Japan Public Holidays (2025–2029)
Japan has 17 national holidays in 2026, one more than usual because Silver Week returns: a citizens’ holiday on Sep 22 bridges two holidays to create a 5-day September break. Golden Week and the May 6 substitute holiday round out the spring.
At a Glance: Statutory Days & Long Weekends
2026 – 20278 long weekends (3+ days)
View full calendar7 long weekends scheduled
Explore scheduleCabinet Office, Government of Japan (内閣府).
Act on National Holidays (国民の祝日に関する法律, Act No. 178 of 1948), establishing 16 national holidays.
Japan Public Holiday System & Legal Framework
Governing Legislation & Statutory Authority
Act on National Holidays (国民の祝日に関する法律, Act No. 178 of 1948), establishing 16 national holidays.
Weekend In-Lieu Observance & Substitute Days
Substitute Holidays (振替休日, Furikae Kyūjitsu): When a national holiday falls on Sunday, the next immediate weekday (normally Monday) becomes an official substitute holiday. In addition, any single working day sandwiched between two national holidays automatically becomes a "Citizen’s Holiday" (国民の休日).
Federal vs Regional & Provincial Disparities
Japan applies national holidays uniformly nationwide under the Holiday Act. Individual prefectures observe memorial commemorative days (e.g. Okinawa Memorial Day / 慰霊の日 on June 23, and Tokyo Citizens’ Day / 都民の日 on October 1).
Statutory Annual Leave & Bridge Days (Ponts) Culture
Under the Labour Standards Act, employees receive 10 days of paid annual leave after 6 months, rising up to 20 days. Japan features three massive national holiday clusters: Golden Week (late April to early May), Obon (mid-August, cultural/corporate), and Year-End/New Year (late December to early January).
Japan Multi-Year Calendars & Downloads (2025–2028)
iCal (ICS) · CSV · PDFJapan Planning Hub: Calendars, Working Days & Schools
Working Days Calculator
Calculate exact business days, work hours, and statutory holidays for Japan (2026 & 2027) for payroll and contracts.
Long Weekends & Leave Planner
Discover all natural 3- and 4-day weekends, plus interactive bridge day strategies turning 1–2 days of annual leave into 5–9 days off.
School Terms & Holidays
Official academic term dates, half-term breaks, summer vacations, and exam recess periods issued by the ministry of education.
Japan Silver Week 2026: Dates & Calendar (Sep 19–23)
Japan Silver Week 2026 runs Sep 19–23 — a rare 5-day break from Respect for the Aged Day, the Sep 22 holiday and the Autumnal Equinox day.
Japan Long Weekends 2026: Golden Week, Silver Week & Dates
Every long weekend in Japan in 2026: all breaks of 3+ days the public holidays create, with dates, causes and leave-stretching tips.
Golden Week 2026 Japan: Dates & Spring Holiday Calendar
Japan’s Golden Week 2026: Showa Day (Apr 29), Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children’s Day and the May 6 substitute — a break May 2–6.
Major Global Festivals Celebrated in Japan
Other Public Holiday Calendars in Asia
Official sources & data
- 国民の祝日について (2026 National Holidays)Visit sourceCabinet Office, Government of Japan
- Japan's National Holidays in 2026Visit sourceNippon.com
Frequently Asked Questions About Japan Public Holidays
How many national public holidays does Japan have per year?
Japan has 16 national holidays per year established by the Act on National Holidays, among the highest counts in the G7.
How does Japan’s "Happy Monday" system work?
The Happy Monday System moved four national holidays to designated Mondays: Coming of Age Day (2nd Mon in Jan), Marine Day (3rd Mon in Jul), Respect for the Aged Day (3rd Mon in Sep), and Sports Day (2nd Mon in Oct), intentionally creating 3-day weekends.
What is a "Citizen’s Holiday" (国民の休日) in Japan?
Under Article 3, Clause 3 of the Holiday Act, when a weekday is directly preceded and succeeded by national holidays, that middle weekday automatically becomes a legal holiday called a Citizen’s Holiday (frequently occurring during Silver Week in September).
Are Golden Week and Obon official national holidays in Japan?
Golden Week is a cluster of four statutory holidays (Showa Day, Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children’s Day) plus weekends. Obon (mid-August) is not a statutory holiday, but nearly all major corporations, factories, and schools close as customary summer leave.
When a holiday falls on Saturday in Japan, is there a substitute day off?
No. Japan’s Holiday Act explicitly grants a substitute holiday only when a national holiday falls on a Sunday. Holidays falling on Saturday do not result in a Friday or Monday substitute day.