Japan Public Holidays 2027: Golden Week & Long Weekends
Contents
- Japan public holidays 2027: the official list
- How Japan's holiday rules work
- What the holidays celebrate
- Golden Week and long weekends in 2027
- Busy periods travelers should know
- Banks, offices and shops on holidays
- Planning a trip around the holidays
- Japan public holidays remaining in 2026
- Sources and how we keep this page accurate
Japan public holidays 2027 give you 16 national holidays and one substitute holiday. Golden Week falls neatly this year: a five-day run from Saturday, May 1 to Wednesday, May 5, which grows to seven days if you take Friday, April 30 off.
All dates below follow the official list published by Japan's Cabinet Office. If you're planning a trip, the "busy periods" section matters as much as the holidays themselves.
See the table below for the next holiday.
Japan public holidays 2027: the official list
Japanese names are shown under each holiday, which helps if you're reading local signs or booking sites.
| Date | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Jan 1 | New Year's Day元日 | |
| Mon, Jan 11 | Coming of Age Day成人の日 | |
| Thu, Feb 11 | National Foundation Day建国記念の日 | |
| Tue, Feb 23 | Emperor's Birthday天皇誕生日 | |
| Sun, Mar 21 | Vernal Equinox Day春分の日 | |
| Mon, Mar 22 | Substitute Holiday振替休日 | Vernal Equinox Day falls on a Sunday |
| Thu, Apr 29 | Showa Day昭和の日 | |
| Mon, May 3 | Constitution Memorial Day憲法記念日 | |
| Tue, May 4 | Greenery Dayみどりの日 | |
| Wed, May 5 | Children's Dayこどもの日 | |
| Mon, Jul 19 | Marine Day海の日 | |
| Wed, Aug 11 | Mountain Day山の日 | |
| Mon, Sep 20 | Respect for the Aged Day敬老の日 | |
| Thu, Sep 23 | Autumnal Equinox Day秋分の日 | |
| Mon, Oct 11 | Sports Dayスポーツの日 | |
| Wed, Nov 3 | Culture Day文化の日 | |
| Tue, Nov 23 | Labor Thanksgiving Day勤労感謝の日 |
The only substitute holiday in 2027 is Monday, March 22. Vernal Equinox Day falls on a Sunday, so the next weekday becomes a holiday.
How Japan's holiday rules work
Two rules create extra days off that many calendars miss.
The first is the substitute holiday (振替休日). When a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the next weekday that isn't already a holiday becomes a day off.
The second is the citizens' holiday (国民の休日). Any weekday sandwiched between two national holidays automatically becomes a holiday too. That's what created the five-day Silver Week in September 2026.
The equinox holidays are the only ones not fixed in advance by law. Their dates depend on astronomical calculations, and the government announces them each February for the following year.
What the holidays celebrate
Several holidays are tied to Mondays rather than fixed dates, under what's known as the Happy Monday System. Coming of Age Day, Marine Day, Respect for the Aged Day and Sports Day all fall on a set Monday, which guarantees a three-day weekend.
Coming of Age Day honors young people entering adulthood, with ceremonies held by local governments. Japan lowered the legal age of adulthood to 18 in 2022, but many ceremonies still invite 20-year-olds.
Showa Day on April 29 was the birthday of Emperor Showa. It now opens Golden Week, which runs through Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day and Children's Day in early May.
Marine Day gives thanks for the ocean, and Mountain Day, added in 2016, celebrates the mountains. Sports Day was renamed from Health and Sports Day in 2020.
The Emperor's Birthday follows the reigning emperor. It has fallen on February 23 since the current emperor took the throne in 2019.
Golden Week and long weekends in 2027
Japan has more three-day weekends than most countries, because several holidays are fixed to Mondays. The table below shows them all, plus the bridges worth one or two leave days.
| Break | Dates | Days off | Leave needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Fri, Jan 1 – Sun, Jan 3 | 3 days | None |
| Coming of Age Day | Sat, Jan 9 – Mon, Jan 11 | 3 days | None |
| National Foundation Day | Thu, Feb 11 – Sun, Feb 14 | 4 days | 1 day (Fri, Feb 12) |
| Emperor's Birthday | Sat, Feb 20 – Tue, Feb 23 | 4 days | 1 day (Mon, Feb 22) |
| Vernal Equinox Day + Substitute Holiday | Sat, Mar 20 – Mon, Mar 22 | 3 days | None |
| Showa Day + Constitution Memorial Day + Greenery Day + Children's Day | Thu, Apr 29 – Wed, May 5 | 7 days | 1 day (Fri, Apr 30) |
| Constitution Memorial Day + Greenery Day + Children's Day | Sat, May 1 – Wed, May 5 | 5 days | None |
| Constitution Memorial Day + Greenery Day + Children's Day | Sat, May 1 – Sun, May 9 | 9 days | 2 days (Thu, May 6, Fri, May 7) |
| Marine Day | Sat, Jul 17 – Mon, Jul 19 | 3 days | None |
| Respect for the Aged Day | Sat, Sep 18 – Mon, Sep 20 | 3 days | None |
| Respect for the Aged Day + Autumnal Equinox Day | Sat, Sep 18 – Thu, Sep 23 | 6 days | 2 days (Tue, Sep 21, Wed, Sep 22) |
| Autumnal Equinox Day | Thu, Sep 23 – Sun, Sep 26 | 4 days | 1 day (Fri, Sep 24) |
| Sports Day | Sat, Oct 9 – Mon, Oct 11 | 3 days | None |
| Labor Thanksgiving Day | Sat, Nov 20 – Tue, Nov 23 | 4 days | 1 day (Mon, Nov 22) |
Golden Week is the headline. Showa Day on Thursday, April 29 is separated from the May holidays by a single Friday, so one leave day gives you April 29 to May 5.
