Japan had 17 public holidays in 2023, including 1 substitute or bridge day. Combined with weekends they made 7 breaks of three days or more; the longest ran 5 days, May 3–May 7.
Date
Day
Holiday
Jan 1, 2023
Sun
New Year's Day (元日)
Jan 2, 2023
Mon
New Year's Day (substitute) (振替休日)
Jan 9, 2023
Mon
Coming of Age Day (成人の日)
Feb 11, 2023
Sat
National Foundation Day (建国記念の日)
Feb 23, 2023
Thu
Emperor's Birthday (天皇誕生日)
Mar 21, 2023
Tue
Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日)
Apr 29, 2023
Sat
Showa Day (昭和の日)
May 3, 2023
Wed
Constitution Memorial Day (憲法記念日)
May 4, 2023
Thu
Greenery Day (みどりの日)
May 5, 2023
Fri
Children's Day (こどもの日)
Jul 17, 2023
Mon
Marine Day (海の日)
Aug 11, 2023
Fri
Mountain Day (山の日)
Sep 18, 2023
Mon
Respect for the Aged Day (敬老の日)
Sep 23, 2023
Sat
Autumnal Equinox Day (秋分の日)
Oct 9, 2023
Mon
Sports Day (スポーツの日)
Nov 3, 2023
Fri
Culture Day (文化の日)
Nov 23, 2023
Thu
Labour Thanksgiving Day (勤労感謝の日)
Long weekends (7)
Sat Jan 7 – Mon Jan 9: 3 days (Coming of Age Day)
Wed May 3 – Sun May 7: 5 days (Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children's Day)
Sat Jul 15 – Mon Jul 17: 3 days (Marine Day)
Fri Aug 11 – Sun Aug 13: 3 days (Mountain Day)
Sat Sep 16 – Mon Sep 18: 3 days (Respect for the Aged Day)
Sat Oct 7 – Mon Oct 9: 3 days (Sports Day)
Fri Nov 3 – Sun Nov 5: 3 days (Culture Day)
Born in Reiwa 5 (2023): Life Milestones in Japan
Japanese school years run from April 2 to April 1, so children born January 1 – April 1 (hayaumare) start school a year earlier than others born in the same calendar year.
Milestone
Born Apr 2 – Dec 31
Born Jan 1 – Apr 1
Elementary school entry
April 2030 (Reiwa 12)
April 2029 (Reiwa 11)
Junior high school entry
April 2036 (Reiwa 18)
April 2035 (Reiwa 17)
High school entry
April 2039 (Reiwa 21)
April 2038 (Reiwa 20)
Coming-of-age ceremony (20)*
January 2044 (Reiwa 26)
January 2043 (Reiwa 25)
Legal adulthood (18): birthday in 2041 (Reiwa 23)
Shichi-Go-San (by actual age): age 3 in 2026, age 5 in 2028, age 7 in 2030 (November)
Unlucky years (honyaku, traditional count): men 25 in 2047, 42 in 2064, 61 in 2083; women 19 in 2041, 33 in 2055, 37 in 2059, 61 in 2083
Kanreki (60th birthday): 2083 (Reiwa 65)
* Most municipalities invite everyone who turns 20 during that school year; dates and eligibility vary by city. Unlucky-year ages can differ by shrine.
Reiwa 5 at a Glance
Zodiac (full eto): 癸卯 (みずのと・う) — Water Rabbit
Length: 365 days
New Year's Day fell on a Sunday
About Reiwa 5 (令和5年)
Reiwa 5 is the fifth year of the Reiwa era (令和), Japan's current
imperial era. In the Western Gregorian calendar, Reiwa 5 corresponds
to the full year 2023 — from January 1 to December 31.
The Reiwa era began on May 1, 2019, when Emperor Naruhito ascended to
the Chrysanthemum Throne following the abdication of Emperor Akihito.
To convert any Reiwa year to a Western year, use the simple formula:
Reiwa year + 2018 = Western year. For Reiwa 5:
5 + 2018 = 2023. This formula works for all years in the Reiwa era.
How to Write Reiwa 5 in Japanese (令和5年の書き方)
In Japanese, Reiwa 5 is written as 令和5年 or
令和五年 using kanji numerals. On official documents,
forms, and government paperwork in Japan, the era year format is
standard. If you are filling out a Japanese form that asks for the
current year or a past year, you may need to write 令和5年 rather
than 2023.
Reiwa 5 (令和5年) is 2023 in the Western Gregorian calendar.
The Reiwa era began on May 1, 2019, so Reiwa year 5 plus 2018
equals 2023. Reiwa 5 runs from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023.
What day of the week is January 1, Reiwa 5?
January 1, Reiwa 5 (令和5年1月1日) falls on a Sunday. In
Western calendar terms, this is January 1, 2023. Use the era
date converter above to check the day of the week for any
Reiwa 5 date.
How many public holidays were there in Reiwa 5 (2023)?
Japan had 17 public holidays in 2023 (1 of them a substitute or bridge day), giving 7 breaks of three days or more; the longest ran 5 days, May 3–May 7.
When does a child born in Reiwa 5 start elementary school?
In April 2030 (Reiwa 12) if born April 2 – December 31, 2023, and in April 2029 (Reiwa 11) if born January 1 – April 1, 2023, because Japanese school years run from April 2 to April 1.