Japan School Holidays 2026: Summer, Winter & Spring Breaks
Japanese public schools follow a three-term (gakki) year from April to March. MEXT sets the framework; municipal boards fix exact dates — most schools match the Tokyo Metropolitan pattern: summer 20 July – 31 August, winter 26 December – 6 January, spring about 24 March – 4 April. This page lists 2026 calendar-year breaks separately from national public holidays.
Provisional — pending official confirmation
The Japanese school year runs April – March, so calendar 2026 spans the 2025 school year (January – March) and the 2026 school year (April – December, plus winter break into January 2027). Dates below are the standard Tokyo pattern; your municipality may differ by a few days.
Japan School Holidays 2026: Summer, Winter & Spring Breaks
| Date | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 – 6Thursday – Tuesday | Winter break (2025 school year) | Mid-term break |
| Jan 7 – Mar 23Wednesday – Monday | 3rd term (2025 school year) | Term |
| Mar 24 – Apr 4Tuesday – Saturday | Spring breakEnd-of-year break before the new school year starts in April. | Mid-term break |
| Apr 6 – Jul 19Monday – Sunday | 1st term (2026 school year)New school year begins the first Monday after spring break (6 April 2026). | Term |
| Jul 20 – Aug 31Monday – Monday | Summer break | Summer break |
| Sep 1 – Dec 25Tuesday – Friday | 2nd term (2026 school year) | Term |
| Dec 26 – 31Saturday – Thursday | Winter break (2026 school year)Continues through 6 January 2027; see the 2027 page for the full window. | Mid-term break |
Last updated: 2026-08-26 · Provisional — pending official confirmation
Municipal variation
MEXT provides the legal framework; each municipal board of education sets the exact start and end dates. Hokkaido schools often start summer a week earlier; Okinawa may differ too. Always confirm with your school’s 年間行事 schedule.
School breaks & public holidays: Golden Week and Silver Week
Golden Week (Sat 2 – Wed 6 May) falls inside Term 1 — five consecutive days off from Constitution Memorial Day through Children’s Day, plus the 6 May substitute holiday. No leave needed for a full five-day trip.
Silver Week returns in September: Respect for the Aged Day (Mon 21 Sep), a gap day, Autumnal Equinox (Tue 22 Sep) and a bridge to Wed 23 Sep give five days off (19–23 September) inside Term 2 — rare and worth booking early.
Marine Day (Mon 20 Jul) is the last school day before summer break starts 20 July — families often leave that weekend for Obon travel in mid-August (schools are still on summer break; 11 August Mountain Day adds a mid-break public holiday).
Spring break (24 March – 4 April) overlaps Vernal Equinox (Fri 20 March) just before it — the three-day weekend 20–22 March plus spring break gives two weeks off school for cherry-blossom trips.
Official sources & data
- MEXT — School Education Act Enforcement Regulations (vacation framework)Visit sourceMinistry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- Kids Web Japan — When are school vacations?Visit sourceWeb Japan / Tokyo Metropolitan Government
- Japan School Holidays 2026 (cross-check)Visit sourceBeevago
Frequently asked questions
When is summer break in Japan 2026?
At most public schools: Monday 20 July – Monday 31 August 2026 (Tokyo standard). Some regions start a few days earlier or later.
When are winter and spring break in 2026?
Winter: 26 December 2026 – 6 January 2027 (the January days appear on the 2027 page too). Spring: 24 March – 4 April 2026, before the new school year starts 6 April.
What is Japan’s three-term school system?
1st term: April – mid-July; summer break; 2nd term: September – late December; winter break; 3rd term: January – March; spring break. The school year starts in April, not September.
Are schools closed on Japanese public holidays during term time?
Yes. Public elementary and junior high schools close on all national holidays plus Saturdays and Sundays. Those dates are not duplicated in the table above — this page lists only the three long vacation blocks and term windows.
Is there Silver Week in 2026?
Yes — Respect for the Aged Day (21 Sep), Autumnal Equinox (22 Sep) and the bridge to 23 Sep create a five-day break 19–23 September 2026 inside Term 2. It is the first Silver Week since 2015.
