Data status and scope
What this 2026 list represents
Dates are source-reported public-holiday records. A nationwide label means the source marks the record as applying across the country; regional, employer, school, court, and local closure rules can differ.
- Nationwide records
- 16
- Observed dates separated
- 0
- Source response
- Sep 12, 2026, 2:53 AM
0 regional or limited records also listed.
Only explicit modeled actual/observed pairs are counted.
UTC response time, not an invented review date.
Tools and navigation
Same calendar tools as every country: open the year, print, subscribe, or compare lists.
Full 2026 list with weekday and planning notes
Hints are generic (weekday, movable feasts) and are not a substitute for your employer, school, or government PDF. Nager data source.
| Date | Holiday | Planning note |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1(Thu) | 元日 Nationwide · source-reported | Weekday; confirm against your school, employer, or contract holiday list |
| Jan 12(Mon) | 成人の日 Nationwide · source-reported | Monday; often groups with the prior weekend for short breaks (employer rules still vary) |
| Feb 11(Wed) | 建国記念の日 Nationwide · source-reported | Weekday; confirm against your school, employer, or contract holiday list |
| Feb 23(Mon) | 天皇誕生日 Nationwide · source-reported | Monday; often groups with the prior weekend for short breaks (employer rules still vary) |
| Mar 20(Fri) | 春分の日 Nationwide · source-reported | Friday; can extend a weekend in some work schedules (not a universal rule) |
| Apr 29(Wed) | 昭和の日 Nationwide · source-reported | Weekday; confirm against your school, employer, or contract holiday list |
| May 4(Mon) | みどりの日 Nationwide · source-reported | Monday; often groups with the prior weekend for short breaks (employer rules still vary) |
| May 5(Tue) | こどもの日 Nationwide · source-reported | Weekday; confirm against your school, employer, or contract holiday list |
| May 6(Wed) | 憲法記念日 Nationwide · source-reported | Weekday; confirm against your school, employer, or contract holiday list |
| Jul 20(Mon) | 海の日 Nationwide · source-reported | Monday; often groups with the prior weekend for short breaks (employer rules still vary) |
| Aug 11(Tue) | 山の日 Nationwide · source-reported | Weekday; confirm against your school, employer, or contract holiday list |
| Sep 21(Mon) | 敬老の日 Nationwide · source-reported | Monday; often groups with the prior weekend for short breaks (employer rules still vary) |
| Sep 23(Wed) | 秋分の日 Nationwide · source-reported | Weekday; confirm against your school, employer, or contract holiday list |
| Oct 12(Mon) | スポーツの日 Nationwide · source-reported | Monday; often groups with the prior weekend for short breaks (employer rules still vary) |
| Nov 3(Tue) | 文化の日 Nationwide · source-reported | Weekday; confirm against your school, employer, or contract holiday list |
| Nov 23(Mon) | 勤労感謝の日 Nationwide · source-reported | Monday; often groups with the prior weekend for short breaks (employer rules still vary) |
Understanding Japan public holidays
JP list from the Nager Public Holidays API, with a country note on regional and legal limits—read before you rely on a single row.
Japan’s public holiday system is law-governed; when adjacent holidays and substitution rules (振替休日) apply, the civil calendar the government publishes is the authority. The JP entries from Nager Public Holidays (date.nager.at) for the selected country code are expected to line up with that public schedule for the year you are viewing, but you should not use them as legal proof in a labor dispute without the official table.
Golden Week, Silver Week, and the New Year string are classic travel-load periods; even when the data shows a single Monday holiday, the whole block may feel like a long break because of other adjacent dates in the same week or substitute rules for that year. Plan flights and hotel bookings against the full cluster, not a single row name.
Banks, post offices, and many shops publish their own year-end and New Year hours. If a row looks like “substitute” or “振替” in a Japanese source, the English name in the API may be shorter: trust the local kanji list if a flight or a closing depends on it.
Company calendars in Japan often add 年末年始 shutdowns, company founding days, or summer company holidays that never appear in a national public-holiday API. Schools add 夏休み and 冬休み windows that are separate from 祝日. Use this page to see which weekdays the nation treats as holidays; use your employer handbook and school board for the rest.
Common questions (JP)
Do schools follow exactly this list?
Schools follow term calendars with extra school holiday periods and occasional closure days that are not every national public holiday, or may align differently. The ministry and your school board are authoritative for pupils.
What is a 振替休日 in plain terms?
When a national holiday falls on a Sunday, Japanese law often shifts a substitute weekday off so people still get the day. The exact substitute date for a year is part of the official calendar; this feed usually includes that civil weekday when the API has it for JP.
Why does Golden Week feel longer than the holiday rows suggest?
Several national holidays sit close together in late April and early May, and people often take extra leave between them. The API lists the public holiday dates; it does not invent personal PTO. Check transport and attraction hours for the whole week, not only the named days.
Planning guides
Practical write-ups that go beyond the date list—subscriptions, travel weeks, and cross-border scheduling.
Next Holiday in Japan
敬老の日
Respect for the Aged Day
Monday, September 21, 2026
Japan Holiday Insights
- Japan has 16 total public holidays in 2026.
- The busiest months are May and January.
- Holidays may be observed on different days when they fall on weekends.
Upcoming Holidays
January 2026
元日
New Year's Day
Jan 1ThursdayPublicNationwidesource-reported成人の日
Coming of Age Day
Jan 12MondayPublicNationwidesource-reported
February 2026
建国記念の日
Foundation Day
Feb 11WednesdayPublicNationwidesource-reported天皇誕生日
The Emperor's Birthday
Feb 23MondayPublicNationwidesource-reported
March 2026
春分の日
Vernal Equinox Day
Mar 20FridayPublicNationwidesource-reported
April 2026
昭和の日
Shōwa Day
Apr 29WednesdayPublicNationwidesource-reported
May 2026
憲法記念日
Constitution Memorial Day
May 6WednesdayPublicNationwidesource-reportedみどりの日
Greenery Day
May 4MondayPublicNationwidesource-reportedこどもの日
Children's Day
May 5TuesdayPublicNationwidesource-reported
July 2026
海の日
Marine Day
Jul 20MondayPublicNationwidesource-reported
August 2026
山の日
Mountain Day
Aug 11TuesdayPublicNationwidesource-reported
September 2026
敬老の日
Respect for the Aged Day
Sep 21MondayPublicNationwidesource-reported秋分の日
Autumnal Equinox Day
Sep 23WednesdayPublicNationwidesource-reported
October 2026
スポーツの日
Sports Day
Oct 12MondayPublicNationwidesource-reported
November 2026
文化の日
Culture Day
Nov 3TuesdayPublicNationwidesource-reported勤労感謝の日
Labour Thanksgiving Day
Nov 23MondayPublicNationwidesource-reported
Explore Other Countries
Plan Around Japan Holidays
Japan has 16 public holidays in 2026. Use this page to check exact dates, see which holidays land near weekends, and quickly spot the busiest holiday months.
The next upcoming holiday is 敬老の日 on Monday, September 21, 2026, which is 9 days away.
In 2026, the busiest holiday period falls in May and January, which helps if you are planning leave, school breaks, or higher-traffic travel dates.
Public holidays may be observed differently across sectors or regions, especially when a holiday falls on a weekend. For travel, leave planning, or school schedules, always confirm critical dates with official sources in Japan.