Public holidays in Japan in May 2026 and 2027
May has 4 days off in 2026 and 3 in 2027: Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children's Day, Substitute holiday. 3,693,587 visitors arrived in Japan in May 2025.
Public holidays in May
2026 and 2027 together, by date.
| Holiday | Date | Days off in a row |
|---|---|---|
| Constitution Memorial Day憲法記念日 | Sunday 3 May 2026 | 5 days (2–6 May) |
| Greenery Dayみどりの日 | Monday 4 May 2026 | 5 days (2–6 May) |
| Children's Dayこどもの日 | Tuesday 5 May 2026 | 5 days (2–6 May) |
| Substitute holiday振替休日 | Wednesday 6 May 2026 | 5 days (2–6 May) |
| Constitution Memorial Day憲法記念日 | Monday 3 May 2027 | 5 days (1–5 May) |
| Greenery Dayみどりの日 | Tuesday 4 May 2027 | 5 days (1–5 May) |
| Children's Dayこどもの日 | Wednesday 5 May 2027 | 5 days (1–5 May) |
Long weekends in May
Weekends and holidays that join up into three days off or more.
| Dates | Days off | From – to | Holidays in it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–6 May 2026 | 5 days | Sat – Wed | Constitution Memorial Day · Greenery Day · Children's Day · Substitute holiday |
| 1–5 May 2027 | 5 days | Sat – Wed | Constitution Memorial Day · Greenery Day · Children's 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Week | 24 April – 6 May 2026 | 13 days |
Source: JR Central and JR West — Days when every Nozomi is reserved-seat only, fiscal 2026 (21 May 2026)
Busiest Shinkansen days: Golden Week 2026
JR Central's results for 24 April to 6 May 2026.
- Total passengers
- 4,932,000
- Days counted
- 13 days
- Busiest from Tokyo
- 297,000 · Sat 2 May
- Busiest to Tokyo
- 311,000 · Wed 6 May
How busy May is with visitors
3,693,587 visitors arrived in May 2025, the 4th busiest month of the year. The figure for May 2026 is 3,560,256 (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 May?
Yes. Constitution Memorial Day is Sunday 3 May 2026. Greenery Day is Monday 4 May 2026. Children's Day is Tuesday 5 May 2026. Substitute holiday is Wednesday 6 May 2026. Constitution Memorial Day is Monday 3 May 2027. Greenery Day is Tuesday 4 May 2027. Children's Day is Wednesday 5 May 2027.
How many tourists visit Japan in May?
3,693,587 visitors arrived in May 2025, the 4th highest of the 12 months (JNTO final figures).
Which days in May are hardest to book on the Shinkansen?
Every Nozomi is reserved-seat only on these days: 24 April – 6 May 2026 (Golden Week).
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 Golden Week 2026: passenger results (7 May 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