If you’re familiar with Japan’s public holidays, you’ll know there are three major extended breaks: the New Year holiday, Obon, and then there’s the Golden Week. During the New Year holiday, Japanese people working or studying far from home often return to their hometowns to reunite with family; during Obon, there’s also a significant number of people returning home for ancestral rites. But during Golden Week, there aren’t these obligatory activities, so many choose to travel during this extra-long holiday, resulting in crowded tourist destinations.

So what exactly is Golden Week?

Japan National Holidays 2024 And Travel Tips When Travel in Japan

What is “Golden Week”?

Golden Week refers to a major holiday period at the end of April and beginning of May each year, typically starting from April 29th, Showa Day, and ending on May 5th, Children’s Day. Within this timeframe are several national holidays, along with several weekends, making up a large consecutive holiday period.

The term “Golden Week” originated in 1951 when this period was designated as a series of holidays. To promote newly released films during this time, Daiei Film Co., Ltd. coined the term “Golden Week” to complement their promotional activities. The term gained widespread usage between 1952 and 1953 and has persisted to this day.

Wikipedia: Golden Week

The Four Holidays that Compose Golden Week

Typically, Golden Week consists of the following four holidays:

• April 29th: Showa Day
• May 3rd: Constitution Memorial Day
• May 4th: Greenery Day
• May 5th: Children’s Day

Showa Day

April 29th of each year celebrates the birthday of Emperor Showa. Originally, Greenery Day was celebrated on this day but was later moved to May 4th.

Constitution Memorial Day

May 3rd of each year commemorates the post-war enactment of Japan’s new constitution.

Greenery Day

May 4th of each year. Originally designated as Greenery Day to celebrate Emperor Showa’s love for plants, it was moved from April 29th when that day became Showa Day.

Children’s Day

May 5th of each year. It’s more akin to Boys’ Day, with Girls’ Day celebrated on March 3rd annually. On this day, carp streamers are hung in streets and homes to wish for the health and growth of boys.

For more on carp streamers, you can refer to this article:

Is Golden Week Always a Week?

Not necessarily.

In 2019, due to the ascension of the new emperor, May 1st was designated a one-time national holiday. Consequently, April 30th and May 2nd, being sandwiched between several holidays, automatically became holidays according to Japan’s Holiday Act. Thus, Golden Week in 2019 stretched into a ten-day extended holiday, while in 2020, with April 30th and May 1st being regular working days, the actual Golden Week holiday lasted from May 2nd to May 6th (May 3rd being a Sunday, with a compensatory holiday on the 6th).

However, some individuals took leave on April 30th and May 1st, creating an eight-day extended holiday.

When is Golden Week in 2024?

In 2021, April 29th fell on a Monday, and May 3rd fell on a Friday. Therefore, by taking three days off from April 30th to May 2nd, those working or studying in Japan could enjoy an extraordinary ten-day consecutive holiday from April 27th to May 6th!

For those planning their leave, you can refer to this convenient guide:

By taking only three days off, you can enjoy an extraordinary ten-day holiday in 2024. Take action! (But please do so within the bounds of what’s allowed by your company or school.)

May Blues

Since many people travel or relax during Golden Week, they often experience symptoms like emotional fatigue or lack of motivation when returning to work afterward. Particularly, as the new fiscal year in Japan starts in April, many people push themselves to work hard and then release accumulated fatigue during Golden Week. This return to work can lead to what’s known as the “May Blues.”

To maintain a positive work attitude, it’s crucial to find a balance between work and relaxation.

Further Reading: Silver Week

Apart from Golden Week in May, there’s a possibility of another extended holiday known as “Silver Week” at the end of September. This is because in Japan, Respect for the Aged Day is observed on the third Monday of September, and according to astronomical observations, one of the days between September 21st and 23rd could be the autumnal equinox.

If the autumnal equinox falls on the third Monday, a compensatory holiday is given on Tuesday, creating a four-day weekend; if it falls on the Tuesday, along with the preceding weekend, it still creates a four-day weekend; and if it falls on Wednesday, since Tuesday is sandwiched between Respect for the Aged Day and the autumnal equinox, it automatically becomes a holiday, potentially resulting in a rare five-day weekend.

In 2024, Respect for the Aged Day falls on Monday, September 16th, and the autumnal equinox falls on Sunday, September 22nd (thus, Monday, September 23rd, also becomes a holiday in lieu of the equinox). So this year, there’s no five-day weekend, but there are two three-day weekends (September 14th-16th and September 21st-23rd).