May to Wednesday 5 May 2027, after Showa Day on Thursday 29 April.

Dates1–5 May

Days off 5 days

Golden Week 2027

5 days off

Showa Day: Thursday 29 April 2027
Constitution Memorial Day: Monday 3 May 2027
Greenery Day: Tuesday 4 May 2027
Children's Day: Wednesday 5 May 2027
Busiest day in 2026: Wednesday 6 May 2026, 311,000 passengers heading to Tokyo

Days off: 5 days
Dates: 1–5 May
Showa Day: Thu 29 April
Peak day 2026: 311,000

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Red and white paper lanterns strung above a crowd at a Bon Odori festival, with a stage in the distance

Obon

Obon is a family custom, not a public holiday.

Mountain DayWed 11 August

Holidays 0

Obon

Not a public holiday

Mountain Day 2027: Wednesday 11 August 2027
JR Central's Obon period in 2026: 7 to 16 August 2026
Busiest day in 2026: Sunday 16 August 2026, 294,000 passengers heading to Tokyo

Holidays: 0
Mountain Day: Wed 11 August
JR period 2026: 7–16 August
Peak day 2026: 294,000

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Passengers with suitcases on a platform at Shin-Aomori Station, with white Shinkansen trains on both sides

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Silver Week

No five-day Silver Week in 2027.

Dates in 202619–23 September

Days off in 2026 5 days

Silver Week

Not every year

Respect for the Aged Day: Monday 21 September 2026
Citizens' Holiday: Tuesday 22 September 2026
Autumnal Equinox Day: Wednesday 23 September 2026
Respect for the Aged Day: Monday 20 September 2027
Autumnal Equinox Day: Thursday 23 September 2027

Days off in 2026: 5 days
Dates in 2026: 19–23 September
Days off in 2027: 3 days
Equinox 2027: Thu 23 September

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By month

The holidays in each month of 2026 and 2027, with the number of visitors that month.

Young people in colourful furisode kimono and dark suits at a Coming of Age Day ceremony in Kumagaya

January

New Year's Day, Coming of Age Day.

Days off in 2026 2 Days off in 2027 2

January

New Year's Day: Thursday 1 January 2026
Coming of Age Day: Monday 12 January 2026
New Year's Day: Friday 1 January 2027
Coming of Age Day: Monday 11 January 2027

Days off in 2026: 2
Days off in 2027: 2
Visitors in 2025: 3,781,629
Rank in 2025: 3rd of 12

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White plum trees in bloom along a curving path beside a stone wall in the Imperial Palace Gardens, Tokyo

February

National Foundation Day, Emperor's Birthday.

Days off in 2026 2 Days off in 2027 2

February

National Foundation Day: Wednesday 11 February 2026
Emperor's Birthday: Monday 23 February 2026
National Foundation Day: Thursday 11 February 2027
Emperor's Birthday: Tuesday 23 February 2027

Days off in 2026: 2
Days off in 2027: 2
Visitors in 2025: 3,258,491
Rank in 2025: 12th of 12

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Two botamochi coated in red bean paste, one cut open to show white rice inside

March

Vernal Equinox Day, Substitute holiday.

Days off in 2026 1 Days off in 2027 2

March

Vernal Equinox Day: Friday 20 March 2026
Vernal Equinox Day: Sunday 21 March 2027
Substitute holiday: Monday 22 March 2027

Days off in 2026: 1
Days off in 2027: 2
Visitors in 2025: 3,497,755
Rank in 2025: 7th of 12

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People sitting on picnic sheets under white cherry blossom trees in Yoyogi Park

April

Showa Day.

Days off in 2026 1 Days off in 2027 1

April

Showa Day: Wednesday 29 April 2026
Showa Day: Thursday 29 April 2027

Days off in 2026: 1
Days off in 2027: 1
Visitors in 2025: 3,909,128
Rank in 2025: 1st of 12

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Armored samurai dolls with helmets, bows, spears, and swords in front of a painted pine screen

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May

Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children's Day, Substitute holiday.

