You’ve got a rough idea of when you want to fly, a few tabs open, and one nagging question: will your dates land on a week when half the country is traveling too? It’s worth checking, because Japan public holidays can turn a calm train ride into a sold-out one and a reasonable hotel rate into a very different number.
Here’s the short version of Japan holidays 2027. There are 16 national holidays plus one substitute day, and most fall on Mondays, so you get a handful of long weekends instead of one giant pile-up. Below you’ll find the full list, the three holiday periods that matter most for your Japan trip, and when to go if you’d rather skip the crowds.
Japan public holidays 2027: the full list
Here’s the full 2027 Japan holiday calendar, with the date, weekday and what each day marks. Japan’s Cabinet Office is the official source for these dates, so it’s the place to check if anything ever shifts.
Date | Day | Holiday | What it marks |
|---|---|---|---|
Jan 1 | Fri | New Year’s Day | The start of the year, when shrines fill with first visits |
Jan 11 | Mon | Coming of Age Day | Celebrates people who’ve reached adulthood |
Feb 11 | Thu | National Foundation Day | Marks Japan’s traditional founding date |
Feb 23 | Tue | Emperor’s Birthday | Celebrates the reigning emperor |
Mar 21 | Sun | Vernal Equinox Day | Celebrates nature and living things as spring begins |
Mar 22 | Mon | Substitute holiday | Replaces the Sunday equinox |
Apr 29 | Thu | Showa Day | Reflects on the Showa era and kicks off Golden Week |
May 3 | Mon | Constitution Memorial Day | Marks the 1947 constitution |
May 4 | Tue | Greenery Day | Celebrates nature |
May 5 | Wed | Children’s Day | Celebrates children, with carp streamers flying |
Jul 19 | Mon | Marine Day | Gives thanks for the sea |
Aug 11 | Wed | Mountain Day | Celebrates Japan’s mountains |
Sep 20 | Mon | Respect for the Aged Day | Honors older people |
Sep 23 | Thu | Autumnal Equinox Day | Honors ancestors as autumn begins |
Oct 11 | Mon | Sports Day | Promotes sports and an active life |
Nov 3 | Wed | Culture Day | Celebrates arts and culture |
Nov 23 | Tue | Labor Thanksgiving Day | Gives thanks for work and what it produces |
Klook Tip: Vernal Equinox Day falls on Sunday, March 21, so Monday, March 22 becomes a substitute holiday. That gives you a 3-day weekend from March 20 to 22, right around the time early cherry blossoms can appear.
Klook Tip: Showa Day lands on Thursday, April 29, but Friday, April 30 is a regular workday. That one-day gap sits right before Golden Week, so many locals take Friday off and turn the break into a full seven days.
Golden Week 2027: May 1 to 5
Spring cherry blossoms in Japan | Image credit: happysmilelau via Pixabay
Golden Week is the one stretch of the year when Japan really does stop. In 2027 the main break runs five days, from Saturday, May 1 to Wednesday, May 5, and it starts earlier for anyone who takes Friday, April 30 off after Showa Day. Picture a Tokyo Station platform where every reserved seat is already gone, and you’ll get the mood.
Expect sold-out shinkansen on the busiest days, higher hotel rates and a lot of company at big sights. Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto gets especially packed, and its grounds are open 24 hours, so a sunrise or evening walk beats midday. Banks and government offices close, and some small shops shut for a few days, though major attractions stay open. Reserve a Tokyo to Kyoto shinkansen ticket well ahead if you’re moving between cities, and read Japan’s Golden Week guide for more on what to expect.
Want the same trip with fewer people? Come the week after. From around May 10, trains and hotels ease up, and the weather is still mild before the June rainy season arrives. If you’re stuck with Golden Week dates, book trains and hotels the moment they open and hit the big sights at opening time.
Klook Tip: Shinkansen reserved seats open about a month before travel, and popular Golden Week trains go fast, so set a reminder.
Obon 2027: August 13 to 16
Tokyo gets quieter at Obon, and the roads and train lines out of it get a lot busier. Obon isn’t on the official list of Japan public holidays 2027, but many people take Friday, August 13 to Monday, August 16 to visit family and honor their ancestors. Mountain Day on Wednesday, August 11 comes just before, so some workers stretch the break even longer.
Expect sold-out shinkansen and jammed expressways at the start and end of the break, and some day-tour operators warn that attractions may close early. City sights stay open, so a stay in the capital works fine, but a day trip out of town will crawl through traffic. If you have flexibility, travel the week before or after, and book seats at least a month ahead.
Klook Tip: If you’re in Kyoto on August 16, the Gozan no Okuribi mountain bonfires are the best-known Obon event, so book your stay early.
