Public holidays in Japan in December 2026 and 2027
There are no national holidays in December, in 2026 or in 2027. 3,617,791 visitors arrived in Japan in December 2025.
No holidays
No public holidays in December
June and December are the only months without a national holiday in 2026 and 2027.
Every weekday in December is a normal working day, so banks and offices keep their usual hours.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Year-end and New Year | 25 December 2026 – 5 January 2027 | 12 days |
Source: JR Central and JR West — Days when every Nozomi is reserved-seat only, fiscal 2026 (21 May 2026)
Busiest Shinkansen days: Year-end and New Year 2025–26
JR Central's results for 26 December 2025 to 4 January 2026.
- Total passengers
- 4,415,000
- Days counted
- 10 days
- Busiest from Tokyo
- 302,000 · Sat 27 Dec
- Busiest to Tokyo
- 350,000 · Sun 4 Jan
Year-end closures
Banks close from 31 December to 3 January. Museums and gardens set their own dates.
| 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 |
How busy December is with visitors
3,617,791 visitors arrived in December 2025, the 5th busiest month of the year.
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 December?
No. December has no national holidays in 2026 or 2027.
How many tourists visit Japan in December?
3,617,791 visitors arrived in December 2025, the 5th highest of the 12 months (JNTO final figures).
Which days in December are hardest to book on the Shinkansen?
Every Nozomi is reserved-seat only on these days: 25 December 2026 – 5 January 2027 (Year-end and New Year).
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 Year-end and New Year 2025–26: passenger results (5 January 2026)checked October 1, 2026
- Japanese Law Translation, Ministry of Justice Enforcement Order of the Banking Act, Article 5 (official English translation)checked October 1, 2026
- Tokyo National Museum Getting here, admission and hourschecked October 1, 2026
- National Museum of Western Art Visitchecked October 1, 2026
- Kyoto National Museum Visitchecked October 1, 2026
- Ministry of the Environment Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden: admission and closed dayschecked October 1, 2026
- Imperial Household Agency Imperial Palace tourschecked 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