Days off in 2026 4 Days off in 2027 3

May

Constitution Memorial Day: Sunday 3 May 2026
Greenery Day: Monday 4 May 2026
Children's Day: Tuesday 5 May 2026
Substitute holiday: Wednesday 6 May 2026
Constitution Memorial Day: Monday 3 May 2027
Greenery Day: Tuesday 4 May 2027
Children's Day: Wednesday 5 May 2027

Days off in 2026: 4
Days off in 2027: 3
Visitors in 2025: 3,693,587
Rank in 2025: 4th of 12

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Garden path lined with blue, purple and white hydrangea flowers in Ibaraki

June

No national holidays.

Days off in 2026 0 Days off in 2027 0

June

No holidays

Holidays: None in 2026 or 2027

Days off in 2026: 0
Days off in 2027: 0
Visitors in 2025: 3,377,985
Rank in 2025: 10th of 12

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Zushi Beach in Kanagawa in summer, crowded with swimmers and beach umbrellas along the shore

July

Marine Day.

Days off in 2026 1 Days off in 2027 1

July

Marine Day: Monday 20 July 2026
Marine Day: Monday 19 July 2027

Days off in 2026: 1
Days off in 2027: 1
Visitors in 2025: 3,437,118
Rank in 2025: 8th of 12

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Long line of hikers in colourful jackets climbing a reddish rocky slope on Mount Fuji

August

Mountain Day.

Days off in 2026 1 Days off in 2027 1

August

Mountain Day: Tuesday 11 August 2026
Mountain Day: Wednesday 11 August 2027

Days off in 2026: 1
Days off in 2027: 1
Visitors in 2025: 3,428,406
Rank in 2025: 9th of 12

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Clusters of red higanbana spider lilies blooming among tree trunks and green grass

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September

Respect for the Aged Day, Citizens' Holiday, Autumnal Equinox Day.

Days off in 2026 3 Days off in 2027 2

September

Respect for the Aged Day: Monday 21 September 2026
Citizens' Holiday: Tuesday 22 September 2026
Autumnal Equinox Day: Wednesday 23 September 2026
Respect for the Aged Day: Monday 20 September 2027
Autumnal Equinox Day: Thursday 23 September 2027

Days off in 2026: 3
Days off in 2027: 2
Visitors in 2025: 3,267,228
Rank in 2025: 11th of 12

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October

Sports Day.

Days off in 2026 1 Days off in 2027 1

October

Sports Day: Monday 12 October 2026
Sports Day: Monday 11 October 2027

Days off in 2026: 1
Days off in 2027: 1
Visitors in 2025: 3,896,524
Rank in 2025: 2nd of 12

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Children in colorful kimono for Shichi-Go-San walking through a red shrine gate, seen from behind

November

Culture Day, Labor Thanksgiving Day.

Days off in 2026 2 Days off in 2027 2

November

Culture Day: Tuesday 3 November 2026
Labor Thanksgiving Day: Monday 23 November 2026
Culture Day: Wednesday 3 November 2027
Labor Thanksgiving Day: Tuesday 23 November 2027

Days off in 2026: 2
Days off in 2027: 2
Visitors in 2025: 3,517,659
Rank in 2025: 6th of 12

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Trees decorated with blue and white lights on snow-covered ground at night in Sapporo, with a lit tower in the distance

December

No national holidays.

Days off in 2026 0 Days off in 2027 0

December

No holidays

Holidays: None in 2026 or 2027

Days off in 2026: 0
Days off in 2027: 0
Visitors in 2025: 3,617,791
Rank in 2025: 5th of 12

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Japan has 16 national holidays. With substitute holidays added, there are 18 days off in 2026 and 17 in 2027. The longest break in 2027 is Golden Week: 5 days off in a row, from Saturday 1 May to Wednesday 5 May 2027.

