| Japanese Festivals & National Holidays |
| Date |
Name |
Place |
Comment |
| 1–3 of January |
New Year (正月 Shōgatsu)?) |
All around Japan |
People go to shrines for Hatsumode, the first day of the new year. |
| One week in early February |
Sapporo Snow Festival |
Sapporo, Hokkaido |
Large snow and ice sculptures are built in the city’s centrally located Odori Park . |
| Second Monday of January (national holiday) |
Coming of Age (seijin no hi) |
All over Japan |
The coming of age of 20 year old men and women is celebrated on this national holiday. |
| February 3 |
Setsubun |
All over Japan |
Beginning of spring and celebrated at shrines and temples nationwide. It’s the bean throwing day! |
| February 11 |
National Foundation Day (kenkoku kinenbi) |
All over Japan |
In the year 660 BC the first Japanese emperor was crowned. |
| February 14 |
Valentine’s Day |
All over Japan |
Women give chocolates to men on Valentine’s Day. |
| March 3 |
Doll’s Festival (hina matsuri) |
All over Japan |
Also called girl’s festival. |
| March 14 |
White Day |
All over Japan |
The opposite of Valentine’s Day Men give cakes or chocolates to women. |
| March 1-14 |
Omizutori |
Nara |
Omizutori is a Buddhist religious held every year at the Nigatsudo Hall of Todaiji Temple known for nightly burning of torches on the balcony of the wooden temple hall. |
| March 20 (national holiday) |
Spring Equinox Day (shunbun no hi) |
All over Japan |
Graves are visited during the week (ohigan) of the Equinox Day. |
| April 3 |
The Kanamara Matsuri (かなまら祭り ”Festival of the Steel Phallus”) |
Kanayama shrine (金山神社) in Kawasaki |
Shinto fertility festival held at the Kanayama shrine in Kawasaki and falls on the first Sunday in April |
| April 14-15 and October 9-10 |
Takayama Matsuri |
Takayama, Gifu |
Decorated floats are pulled through the old town of Takayama. |
| Golden Week |
| April 29 (national holiday) |
Showa Day (Showa no hi) |
All over Japan |
The birthday of former Emperor Showa. |
| May 3 (national holiday) |
Constitution Day (kenpo kinenbi) |
All over Japan. |
A national holiday remembering the new constitution, which was put into effect after the war. |
| May 4 (national holiday) |
Greenery Day (midori no hi) |
|
Greenery Day is due to the emperor’s love for plants and nature. |
| May 5 (national holiday) |
Children’s Day (kodomo no hi) |
All over Japan. |
Also called boy’s festival. |
| Festivals |
| Third full weekend in mid May |
Sanja Matsuri |
Asakusa Shrine, Asakusa, Tokyo |
One of Tokyo’s three big festivals. Mikoshi are carried through the streets of Asakusa. |
| July/August 7 |
Star Festival (tanabata) |
All over Japan |
Tanabata is based on the love of two people that can only meet on this day. |
| July |
Kyoto Gion Matsuri |
Yasaka Shrine, Kyoto |
Gion Matsuri is ranked as one of Japan’s three best festivals, featuring over 20 meter tall festival floats. The highlight of the festival takes place on July 17. |
| Third Monday of July (national holiday) |
Ocean Day (umi no hi) |
All over Japan |
The day marks the return of Emperor Meiji from a boat trip to Hokkaido in 1876. |
| July/August 13-15 |
Obon: |
All over Japan. |
Obon is a festival to commemorate deceased ancestors. |
| August 2-7 |
Nebuta Matsuri |
Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture |
The Nebuta Matsuri features festival floats with huge lanterns, some measuring more than 10 meters. The festival attracts several million visitors every year. |
| August 3-6 |
Kanto Matsuri |
Akita City, Akita Prefecture |
Over two hundred long bamboo poles with up to 46 lanterns attached to each are balanced by the members of this popular festival’s nightly parades. |
| July/August 7 |
Star Festival (tanabata) |
All over Japan |
Tanabata is based on the love of two people that can only meet on this day. |
| August 12-15 |
Awa Odori |
Tokushima City, Tokushima Prefecture |
This is the most famous of many traditional dancing festivals held across Japan during the obon season in mid August. |
| July/August 13-15 |
Obon: |
All over Japan. |
Obon is a festival to commemorate deceased ancestors. |
| Third Monday of September (national holiday) |
Respect for the Aged Day (keiro no hi) |
All over Japan |
Respect for the elderly and longevity are celebrated on this national holiday. |
| Around September 23 (national holiday) |
Autum Equinox Day (shubun no hi) |
All over Japan |
Graves are visited during the week (ohigan) of the Equinox Day. |
| October 7-9 |
Nagasaki Kunchi |
Suwa Shrine, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture |
The Nagasaki Kunchi features Chinese style dragons and floats shaped like ships. |
| Second Monday of October (national holiday) |