There's no full Silver Week in 2027. Respect for the Aged Day falls on Monday, September 20 and Autumnal Equinox Day on Thursday, September 23, with two working days in between.
Busy periods travelers should know
Three periods affect prices and crowds more than any other: New Year, Golden Week and Obon.
The New Year period isn't just January 1. Many companies close from around December 29 to January 3, and domestic travel peaks around those dates.
Golden Week is the busiest travel period of spring. Trains, flights and hotels in popular areas fill up early, and prices rise accordingly.
Obon, usually around August 13–16, isn't a national holiday. But many people take leave then to visit family, so long-distance trains and highways are packed.
Banks, offices and shops on holidays
Japanese banks close on national holidays and over the New Year from December 31 to January 3. Convenience store ATMs keep working, which is the easiest way to get cash during those days.
Government offices and most companies follow the same pattern. Department stores, restaurants and tourist attractions usually stay open on national holidays, though some close for a few days over New Year.
Planning a trip around the holidays
If your dates are flexible, avoid arriving at the start of Golden Week or Obon. Popular sights get very crowded, and you'll pay more for the same hotel room.
Three-day weekends are less dramatic, but they still raise demand in hot-spring towns and areas within easy reach of Tokyo and Osaka. Booking a refundable room early is the safe move.
Holidays can also work in your favor. Big business hotels in central Tokyo or Osaka sometimes get quieter on holidays, when business travel drops off.
Japan public holidays remaining in 2026
Three holidays remain in 2026: Culture Day on Tuesday, November 3, Labor Thanksgiving Day on Monday, November 23, and the New Year period that follows.
| Date | Holiday | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jan 1 | New Year's Day元日 | |
| Mon, Jan 12 | Coming of Age Day成人の日 | |
| Wed, Feb 11 | National Foundation Day建国記念の日 | |
| Mon, Feb 23 | Emperor's Birthday天皇誕生日 | |
| Fri, Mar 20 | Vernal Equinox Day春分の日 | |
| Wed, Apr 29 | Showa Day昭和の日 | |
| Sun, May 3 | Constitution Memorial Day憲法記念日 | |
| Mon, May 4 | Greenery Dayみどりの日 | |
| Tue, May 5 | Children's Dayこどもの日 | |
| Wed, May 6 | Substitute Holiday振替休日 | Constitution Memorial Day fell on a Sunday |
| Mon, Jul 20 | Marine Day海の日 | |
| Tue, Aug 11 | Mountain Day山の日 | |
| Mon, Sep 21 | Respect for the Aged Day敬老の日 | |
| Tue, Sep 22 | Citizens' Holiday国民の休日 | A weekday sandwiched between two holidays becomes a holiday |
| Wed, Sep 23 | Autumnal Equinox Day秋分の日 | |
| Mon, Oct 12 | Sports Dayスポーツの日 | |
| Tue, Nov 3 | Culture Day文化の日 | |
| Mon, Nov 23 | Labor Thanksgiving Day勤労感謝の日 |
Sources and how we keep this page accurate
All dates follow the Cabinet Office of Japan's official holiday list. The 2027 equinox dates come from the government's February 2026 announcement.
Every date in the tables comes from a single data file, and weekdays and long weekends are calculated automatically. We cross-check the data against an independent open-source holiday library.
FAQ
When is Golden Week 2027?
The core holidays run from Saturday, May 1 to Wednesday, May 5, 2027. Showa Day falls on Thursday, April 29, so taking Friday, April 30 off creates a seven-day break.
Is there a Silver Week in 2027?
Not a full one. Respect for the Aged Day (Monday, September 20) and Autumnal Equinox Day (Thursday, September 23) are separated by two working days, so you need two leave days to join them.
Are the 2027 equinox holidays confirmed?
Yes. Japan announces the equinox dates in February of the previous year, and the Cabinet Office lists March 21 and September 23 for 2027.
Is Obon a public holiday in Japan?
No. Obon in mid-August is a traditional period when many companies close, but it is not a national holiday.