Days off in 2026: 18
Days off in 2027: 17
Long weekends: 15
Golden Week: 1–5 May 2027

All the dates at a glance

Public holidays in Japan in 2026 and 2027 (Cabinet Office)

Holiday	2026	2027
New Year's Day元日	Thu 1 Jan	Fri 1 Jan
Coming of Age Day成人の日	Mon 12 Jan	Mon 11 Jan
National Foundation Day建国記念の日	Wed 11 Feb	Thu 11 Feb
Emperor's Birthday天皇誕生日	Mon 23 Feb	Tue 23 Feb
Vernal Equinox Day春分の日	Fri 20 Mar	Sun 21 Mar
Showa Day昭和の日	Wed 29 Apr	Thu 29 Apr
Constitution Memorial Day憲法記念日	Sun 3 May	Mon 3 May
Greenery Dayみどりの日	Mon 4 May	Tue 4 May
Children's Dayこどもの日	Tue 5 May	Wed 5 May
Marine Day海の日	Mon 20 Jul	Mon 19 Jul
Mountain Day山の日	Tue 11 Aug	Wed 11 Aug
Respect for the Aged Day敬老の日	Mon 21 Sep	Mon 20 Sep
Autumnal Equinox Day秋分の日	Wed 23 Sep	Thu 23 Sep
Sports Dayスポーツの日	Mon 12 Oct	Mon 11 Oct
Culture Day文化の日	Tue 3 Nov	Wed 3 Nov
Labor Thanksgiving Day勤労感謝の日	Mon 23 Nov	Tue 23 Nov
Substitute holiday振替休日	Wed 6 May	Mon 22 Mar
Citizens' Holiday国民の休日	Tue 22 Sep	None

Source: Cabinet Office — National holidays (国民の祝日について)

15 breaks of three days or more. The longest are five days.

Breaks of three days or more in 2026 and 2027, counting Saturdays and Sundays

Dates	Days off	From – to	Holidays in it
10–12 January 2026	3 days	Sat – Mon	Coming of Age Day
21–23 February 2026	3 days	Sat – Mon	Emperor's Birthday
20–22 March 2026	3 days	Fri – Sun	Vernal Equinox Day
2–6 May 2026	5 days	Sat – Wed	Constitution Memorial Day · Greenery Day · Children's Day · Substitute holiday
18–20 July 2026	3 days	Sat – Mon	Marine Day
19–23 September 2026	5 days	Sat – Wed	Respect for the Aged Day · Citizens' Holiday · Autumnal Equinox Day
10–12 October 2026	3 days	Sat – Mon	Sports Day
21–23 November 2026	3 days	Sat – Mon	Labor Thanksgiving Day
1–3 January 2027	3 days	Fri – Sun	New Year's Day
9–11 January 2027	3 days	Sat – Mon	Coming of Age Day
20–22 March 2027	3 days	Sat – Mon	Vernal Equinox Day · Substitute holiday
1–5 May 2027	5 days	Sat – Wed	Constitution Memorial Day · Greenery Day · Children's Day
17–19 July 2027	3 days	Sat – Mon	Marine Day
18–20 September 2027	3 days	Sat – Mon	Respect for the Aged Day
9–11 October 2027	3 days	Sat – Mon	Sports Day

Source: Cabinet Office — National holidays (国民の祝日について)

Banks close on every public holiday. Most national museums close on Mondays, but open on a Monday holiday and close the next day instead.

Closing days of banks, museums and gardens (each operator's own page)

Place	Usually closed	On a public holiday
Banks	Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays	Closed
Tokyo National Museum	Mondays	Open on a Monday holiday, closed the next day
National Museum of Western Art	Mondays	Open on a Monday holiday, closed the next day
Kyoto National Museum	Mondays	Open on a Monday holiday, closed the next day
The National Art Center, Tokyo	Tuesdays	Open on a Tuesday holiday, closed the next working day
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden	Mondays	Closed the next weekday instead
Imperial Palace tours	Sundays and Mondays	No tours (unless the holiday is a Saturday)

Shinjuku Gyoen opens every day, Mondays included, during the cherry blossom season (25 March – 24 April) and the Chrysanthemum Exhibition (1–15 November).

