Regional Guides
Japanese Public Holidays & Business Days Guide (2026)
If you're working with Japanese suppliers, scheduling shipping, or planning a trip to Japan, the public holiday calendar matters more than you'd think. Japan packs major holidays into specific weeks โ Golden Week (early May), Obon (mid-August), and the year-end break โ when most businesses pause. Here's the 2026 calendar and what to expect.
Japan's Public Holidays 2026
| Date | Holiday (English) | Japanese | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | New Year's Day | ๅ ๆฅ (Ganjitsu) | Major; most businesses closed Jan 1โ3 |
| Jan 12 | Coming-of-Age Day | ๆไบบใฎๆฅ | 2nd Mon of Jan |
| Feb 11 | National Foundation Day | ๅปบๅฝ่จๅฟตใฎๆฅ | |
| Feb 23 | Emperor's Birthday | ๅคฉ็่ช็ๆฅ | Naruhito's birthday |
| Mar 20 | Vernal Equinox Day | ๆฅๅใฎๆฅ | |
| Apr 29 | Showa Day | ๆญๅใฎๆฅ | Start of Golden Week |
| May 3 | Constitution Memorial Day | ๆฒๆณ่จๅฟตๆฅ | Golden Week |
| May 4 | Greenery Day | ใฟใฉใใฎๆฅ | Golden Week |
| May 5 | Children's Day | ใใฉใใฎๆฅ | Golden Week ends |
| Jul 20 | Marine Day | ๆตทใฎๆฅ | 3rd Mon of Jul |
| Aug 11 | Mountain Day | ๅฑฑใฎๆฅ | |
| Sep 21 | Respect-for-the-Aged Day | ๆฌ่ใฎๆฅ | 3rd Mon of Sep |
| Sep 23 | Autumnal Equinox Day | ็งๅใฎๆฅ | |
| Oct 12 | Sports Day | ในใใผใใฎๆฅ | 2nd Mon of Oct |
| Nov 3 | Culture Day | ๆๅใฎๆฅ | |
| Nov 23 | Labor Thanksgiving Day | ๅคๅดๆ่ฌใฎๆฅ |
Golden Week (Apr 29 โ May 5)
Golden Week is Japan's longest unofficial holiday stretch. With 4 public holidays packed into 1 week, most companies grant additional days off, leading to a near-total shutdown of business activity from late April through early May.
**For overseas business**: don't expect responses, shipments, or customer service from Japanese counterparts during this week. Plan meetings and deliveries before April 25 or after May 8.
Obon (Mid-August)
Obon is a Buddhist holiday honoring ancestors. **Not** an official public holiday, but most Japanese businesses close from **August 13โ15** (sometimes longer) as employees return to their hometowns.
Domestic transportation gets crazy crowded during Obon. Flights and shinkansen tickets sell out 2 months in advance. If you're traveling to Japan in August, book early or pick different dates.
Year-End / New Year (Dec 28 โ Jan 4)
Most Japanese companies close from **December 28 through January 4** for the year-end (ๅนดๆซๅนดๅง nenmatsu-nenshi) break. Government offices observe Dec 29 โ Jan 3 by law.
January 4 is typically the first working day. The first 2 weeks of January are slow as companies hold New Year ceremonies and recover from extended break.
Calculate Business Days
Need to know if Day X falls on a holiday or count working days between two dates? Our business days calculator handles Japanese holidays automatically.
โ Business Days Calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Saturday and Sunday holidays in Japan?
Officially weekends, yes. Most companies operate MondayโFriday. But traditional industries (retail, restaurants, services) often open weekends and take days off mid-week.
What about December 31?
Not an official public holiday but most businesses close for end-of-year (ๅคงๆฆๆฅ ลmisoka). New Year's Day (Jan 1) is the major event with traditional shrine visits.
Do banks close on holidays?
Yes, fully. Japanese banks close on every public holiday and weekends. Most ATMs work 24/7, but service hours for international transfers are restricted on holidays.