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Holidays in Japan

Japan Holidays

By Shizuko Mishima, About.com

New Year Decoration

Japanese New Year Decoration

Photo (c) Shizuko Mishima
Here is a Japan holiday calendar lists holidays in Japan.

Date: National holiday Date: Not national holiday

-----------------
1 January
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  • 1: New Year's Day (Gantan) - The most important national holiday in Japan.
  • 2nd Monday: Coming of Age Day (Seijin-no-hi) - People who are 20 years old celebrate becoming adults.
  • -----------------
    2 February
    -----------------

  • 3: Setsubun (The Bean Throwing Festival) -  A Japanese tradition of chasing away evil spirits.
  • 11: National Foundation Day (Kenkoku Kinenbi)
  • 14: Valentine's Day - It's typical for Japanese women to give chocolates to men on this day. *Japanese Valentine's Day
  • -----------------
    3 March
    -----------------
    (*Japanese School Year ends in March.)

  • 3: Japanese Girl's Day (Hina Matsuri)
  • 14: White Day - Japanese men give candies to women.
  • 20 or 21: Spring Equinox Day (Shunbun-no-hi)
  • Cherry Blossom season in Japan.
  • -----------------
    4 April
    -----------------
    (*Japanese School Year begins in April.)

  • 29: Showa Day (Showa-no-hi) - This day is the former Emperor Showa's birthday. *Beginning of Golden Week.
  • -----------------
    5 May
    -----------------

  • 3: Constitution Memorial Day (Kenpo Kinenbi)
  • 4: Greenery Day (Midori-no-hi)
  • 5: Children's Day (Kodomono-hi) - Japanese boy's festival.
  • -----------------
    6 June
    -----------------

  • No National Holidays in June.
  • Rainy season in Japan.
  • Japanese wedding season.
  • -----------------
    7 July
    -----------------

  • 7: Star Festival (Tanabata)
  • 3 Monday: Ocean Day (Umi-no-hi)
  • ---------------
    8 August
    ---------------

  • 13-16: Bon Festival - An important Japanese tradition to honor ancestors. Most Japanese people take summer vacation during this time.
  • -----------------
    9 September
    -----------------

  • 3rd Monday: Respect for the Aged Day (Keirou-no-hi)
  • 23: Autumn Equinox Day (Shubun-no-hi)
  • -----------------
    10 October
    -----------------

  • 2nd Monday: Sports Day (Taiiku-no-hi)
  • Fall Foliage Season
  • Halloween in Japan

    -------------------
    11 November
    -------------------

  • 3rd: Culture Day (Bunka-no-hi)
  • 15: Shichi-go-san - Around this day, people wish for the healthy growth of 7 (shichi) year-old girls, 5 (go) year-old boys, and 3 (san) year-old girls at shrines. About Japanese Autumn Holidays
  • 23: Labor Thanksgiving Day (Kinro-kansha-no-hi)
  • -------------------
    12 December
    -------------------

  • 23: The Emperor's Birthday (Tennou-tanjoubi)- The current  Heisei emperor's birthday.
  • 25: Christmas
    *See Christmas in Japan and Christmas in Tokyo.
  • 31: New Year's Eve (Oomisoka)
  • More Articles about Japan / Japan Photo Gallery

     

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