Japan New Year holidays: December 29 to January 3
New Year is Japan’s most home-focused holiday, so the country goes quiet while the shrines get loud. The break usually runs from about December 29 to January 3, which at the end of 2027 means Wednesday, December 29 to Monday, January 3, 2028. Early January 2027 follows the same pattern, with New Year’s Day on a Friday rolling straight into the weekend.
Many restaurants, smaller shops and some museums close for part or all of that stretch, while convenience stores and major stations keep running. People visit shrines for hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the year), so Sensoji Temple in Tokyo gets very crowded in the first three days of the year. For fewer people, go on a weekday morning later in January.
If you’re in Asakusa anyway, an Asakusa kimono rental starts around US$17 and suits couples and friends who want photos near Sensoji. Staff help with dressing and hair, and a 1-hour or 2-hour photo shoot is an optional add-on. The booking lists Japanese as the main language, so a translation app helps, and it’s worth confirming opening dates around December 31 to January 3.
Klook Tip: Shinkansen seats are usually hardest to get around December 28 to 30 and again January 2 to 4, so reserve early.
Japan long weekends 2027
Japan’s long weekends are easy to miss on a calendar, but domestic travel jumps on every one of them. There are five in 2027, and each follows the same pattern: Saturday, Sunday, then a Monday holiday. If you’re visiting from abroad, book hotels and train seats a month or two ahead.
- Coming of Age Day 2027, January 9 to 11: Young adults head to ceremonies in furisode (long-sleeved kimono), and Meiji Jingu in Tokyo is a top shrine stop for both this weekend and New Year. Ski towns and hot spring areas fill up too.
- Vernal Equinox, March 20 to 22: The substitute holiday makes this a full three-day weekend, and it can overlap with early cherry blossoms in Tokyo and Kyoto.
- Marine Day, July 17 to 19: It lands as summer break gets going, so beaches and mountain towns get busy.
- Respect for the Aged Day, September 18 to 20: Silver Week 2027 doesn’t happen, because the Autumnal Equinox on Thursday, September 23 sits two workdays later, so this is a standalone weekend.
- Sports Day, October 9 to 11: Mild autumn weather draws crowds to day-trip spots outside Tokyo.
Tokyo,Kyoto and Osaka are where the squeeze hits first, so lock in hotels, then trains. If you’re hopping between all three, a 7-day Japan Rail Pass starts around US$320 and includes free seat reservations. The catch is that it doesn’t cover Nozomi or Mizuho trains, so check your route first. Order it at least two weeks before you fly, since the exchange order has to reach you.
Where to stay when Japan is on holiday
Hotel Gion Ichirin, Kyoto
Hotels are where holiday crowds hit your budget first. These four hotels match the plans above, from Asakusa at New Year to Gion for a Kyoto trip. The prices are current starting rates, so expect higher numbers on holiday weekends.
APA Hotel Asakusa Ekimae
APA Hotel Asakusa Ekimae starts around US$105 a night, which makes it a budget-friendly base for New Year at Sensoji. It suits solo travelers and couples who’ll spend most of the day outside. Asakusa Station is a 4-minute walk, and the Kaminarimon gate is about 400 meters away. Standard rooms are small, around 11 m², so pack light.
Address: 1-12-16 Komagata, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out: 10 AM
Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku
For a Tokyo base that works for both Coming of Age Day and New Year, Hotel Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku starts around US$127 a night. Shinjuku Station is a 6-minute walk, and Harajuku, the stop for Meiji Jingu, is two stops away on the JR Yamanote Line. It’s a big hotel with 624 rooms and a 24-hour front desk, so it suits travelers arriving at odd hours. The buffet breakfast costs about JPY 3,300 extra, so you may prefer to eat out.
Address: 2-3-1 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out: 11 AM
MIMARU Kyoto Station
Families get the most out of MIMARU Kyoto Station, where apartment-style rooms start around US$348 a night for about 40 m² with a kitchenette. That space helps in Golden Week, when you’ll want somewhere calm to regroup after Fushimi Inari. Kyoto Station is a 6-minute walk away, so shinkansen days are easy. It’s pricey for couples, and the front desk closes at 10 PM, so tell the hotel if you’ll arrive late.
Address: 15-1 Higashikujo Higashisannocho, Kyoto
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out: 11 AM
Hotel Gion Ichirin
Hotel Gion Ichirin is the splurge at around US$353 a night, and it suits couples who want to wake up in Gion. It’s a 24-room boutique hotel about 300 meters from Yasaka Shrine and close to Kenninji Temple, with rooms starting around 30 m². The nearest stations are a 10-minute walk away, and guests need to be 12 or older.
