Japan Public Holidays
Japan has 17 national public holidays in 2026, observed across the whole country. Over the years covered here the calendar draws on 17 recurring holidays. 10 sit on the same calendar date every year, while 7 move (Set weekday of the month, Equinox or solstice and Substitute day). The same calendar applies nationwide, with no separate regional public holidays in this dataset.
Which public holidays does Japan have?
Every recurring national public holiday, how its date is decided, and the date it lands on in 2025, 2026 and 2027. Dates are computed from the rule, so Easter-linked and moon-linked holidays are correct for each individual year.
| Holiday | How the date is set | 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Dayๅ ๆฅ | Same date every year | |||
| Coming of Age Dayๆไบบใฎๆฅ | Set weekday of the month | |||
| Foundation Dayๅปบๅฝ่จๅฟตใฎๆฅ | Same date every year | |||
| Emperor's Birthdayๅคฉ็่ช็ๆฅ | Fixed date, can shift | observed, moved | ||
| Spring Equinox Dayๆฅๅใฎๆฅ | Equinox or solstice | observed, moved | ||
| Showa Dayๆญๅใฎๆฅ | Fixed date, can shift | |||
| Constitution Dayๆฒๆณ่จๅฟตๆฅ | Same date every year | observed, moved | ||
| Greenery Dayใฟใฉใใฎๆฅ | Fixed date, can shift | observed, moved | ||
| Children's Dayใใฉใใฎๆฅ | Same date every year | |||
| Marine Dayๆตทใฎๆฅ | Set weekday of the month | |||
| Mountain Dayๅฑฑใฎๆฅ | Substitute day | |||
| Respect-for-the-Aged Dayๆฌ่ใฎๆฅ | Set weekday of the month | |||
| Citizens' Holidayๅฝๆฐใฎไผๆฅ | Fixed date, can shift | not observed | not observed | |
| Autumnal Equinox Day็งๅใฎๆฅ | Equinox or solstice | |||
| Sports Dayในใใผใใฎๆฅ | Set weekday of the month | |||
| Culture Dayๆๅใฎๆฅ | Same date every year | |||
| Labor Thanksgiving Dayๅคๅดๆ่ฌใฎๆฅ | Same date every year | observed, moved |
Which Japanese holidays are national and which are regional?
The 17 holidays above are national: they apply across Japan rather than in one area only. This dataset holds no separate sub-national calendar for Japan, so there is no regional layer to add. Individual towns and employers can still mark local days that are not national public holidays, and those are not covered here.
Which holidays move each year, and why?
7 of the 17 recurring holidays land on a different date each year. Here is the rule behind each group.
Same date every year (6)
The holiday is tied to one calendar date, so it lands on a different weekday each year but never changes date. In Japan this covers New Year's Day, Foundation Day, Constitution Day, Children's Day and Culture Day, plus 1 more.
Fixed date, can shift (4)
The holiday has a fixed calendar date, but an observance rule can move the day off when it falls on a weekend or next to another holiday. In Japan this covers Emperor's Birthday, Showa Day, Greenery Day and Citizens' Holiday.
Set weekday of the month (4)
The rule names a weekday rather than a date, for example the third Monday in January, so the calendar date changes every year while the weekday stays the same. In Japan this covers Coming of Age Day, Marine Day, Respect-for-the-Aged Day and Sports Day.
Equinox or solstice (2)
The date is pinned to an astronomical event, so it can land on one of two or three neighbouring dates depending on the year. Some countries do not treat it as final until the national observatory publishes it. In Japan this covers Spring Equinox Day and Autumnal Equinox Day.
Substitute day (1)
This is a replacement day off, granted because the holiday itself falls on a weekend or on another holiday. In Japan this covers Mountain Day.
When is the next public holiday in Japan?
The next 3 holidays on the 2026 calendar.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Sports Day | Monday | |
| Culture Day | Tuesday | |
| Labor Thanksgiving Day | Monday |
Japan public holiday calendars by year
Open a year for the full table with dates, weekdays and long-weekend counts.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Japan have?
Japan has 17 national public holidays in 2026 and 16 in 2027. The total can differ from year to year because holidays that fall on a weekend sometimes gain a substitute day, and because moon-based and Easter-based dates occasionally shift in or out of a calendar year.
Which Japanese public holidays fall on the same date every year?
Ten of them: New Year's Day (January 1), Foundation Day (February 11), Emperor's Birthday (February 23), Showa Day (April 29), Constitution Day (May 6) and Greenery Day (May 4), plus 4 more. These are pinned to a calendar date, so only the weekday changes from year to year.
Which public holidays in Japan change date each year?
Seven do: Coming of Age Day, Spring Equinox Day, Marine Day, Mountain Day, Respect-for-the-Aged Day and Autumnal Equinox Day, plus 1 more. The reasons are set weekday of the month, equinox or solstice and substitute day, so the Gregorian date has to be recalculated for every year rather than copied forward.
Are there regional public holidays in Japan?
This dataset has no separate regional calendar for Japan, so the national public holidays listed here apply countrywide. Individual towns can still observe local days that are not public holidays nationally.
What happens when a public holiday in Japan falls on a weekend?
Japan applies a shift rule to five of its holidays, so a date landing on a Saturday or Sunday is observed on a nearby weekday instead. Emperor's Birthday, Showa Day, Greenery Day and Mountain Day, plus 1 more follow that pattern. We list a moved holiday once, on the day actually taken off, with its calendar date beside it, rather than counting the weekend date and its replacement as two separate holidays.
How to use this page
Public holidays shape the working year in Japan, closing many offices, banks and public services and shifting the rhythm of travel and shopping. If you are scheduling a delivery, a launch or a meeting with a Japanese team, the table at the top is the quickest check: it shows every recurring holiday side by side across 2025, 2026 and 2027, so you can see at a glance which dates are stable and which need looking up again next year. Where a holiday falls on a weekend and is taken on another day, it appears once, on the day off, with its calendar date beside it, so the totals here match the official ones rather than double counting.
For a single year with weekday counts and long weekends, open the year page for 2025, 2026 or 2027. To compare countries in one year, the 2026 worldwide overview lists every country we cover side by side. Dates come from the open date-holidays dataset and are recalculated per year from each holiday's rule. Always confirm official dates with a local authority before you commit to travel or contracts.