Year-end and New Year

Year-end and New Year closures (each operator's own page)

Place	Usually closed	On a public holiday	Year-end and New Year
Banks	Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays	Closed	31 December – 3 January
Tokyo National Museum	Mondays	Open on a Monday holiday, closed the next day	26–31 December 2026
National Museum of Western Art	Mondays	Open on a Monday holiday, closed the next day	28 December – 1 January
Kyoto National Museum	Mondays	Open on a Monday holiday, closed the next day	Closed over the year-end and New Year holidays
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden	Mondays	Closed the next weekday instead	29 December – 3 January
Imperial Palace tours	Sundays and Mondays	No tours (unless the holiday is a Saturday)	28 December – 4 January

New Year closures in detail

The New Year return is the busiest day on the Tokaido Shinkansen among the three peak seasons. JR Central makes every Nozomi reserved-seat only on the peak days.

Passengers on the busiest single days (Tokaido Shinkansen)

Leaving Tokyo means westbound trains to Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka. Heading to Tokyo means eastbound trains.

Year-end and New Year 2025–26 — leaving Tokyo, Sat 27 December302,000
Year-end and New Year 2025–26 — heading to Tokyo, Sun 4 January350,000
Golden Week 2026 — leaving Tokyo, Sat 2 May297,000
Golden Week 2026 — heading to Tokyo, Wed 6 May311,000
Obon 2026 — leaving Tokyo, Sat 8 August283,000
Obon 2026 — heading to Tokyo, Sun 16 August294,000

Source: JR Central — passenger results for each period

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.

Days when every Nozomi on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen is reserved-seat only (JR Central and JR West, fiscal 2026)

Period	Dates	Days
Sports Day weekend	10–12 October 2026	3 days
Labor Thanksgiving Day weekend	21–23 November 2026	3 days
Year-end and New Year	25 December 2026 – 5 January 2027	12 days
Coming of Age Day weekend	9–11 January 2027	3 days
Vernal Equinox Day weekend	20–22 March 2027	3 days

Source: JR Central and JR West — Days when every Nozomi is reserved-seat only, fiscal 2026 (21 May 2026)

Article 3 of the Act on National Holidays adds days off in two cases.

Article 3, paragraph 2
If a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the closest following day that is not a national holiday is to be considered as a public holiday.
Official English translation

Article 3, paragraph 3
A day (limited to a day that is not a national holiday) is to be considered as a public holiday, if the days preceding to and following that day are both originally national holidays.
Official English translation

The three extra days off in 2026 and 2027

Wednesday 6 May 2026: Substitute holiday. Constitution Memorial Day fell on Sunday 3 May, so the next day that is not a holiday is off (Article 3, paragraph 2).
Tuesday 22 September 2026: Citizens' Holiday. A weekday between two national holidays becomes a day off (Article 3, paragraph 3).
Monday 22 March 2027: Substitute holiday. Vernal Equinox Day falls on Sunday 21 March, so Monday 22 March is off (Article 3, paragraph 2).

The Cabinet Office posts the 2028 holidays in February 2027. The equinox dates are set by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and published in the official gazette each February.

Frequently asked questions

How many public holidays does Japan have?

The law sets 16 national holidays. With substitute holidays added, Japan has 18 days off in 2026 and 17 in 2027.

When is Golden Week 2027?

Showa Day is Thursday 29 April 2027. Then 5 days are off in a row, from Saturday 1 May to Wednesday 5 May 2027.

What happens when a holiday falls on a Sunday in Japan?

The next day that is not a holiday becomes a day off. In 2027 Vernal Equinox Day is Sunday 21 March, so Monday 22 March is off.

Are banks open on public holidays in Japan?

No. Banks close on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, and from 31 December to 3 January.

Are museums in Japan open on a Monday holiday?

The national museums in Tokyo and Kyoto close on Mondays, but they open on a Monday holiday and close on the next day instead. Shinjuku Gyoen does the same.

Which days are hardest to book on the Shinkansen?