Address: 570-89 Gionmachi Minamigawa, Kyoto
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out: 11 AM
Best time to visit Japan around the holidays
Still choosing dates? The quietest spring window is the week or two right after Golden Week, from around May 10. Trains and hotels ease up, temples have room to breathe, and the weather is mild before the rainy season. Our best time to visit Japan guide covers the rest of the year.
Cherry blossom season 2027 is where the calendar gets tricky. Tokyo and Kyoto usually peak from late March to early April, so the Vernal Equinox weekend can land right on early blooms, and plenty of locals plan for it. Forecasts come out in the new year, so check the Japan cherry blossom forecast before you lock in dates. Up north, Hokkaido’s blossoms usually come in late April or early May.
For a day out of Tokyo in blossom season, a Fuji and Hakone day tour costs about US$51 and runs roughly 10 hours, with the Owakudani ropeway ticket included. It suits first-timers who’d rather not juggle trains, buses and boats. The pace is quick on a shared coach, and blossoms depend on timing, so treat them as a bonus.
Autumn color is the other big overlap. Leaves in Tokyo and Kyoto usually peak from mid-November to early December, so Culture Day on Wednesday, November 3 is a little early, while Labor Thanksgiving Day on Tuesday, November 23 lands right in the busy window. Sports Day weekend in October is early for the cities but suits higher ground.
Clear Fuji views are more likely in cooler months, which makes autumn a good time for the Mt Fuji ropeway day trip, from about US$49 for roughly 10 hours with an English-speaking guide option. It covers the Kawaguchiko ropeway, Oishi Park and Oshino Hakkai. One reviewer queued about an hour for the ropeway, so time at the top can be short.
Kyoto’s ginkgo-lined Gion streets look good in autumn, and a Gion kimono rental runs from about US$17, with free hairstyling on the women’s plans. The shop is 1 minute from Keihan Gion-Shijo Station, and Hanamikoji is a 2-minute walk away. It gets busy, and one guest waited about 30 minutes to get dressed, so book the earliest slot you can.
FAQs about Japan public holidays 2027
How many public holidays are there in Japan in 2027?
Japan has 16 national holidays in 2027, plus one substitute holiday on Monday, March 22, so you get 17 days off. The substitute day exists because Vernal Equinox Day lands on Sunday, March 21. The Cabinet Office publishes the official dates if you want to double-check.
When is Golden Week 2027 in Japan?
Golden Week 2027 runs from Saturday, May 1 to Wednesday, May 5, as a five-day break. The holidays start earlier, on Thursday, April 29 for Showa Day, and Friday, April 30 is a regular workday. Many people take that one day off, which stretches the break to seven days.
Is it a good idea to travel to Japan during Golden Week?
It’s doable, but it’s the busiest and priciest week of the spring. Shinkansen seats sell out, hotels cost more and big sights like Fushimi Inari get packed. If your dates are flexible, the week after Golden Week is much calmer.
When is Obon 2027?
Obon 2027 falls around Friday, August 13 to Monday, August 16, though it isn’t an official public holiday. Many companies close for those days, so trains and highways fill up with people heading home. Kyoto’s Gozan no Okuribi bonfires on August 16 are the best-known Obon event for visitors.
What is a substitute holiday in Japan?
A substitute holiday (furikae kyujitsu) is a day off added when a national holiday falls on a Sunday. The next non-holiday weekday, usually Monday, becomes the holiday. In 2027 that happens once: Vernal Equinox Day is Sunday, March 21, so Monday, March 22 is off.
Are shops and attractions open in Japan during New Year?
Many close, but not everything. Convenience stores, big train stations and most hotels keep running, while many restaurants, smaller shops and some museums close from around December 29 or 31 to January 3. Many department stores reopen January 2 with fukubukuro (lucky bag) sales, and shrines are open and busy.
What is the best time of year to visit Japan?
Late March to early April for cherry blossoms and November to early December for autumn color are the classic picks. Both overlap with crowds, so book early and aim for weekdays. For a quieter trip, try the weeks right after Golden Week in mid-May.
Pick your dates, then book the rest
Check your dates against the Japan holidays 2027 table above, then book the parts that sell out first. Picture landing in Tokyo a few days after Golden Week, riding the shinkansen to Kyoto, and walking through Fushimi Inari’s gates with room to take photos. Start with your stay, since a good room is the first thing to go on a holiday weekend.
More Japan travel guides for you
What is Klook?
Klook is a leading pan-regional experiences platform in Asia Pacific, purpose built to digitalize experiences and make them accessible to every traveler.
Our mission is to build the digital infrastructure for the global experience economy — empowering merchants to share their passions and travelers to discover the heartbeat of each destination. We operate a mobile-first, curated platform featuring diverse experiences across global destinations.
