Public Holidays in Japan 2026: Complete Guide for UK Travellers

With a weak yen making it better value than it has been in years, Japan has become one of the most popular long-haul trips for British travellers — and its public holidays shape the whole travel calendar. Japan has 16 national holidays, more than any other G7 country, and clusters several of them into ‘Golden Week’, when the entire nation seems to be on the move. This guide lists every public holiday in Japan in 2026, explains the substitute-holiday rules, and shows UK visitors which weeks to seek out and which to avoid.

Public Holidays in Japan 2026 — Full List

The table below lists Japan’s 16 national public holidays (国民の祝日) for 2026. All apply nationwide. Where a holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes a substitute holiday (振替休日).

Date	Holiday (Japanese)	Holiday (English)	Type	Day
1 January	元日	New Year’s Day	National	Thursday
12 January	成人の日	Coming of Age Day	National	Monday
11 February	建国記念の日	National Foundation Day	National	Wednesday
23 February	天皇誕生日	The Emperor’s Birthday	National	Monday
20 March	春分の日	Vernal Equinox Day	National	Friday
29 April	昭和の日	Shōwa Day	National	Wednesday
4 May	みどりの日	Greenery Day	National	Monday
5 May	こどもの日	Children’s Day	National	Tuesday
6 May	振替休日	Constitution Memorial Day (observed)	National	Wednesday
20 July	海の日	Marine Day	National	Monday
11 August	山の日	Mountain Day	National	Tuesday
21 September	敬老の日	Respect for the Aged Day	National	Monday
23 September	秋分の日	Autumnal Equinox Day	National	Wednesday
12 October	スポーツの日	Sports Day	National	Monday
3 November	文化の日	Culture Day	National	Tuesday
23 November	勤労感謝の日	Labour Thanksgiving Day	National	Monday

Constitution Memorial Day (3 May) falls on a Sunday in 2026, so its substitute holiday moves to Wednesday 6 May. Several holidays are fixed to a Monday under Japan’s ‘Happy Monday’ system, and the equinox dates are set astronomically each year.

Long Weekends in Japan 2026

Where the three- and four-day breaks fall in 2026:

Golden Week (2–6 May): The single most important holiday period in Japan. In 2026, Shōwa Day (Wednesday 29 April) opens the run, then a solid block from Saturday 2 May through Wednesday 6 May covers Greenery Day, Children’s Day and the substitute for Constitution Memorial Day. Expect record domestic travel, sold-out trains and peak prices.

Coming of Age Day (10–12 January): Coming of Age Day on Monday 12 January creates a three-day weekend, with cities hosting ceremonies for those turning 20 in colourful kimono and formal dress.

Autumn ‘Silver Week’ (19–23 September): Respect for the Aged Day (Monday 21 September) and the Autumnal Equinox (Wednesday 23 September) fall close together, giving a pair of short breaks that Japanese travellers love to string together.

What’s Open and Closed on Public Holidays

Japan barely slows down for most public holidays. Shops, department stores, restaurants and attractions stay open — often at their busiest, as holidays are prime leisure days. The big exception is New Year (お正月): from around 1–3 January many restaurants, small shops and businesses close so families can gather, temples fill for the first shrine visit (hatsumōde), and it is the quietest the cities get all year.

Banks and government offices close on public holidays and over the New Year period (roughly 31 December to 3 January), though ATMs and convenience stores (konbini) run as normal — Japan’s konbini are open 24/7, holidays included. Trains and the shinkansen run full timetables but sell out well ahead during Golden Week and New Year, when reserved seats can vanish weeks in advance.

Travel tip: Avoid arriving in Japan during Golden Week (late April to early May) unless you have booked everything months ahead — shinkansen reservations, hotels and popular restaurants fill up and prices peak. If your dates are flexible, the weeks either side offer the same spring weather with far smaller crowds.

How Japan’s Public Holidays Compare with UK Bank Holidays

Japan’s 16 national holidays are double the eight England and Wales enjoy, but they work differently. Rather than clustering around Christian festivals, they are spread through the year and mix imperial, seasonal and civic themes. Japan also uses a Monday-substitution rule for Sunday holidays and a ‘Happy Monday’ system that deliberately fixes several holidays to Mondays to create three-day weekends.