JR Central makes every Nozomi reserved-seat only on its busiest days: 10–12 October 2026; 21–23 November 2026; 25 December 2026 – 5 January 2027; 9–11 January 2027; 20–22 March 2027. Its busiest single day last winter was Sunday 4 January 2026, with 350,000 passengers heading to Tokyo.

When are the 2028 public holidays announced?

The Cabinet Office posts them in February 2027. The equinox dates are published in the official gazette each February.

Are there public holidays in June or December?

No. June and December have no national holidays in 2026 or 2027.

Where these numbers come from

Show all 18

National holidays (国民の祝日について)Cabinet OfficeChecked October 1, 2026
National holidays 1955–2027 (CSV)Cabinet OfficeChecked October 1, 2026
Act on National Holidays (official English translation)Japanese Law Translation, Ministry of JusticeChecked October 1, 2026
Glossary on national holidaysNational Astronomical Observatory of JapanChecked October 1, 2026
Enforcement Order of the Banking Act, Article 5 (official English translation)Japanese Law Translation, Ministry of JusticeChecked October 1, 2026
Year-end and New Year 2025–26: passenger results (5 January 2026)JR CentralChecked October 1, 2026
Golden Week 2026: passenger results (7 May 2026)JR CentralChecked October 1, 2026
Obon 2026: passenger results (17 August 2026)JR CentralChecked October 1, 2026
Silver Week 2026: reserved-seat bookings (4 September 2026)JR CentralChecked October 1, 2026
Days when every Nozomi is reserved-seat only, fiscal 2026 (21 May 2026)JR Central and JR WestChecked October 1, 2026
Year-end and New Year 2025–26: reserved-seat bookings (16 December 2025)JR EastChecked October 1, 2026
Getting here, admission and hoursTokyo National MuseumChecked October 1, 2026
VisitNational Museum of Western ArtChecked October 1, 2026
VisitKyoto National MuseumChecked October 1, 2026
InformationThe National Art Center, TokyoChecked October 1, 2026
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden: admission and closed daysMinistry of the EnvironmentChecked October 1, 2026
Imperial Palace toursImperial Household AgencyChecked October 1, 2026
Visitor arrivals to Japan (released 16 September 2026)Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)Checked October 1, 2026

Japanese public holidays for 2026 and 2027 with weekdays, substitute holidays and long weekends, from the Cabinet Office; Tokaido Shinkansen passenger peaks from JR Central; closing days of banks and national museums from each operator.

Download this data (CSV)

Holiday dates come from the Cabinet Office list for 2026 and 2027. The 2028 dates are added when the Cabinet Office posts them in February 2027.

Photo credits (18)

CC BY 2.0

September — Blue Lotus, cropped
Golden Week 2027 — Guilhem Vellut, cropped
New Year 2026–27 — Yoshikazu Takada, cropped
Obon — Ryo FUKAsawa, cropped
January — Nori Norisa, cropped
April — Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, cropped
August — Kohei Uesaka, cropped

CC0 1.0

Public holidays in 2026 — やねまか, cropped
March — Ocdp, cropped
July — Quercus acuta, cropped

CC BY 4.0

May — 東京国立博物館, cropped
Public holidays in 2027 — Nesnad, cropped
June — Σ64, cropped

CC BY 3.0

Silver Week — くろふね, cropped
November — katorisi, cropped

CC BY-SA 3.0

October — Douglas P Perkins, cropped
December — t-konno, cropped

CC BY-SA 2.0

February — stevecadman, cropped

All the dates at a glance

Long weekends in 2026 and 2027

What closes on public holidays

Year-end and New Year

When the Shinkansen is busiest

How substitute holidays work

The three extra days off in 2026 and 2027

Frequently asked questions

How many public holidays does Japan have?

When is Golden Week 2027?

What happens when a holiday falls on a Sunday in Japan?

Are banks open on public holidays in Japan?

Are museums in Japan open on a Monday holiday?

Which days are hardest to book on the Shinkansen?

When are the 2028 public holidays announced?

Are there public holidays in June or December?

Read more

Where these numbers come from