๐ Japanese Holidays
Calculated under Japanโs holiday law as amended in 2020 (Reiwa 2) onward, including the holidays moved for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and 2021.
Search and browse Japan's national holidays by year, including substitute holidays โ useful for planning your annual schedule or building a business calendar that accounts for closures.
How to use
- Choose the year you want to check.
- Browse the list of holidays, or search by holiday name to filter.
- Review the year's holidays, including substitute holidays.
How the calculation works
This tool lists Japanโs national holidays for each year from 2020 to 2034. The holidays are set by the Act on National Holidays and come in three kinds. Fixed dates: New Yearโs Day (January 1), National Foundation Day (February 11), the Emperorโs Birthday (February 23) and others Moved to Mondays (Happy Monday system): Coming of Age Day (2nd Monday of January), Marine Day (3rd Monday of July), Respect for the Aged Day (3rd Monday of September), Sports Day (2nd Monday of October) Set by astronomy: the Vernal and Autumnal Equinox Days When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the next weekday that is not a holiday becomes a substitute holiday. A weekday with holidays on both sides also becomes a day off, called a Citizensโ Holiday. The tool applies all of these rules.
Worked example
Silver Week 2026 September 19 (Sat) and 20 (Sun) September 21 (Mon) Respect for the Aged Day September 22 (Tue) Citizensโ Holiday (a weekday between two holidays) September 23 (Wed) Autumnal Equinox Day โ a five-day break starting on Saturday. In 2027 the Vernal Equinox Day is March 21, a Sunday, so Monday March 22 is a substitute holiday.
Things to be aware of
- The equinox days are officially announced each February for the following year, based on calculations by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. Dates for later years here are predictions from the same astronomical formula.
- In 2020 and 2021, Marine Day, Sports Day and Mountain Day were moved for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. These moves are included.
- Company or school breaks such as New Year or Obon are not national holidays and are not listed.
FAQ
How many years of holidays can I check?
You can list and search the holidays for every year from 2020 to 2034. The current year is shown first.
Are substitute holidays included?
Yes โ substitute holidays (when a holiday falls on a Sunday) are included in the list.
Is this useful for building a business calendar?
Yes โ review the full yearโs holidays as a reference while planning a business schedule that accounts for closures.
Does it account for changes to the holiday law?
Yes. It follows Japanโs holiday law as amended in 2020 (Reiwa 2) onward, including the Emperorโs Birthday on February 23, the Sports Day name, and the holidays moved for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and 2021.
Can I look up just one specific holiday?
Yes โ type a holiday name (e.g. Childrenโs Day) into the search box to filter down to just that holiday.