Japan Public Holiday Checker
日本の祝日チェッカー — Check if a date is a Japanese public holiday
Check whether any date is a Japanese public holiday (祝日), substitute
holiday (振替休日), or regular working day. Covers 2023–2026 including
Golden Week, Silver Week, and all substitute holidays. Free, no login required.
Japan Public Holidays — 祝日一覧
About Japan’s Public Holidays (祝日について)
Japan currently has 16 national public holidays (国民の祝日) defined by
the Act on National Holidays (国民の祝日に関する法律). These include both
fixed-date holidays — such as New Year’s Day (January 1) and Culture
Day (November 3) — and floating holidays that fall on a specific weekday,
such as Coming of Age Day (second Monday of January) and Marine Day
(third Monday of July).
Two additional types of holiday can occur each year. A
substitute holiday (振替休日, furikae kyūjitsu) is
created when a national holiday falls on a Sunday — the following Monday
becomes a day off instead. A bridge day (国民の休日,
kokumin no kyūjitsu) occurs when a regular weekday is sandwiched between
two national holidays, automatically making it a holiday too.
Golden Week and Silver Week (ゴールデンウィーク・シルバーウィーク)
Japan’s most notable holiday clusters are Golden Week and Silver Week.
Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク) runs from late April
to early May, combining Showa Day (April 29), Constitution Memorial Day
(May 3), Greenery Day (May 4), and Children’s Day (May 5) into Japan’s
longest public holiday period. Most businesses close and transport is
extremely busy during this time.
Silver Week (シルバーウィーク) occurs in September when
Respect for the Aged Day, a bridge day, and Autumnal Equinox Day align
to create a five-day holiday window. This happens only in certain years —
most recently in 2026. Use the holiday checker above to verify holiday
dates for any year in our supported range.
Holiday data sourced from the
Cabinet Office of Japan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Japan’s public holidays in 2025?
Japan has 16 public holidays in 2025, including substitute holidays. Key dates include: New Year’s Day (January 1), Coming of Age Day (January 13), National Foundation Day (February 11), Emperor’s Birthday (February 23), Vernal Equinox Day (March 20), Showa Day (April 29), Constitution Memorial Day (May 3), Greenery Day (May 4), Children’s Day (May 5), Marine Day (July 21), Mountain Day (August 11), Respect for the Aged Day (September 15), Autumnal Equinox Day (September 23), Sports Day (October 13), Culture Day (November 3), and Labour Thanksgiving Day (November 23). Use the holiday checker above to verify any specific date.
What is a substitute holiday (振替休日) in Japan?
A substitute holiday (振替休日, furikae kyūjitsu) in Japan occurs when a national holiday falls on a Sunday. In this case, the following Monday becomes a public holiday instead. For example, if Children’s Day (May 5) falls on a Sunday, Monday May 6 becomes a substitute holiday. This ensures workers always receive their full holiday entitlement.
What is Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク) in Japan?
Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク) is Japan’s most popular holiday period, running from late April to early May. It clusters four national holidays: Showa Day (April 29), Constitution Memorial Day (May 3), Greenery Day (May 4), and Children’s Day (May 5). Many Japanese businesses close for the entire Golden Week period, typically April 29 to May 5 or 6.
Are Japanese public holidays the same every year?
Most Japanese national holidays fall on fixed dates or fixed weekday patterns each year. However, Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日) and Autumnal Equinox Day (秋分の日) vary slightly as they depend on astronomical calculations. Additionally, substitute holidays (振替休日) and bridge days (国民の休日) shift each year depending on which day of the week the holidays fall.
What is 国民の休日 (kokumin no kyūjitsu)?
国民の休日 (kokumin no kyūjitsu, National Holiday or Bridge Day) is a special holiday created when a regular weekday falls between two national holidays, making it a three-day holiday weekend. For example, in 2026, September 22 becomes a 国民の休日 because it falls between Respect for the Aged Day (September 21) and Autumnal Equinox Day (September 23). This is sometimes called a ‘sandwich holiday’.