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National Holidays

Some Public Holidays are linked to religious or agriculture traditions following the lunar calendar. Therefore, the dates change each year. Special holiday weeks include Golden Week and Obon in May and August respectively.

Golden Week is held from April 29 - May 5. Businesses and government offices close for all or part of Golden Week.

In Obon many companies and small shops also close for all or part of the week. Obon is not an official public holiday. The dates fluctuate from year to year and from business to business. National holidays falling on Sundays transfer to Mondays.

Date	Event
January 1-2	New Year's Day The only official New Years holiday is Jan.1, but as a custom most companies take at least 3 days off. Many Tokyoites make use of this extended holiday to visit their hometown to see family and friends. The traditional New Years greeting among family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances, is “A Happy New Year, I ask your kind assistance this year, again ”(Akemashite omedetō gozaimasu, kotoshimo dōzo yoroshiku).
January (Second Monday)	Coming-of-Age-Day Celebrates men and women who have reached the age of 20. Usually young adults dress in kimono and listen to speeches at city/town hall.
February 11	National Foundation Day According to ancient history, February 11 in 660 B.C. was when the first Japanese emperor was crowned.
March 20	Vernal Equinox Celebrates the coming of spring.
April 29	Greenery Day Celebrates nature. Originally the Showa emperors birthday; after his death, it was changed to Greenery Day to honor his interest in Japans flora.
May 3	Constitution Day Day the new constitution was adopted after WWII.
May 4	Undesignated Holiday Recently created national holiday to make the Golden Week continuous holidays, including Saturday & Sunday.
May 5	Children's Day Families with children celebrate their growth and development. In olden times, many houses with boys were adorned with carp streamers/carp-shaped windsocks (Koinobori) and a warrior doll (Musha ningyō) with a helmet (Kabuto) and a replica sword. Parents measure their childrens height and mark it on a pillar every year. Special sweet Kashiwa-mochi is served. The associated festival is now called Boys Festival, in contrast to Girls Festival (March 3).
July 20	Marine Day This is newly recognized as a national holiday. Celebrates calm seas to avoid marine accident.
September 15	Respect for the Aged Respect and affection are given to the elderly with wishes for a long life.
September 23	Autumnal Equinox Day
October (Second Monday)	Sports Day In memory of Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964, this was added to the national holiday for fostering a healthy mind and body through sports.
November 3	Culture Day This is a day for promotion of culture and the love of freedom and peace. Many cultural festivals are held at schools and public places. The government/emperor confers the Order of Culture (Bunka-Kunshū) to distinguished persons for their special, cultural activities.
November 23	Labor Day Combination harvest festival, and holiday to honor all workers.
December 23	Emperor's Birthday The current emperor was born on this day. People visit the Palace grounds to celebrate with the Emperor.
December 31	New Years Eve Most people stay up until midnight to hear the temple bells ring 108 times, and first thing in the morning, quite a number of people call at their neighborhood shrine/temple nearby to pay their respects, pray for good health or wealth, and make an offering of money. By the time people come back from the temple or shrine, bundles of New Year′s Greeting-cards (Nenga-Jou) are delivered. On New Years Day, children get money (Otoshidama) from parents and other family members and/or relatives (like a Christmas present). In the old days, children went out and played with spinning tops (Koma-mawashi), kites (Tako-age), battledore and shuttlecock (Hane-tsuki) in the garden/field. The traditional New Years Day meal is called Osechi.