Before You Go · Published 2026-09-29 · Updated 2026-09-29
Facts last checked 2026-09-29 · Next review 2027-02-28
Japan's public holidays in 2026 and 2027, and why they matter for your trip
The official list of national holidays for 2026 and 2027 from Japan's Cabinet Office, plus how holidays move museum closing days and bring crowds. Plan around Golden Week and the September holidays.
Japanese public holidays affect a trip in two ways: popular places get busier, and opening days shift (a museum "closed on Mondays" may open on a holiday Monday and close the next day instead). Here is the official list from the Cabinet Office, checked on 2026-09-29.
2026
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day (元日) |
| January 12 | Coming of Age Day (成人の日) |
| February 11 | National Foundation Day (建国記念の日) |
| February 23 | Emperor's Birthday (天皇誕生日) |
| March 20 | Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日) |
| April 29 | Showa Day (昭和の日) |
| May 3 | Constitution Memorial Day (憲法記念日) |
| May 4 | Greenery Day (みどりの日) |
| May 5 | Children's Day (こどもの日) |
| May 6 | Substitute holiday (休日) |
| July 20 | Marine Day (海の日) |
| August 11 | Mountain Day (山の日) |
| September 21 | Respect for the Aged Day (敬老の日) |
| September 22 | Holiday between two holidays (休日) |
| September 23 | Autumnal Equinox Day (秋分の日) |
| October 12 | Sports Day (スポーツの日) |
| November 3 | Culture Day (文化の日) |
| November 23 | Labor Thanksgiving Day (勤労感謝の日) |
2027
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day |
| January 11 | Coming of Age Day |
| February 11 | National Foundation Day |
| February 23 | Emperor's Birthday |
| March 21 | Vernal Equinox Day |
| March 22 | Substitute holiday |
| April 29 | Showa Day |
| May 3 | Constitution Memorial Day |
| May 4 | Greenery Day |
| May 5 | Children's Day |
| July 19 | Marine Day |
| August 11 | Mountain Day |
| September 20 | Respect for the Aged Day |
| September 23 | Autumnal Equinox Day |
| October 11 | Sports Day |
| November 3 | Culture Day |
| November 23 | Labor Thanksgiving Day |
The Cabinet Office says it publishes the next year's list in February of the previous year, so the 2028 list will appear in February 2027.
Two rules behind the extra days off
The Cabinet Office explains two kinds of "休日" (days off) under the national holidays law:
- Substitute holiday (Article 3, Paragraph 2): when a holiday falls on a Sunday, the next non-holiday day is a day off. Example: in 2027, Vernal Equinox Day is Sunday March 21, so Monday March 22 is off.
- Holiday between holidays (Article 3, Paragraph 3): a day sandwiched between two holidays is also a day off. Example: in 2026, Tuesday September 22 sits between two holidays, making a five-day break from September 19 to 23.
What this means for your trip
- Late April to early May (Golden Week) and the September holiday cluster are long breaks for people in Japan. Some places use advance reservations at these times (Kiyotsu Gorge, for example, lists May 2-6 and September 19-23 in 2026). See Crowds in Japan: reservations, numbered tickets and timing.
- Closing days move. Many museums close on Mondays but open on a holiday Monday and close the next weekday. See Opening-hours traps in Japan.
- The New Year period is not all public holidays, but many places close for several days around it.
Sources
- Cabinet Office, "About national holidays" (in Japanese, list for 2026 and 2027): https://www8.cao.go.jp/chosei/shukujitsu/gaiyou.html (checked 2026-09-29)