Health and Sports Day (taiiku no hi): |
All over Japan |
On that day in 1964, the Olympic games of Tokyo were opened. |
| October 22 |
Jidai Matsuri |
Kyoto |
A historical parade that covers 1000 years during which Kyoto served as Japan’s capital. The procession leads from Kyoto Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine. |
| November 3 (national holiday) |
Culture Day (bunka no hi) |
All over Japan. |
A day for promotion of culture and the love of freedom and peace. On culture day, schools and the government award selected persons for their special, cultural achievements. |
| November 15 |
Seven-Five-Three (shichigosan) |
All over Japan. |
A festival for children, |
| November 23 (national holiday) |
Labour Thanksgiving Day (kinro kansha no hi) |
All over Japan |
A national holiday for honoring labour. |
| December 2-3 |
Chichibu Yomatsuri |
Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture |
The Chichibu Night Festival is considered one of Japan’s three best festivals featuring large festival floats (yatai). The festival’s highlight takes place in the evening of December 3. |
| December 23 (national holiday) |
Emperor’s Birthday (tenno no tanjobi): |
All over Japan. |
The birthday of the current emperor is always a national holiday. If the emperor changes, the national holiday changes to the birthday date of the new emperor. |
| December 24-25 |
Christmas |
All over Japan |
Christmas is not a national holiday, but it is celebrated by an increasing number of Japanese. |
| December 31 |
New Year’s Eve (omisoka) |
All over Japan |
December 31 is not a national holiday. |
| Japanese National Holidays |
| Date |
English |
Romaji |
Japanese |
| 1-Jan |
New Year’s Day |
Ganjitsu |
元日 |
| 2nd Monday of January |
Coming of Age Day |
Seijin no hi |
成人の日 |
| 11-Feb |
National Foundation Day† |
Kenkoku kinen no hi |
建国記念の日 |
| March 20 or March 21 |
Vernal Equinox Day |
Shunbun no hi |
春分の日 |
| 29-Apr |
Showa Day |
Showa no hi |
昭和の日 |
| 3-May |
Constitution Memorial Day * |
Kenpō kinenbi |
憲法記念日 |
| 4-May |
Greenery Day * |
Midori no hi |
みどり(緑)の日 |
| 5-May |
Children’s Day * |
Kodomo no hi |
子供の日 |
| 3rd Monday of July |
Marine Day |
Umi no hi |
海の日 |
| 3rd Monday of September |
Respect for the Aged Day |
Keirō no hi |
敬老の日 |
| September 23 or September 24 |
Autumnal Equinox Day |
Shūbun no hi |
秋分の日 |
| 2nd Monday of October |
Health-Sports Day |
Taiiku no hi |
体育の日 |
| 3-Nov |
Culture Day |
Bunka no hi |
文化の日 |
| 23-Nov |
Labour Thanksgiving Day |
Kinrō kansha no hi |
勤労感謝の日 |
| 23-Dec |
The Emperor’s Birthday |
Tennō tanjōbi |
天皇誕生日 |
| 24 Sekki |
| Date |
English |
Romaji |
Japanese |
| 5-Jan |
Small Colda.k.a. 寒の入り Kan no iri) entrance of the cold |
Shōkan |
小寒 |
| 20-Jan |
Major cold |
Daikan |
大寒 |
| 4-Feb |
Beginning of spring |
Risshun |
立春 |
| 19-Feb |
Rain water |
Usui |
雨水 |
| 5-Mar |
awakening of hibernated insects) |
Keichitsu |
啓蟄 |
| 20-Mar |
Vernal equinox, middle of spring |
Shunbun |
春分 |
| 5-Apr |
Clear and bright |
Seimei |
清明 |
| 20-Apr |
Grain rain |
Kokuu |
穀雨 |
| 5-May |
Beginning of summer |
Rikka |
立夏 |
| 21-May |
Grain full |
Shōman |
小満 |
| 6-Jun |
Grain in ear |
Bōshu |
芒種 |
| 21-Jun |
Summer solstice, middle of summer |
Geshi |
夏至 |
| 7-Jul |
Small heat |
Shōsho |
小暑 |
| 23-Jul |
Large heat |
Taisho |
大暑 |
| 7-Aug |
Beginning of autumn |
Risshū |
立秋 |
| 23-Aug |
Limit of heat |
Shosho |
処暑 |
| 7-Sep |
White dew |
Hakuro |
白露 |
| 23-Sep |
Autumnal equinox, middle of autumn |
Shūbun |
秋分 |
| 8-Oct |
Cold dew |
Kanro |
寒露 |
| 23-Oct |
Frost descent |
Sōkō |
霜降 |
| 7-Nov |
Beginning of winter |
Rittō |
立冬 |
| 22-Nov |
Small snow |
Shōsetsu |
小雪 |
| 7-Dec |
Large snow |
Taisetsu |
大雪 |
| 22-Dec |
Winter solstice, middle of winter |
Tōji |
冬至 |
| Zassetsu |
| Date |
Comment |
Romaji |
Japanese |
| 17-Jan |
|
Fuyu no doyō |
冬の土用 |
| 3-Feb |
The eve of Risshun by one definition. |
Setsubun |
節分 |
| 21-Mar |
Also known as 春社 (Shunsha). |
Haru shanichi |
春社日 |
| March 18–March 24 |
The seven days surrounding Shunbun. |
Haru higan |
春彼岸 |
| 17-Apr |
|
Haru no doyō |
春の土用 |
| 2-May |
Literally meaning 88 nights (since Risshun). |
Hachijū hachiya |
八十八夜 |
| 11-Jun |
Literally meaning entering tsuyu. |
Nyūbai |
入梅 |
| 2-Jul |
One of the 72 Kō. Farmers take five days off in some regions. |
Hangeshō |
半夏生 |
| 15-Jul |
Sometimes considered a Zassetsu. |
Akisha |
中元 |
| 20-Jul |
|
Natsu no doyō |
夏の土用 |
| 1-Sep |
Literally meaning 210 days (since Risshun). |
Nihyaku tōka |
二百十日 |
| 11-Sep |
Literally meaning 220 days. |
Nihyaku hatsuka |
二百二十日 |
| September 20–September 26 |
|
Aki higan |
秋彼岸 |
| 22-Sep |
Also known as 秋社 Akisha |
Aki shanichi |
秋社日 |
| 20-Oct |
|
Aki no doyō |
秋の土用 |