Feature	United Kingdom	Japan
Number of holidays	8 (England & Wales)	16 national
Weekend substitute day	Yes — moved to Monday	Yes, when a holiday falls on Sunday
Holiday clustering	Spread out	Golden Week concentrates several in early May
Shops open?	Many reduced	Mostly open (except New Year)
Themes	Mostly secular/Christian	Imperial, seasonal and civic

For the full British comparison, see our list of UK bank holidays. If Japan is one stop on a wider Asia trip, our guide to public holidays in Thailand covers another country where attractions stay open on holidays but domestic travel peaks around key festivals.

Key Cultural Holidays Explained

Golden Week is not a single holiday but a run of four in late April and early May — Shōwa Day, Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day and Children’s Day. Because they fall so close together, most Japanese workers take the whole week off, making it the busiest travel period of the year. On Children’s Day, families fly carp-shaped koinobori banners for the health and happiness of children.

The Emperor’s Birthday (23 February) honours the reigning Emperor Naruhito, and is one of only two days the public can enter the inner grounds of the Tokyo Imperial Palace (the other is 2 January). Culture Day (3 November) and Coming of Age Day are also worth timing a visit around — the former for arts events and the latter for the spectacular sight of young adults in traditional dress.

Did you know? Japan has a rule found almost nowhere else: a ‘citizens’ holiday’. If a single ordinary day is sandwiched between two national holidays, that day automatically becomes a holiday too. It is one of the mechanisms that helps build Golden Week into an unbroken run of days off.

Planning Your Trip Around Public Holidays

For UK travellers, timing is the difference between a serene trip and a crowded, expensive one. The two windows to avoid — unless you plan far ahead — are Golden Week (late April to early May) and the New Year period (late December to early January), when domestic travel peaks. Cherry-blossom season (late March to early April) and autumn colours (November) are gorgeous but popular; the quieter shoulder weeks around them offer the best balance of weather, price and space.

Because Japan is a long-haul trip, flight timing drives the whole budget — comparing fares early on Skyscanner and being flexible by a few days around the holiday peaks can save a substantial amount. Lock in city-centre hotels well ahead on Booking.com, especially for Kyoto and Tokyo during blossom and autumn seasons. For more on building trips around days off, see our guide to long weekends in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public holidays does Japan have in 2026?
Japan has 16 national public holidays in 2026 — the most of any G7 country. All are observed nationwide.

What is Golden Week in Japan 2026?
Golden Week is a cluster of national holidays in late April and early May. In 2026 it runs effectively from Shōwa Day (29 April) through a block from 2–6 May covering Greenery Day, Children’s Day and the substitute for Constitution Memorial Day. It is the busiest domestic travel period of the year.

Does Japan move holidays if they fall on a weekend?
Yes, when a national holiday falls on a Sunday the following Monday becomes a substitute holiday. In 2026, Constitution Memorial Day (Sunday 3 May) is observed on Wednesday 6 May.

Are shops open on public holidays in Japan?
Mostly yes. Shops, restaurants and attractions generally stay open and are often busiest on holidays. The main exception is the New Year period (around 1–3 January), when many businesses close for family celebrations.

When is the Emperor’s Birthday in 2026?
The Emperor’s Birthday is on Monday 23 February 2026, marking the birthday of Emperor Naruhito. It is a national public holiday.

Do banks and trains run on public holidays?
Banks and government offices close, but trains and the shinkansen run full timetables. During Golden Week and New Year, reserved seats sell out weeks ahead, so book early.

What is a ‘citizens’ holiday’ in Japan?
If a normal day falls between two national holidays, it automatically becomes a holiday too. This ‘citizens’ holiday’ rule helps create longer continuous breaks such as Golden Week.

Sources & Last Verified

Cabinet Office, Government of Japan — National Holidays — cao.go.jp national holidays
Nager.Date Public Holiday API — Japan 2026 — date.nager.at/PublicHolidays/2026/JP
Cross-checked against Office Holidays and timeanddate.com
Last verified: 27 July 2026
Author: Bank Holidays UK Editorial Team