Japan Guide Homepage
Travel
Living
Japan A-Z
Forum
Shopping
Essentials
-
Sightseeing Guide
-
Hotels
-
Transportation
-
Money
-
Questions
Sign in for a personalized experience. Don't have an account yet? Sign up now.
Korean
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
 

Search this site

Hotel Reservations

(check-in)

Experience Japan Tours
A Day in the Life of a Sumo Wrestler
Online Hostel Bookings
Hostels and inexpensive ryokan from $10 per night!

Related Pages
Travel
Living in Japan
Tradition

Survey: Golden Week
Annual events
Calendar
Festivals
New Year
Coming of Age
Hina Matsuri
Setsubun
Tanabata
Obon
Shichigosan

Japan Sightseeing Guide
Hokkaido
Sapporo
Otaru
Hakodate
Furano
Abashiri
Noboribetsu
Niseko
Lake Toya
Daisetsuzan
Shiretoko
Rishiri Rebun
Akan

Tohoku
Matsushima
Hiraizumi
Kakunodate
Hirosaki
Oirase

Kanto
Tokyo
Yokohama
Kamakura
Nikko
Hakone
Kawagoe
Kusatsu
Ikaho
Narita

Chubu
Nagoya
Izu Peninsula
Kanazawa
Nagano
Matsumoto
Kamikochi
Kiso Valley
Hakuba
Yudanaka
Takayama
Shirakawa-go
Gero Onsen
Inuyama
Fujigoko
Mt.Fuji

Kansai
Kyoto
Osaka
Nara
Kobe
Himeji
Kinosaki
Mount Koya
Yoshino
Amanohashidate
Hikone
Iga Ueno
Ise Shima

Chugoku
Hiroshima
Miyajima
Okayama
Kurashiki
Matsue
Iwami Ginzan
Yamaguchi
Hagi

Shikoku
Takamatsu
Kotohira
Matsuyama
Kochi

Kyushu
Fukuoka
Dazaifu
Nagasaki
Kumamoto
Mount Aso
Minamata
Kagoshima
Beppu

Okinawa
Honto
Yaeyama

Survey
What is your purpose of visiting Japan?
Leisure Trip
Business Trip
Visiting Family
Living in Japan
No trip planned
see results
Other Surveys:
Most popular region
Have you recently entered Japan?

japan-guide.com newsletter
Keeping you up to date on Japan travel and living related issues and site updates. Click here to subscribe!

japan-guide.com forum
? Any questions? Ask them on the question forum!

Sponsored Listings
Car Rental
The cheapest rates in Japan!
Japan - Order FREE Brochure!
About vacation plans and specialty travel.
Tour Packages
Guided and individual tour plans.

 
Home - Travel - Essentials
Golden Week
 
basic information

The Golden Week is a collection of four national holidays within seven days. In combination with well placed weekends, the Golden Week becomes one of Japan's three busiest holiday seasons, besides New Year and the Obon week.

Trains, airports and sightseeing spots get very crowded during Golden Week, and accommodation in tourist areas can get booked out well in advance.

The national holidays making up the Golden Week are:

  • April 29
    Showa Day (Showa no hi):
    April 29 is the birthday of former Emperor Showa, who died in the year 1989. Until 2006, Greenery Day (see May 4) used to be celebrated on this day.

  • May 3
    Constitution Day (Kenpo kinenbi):
    On this day in 1947, the new post war constitution was put into effect.

  • May 4
    Greenery Day (Midori no hi):
    Until 2006, Greenery Day used to be celebrated on April 29, the birthday of former Emperor Showa. The day is dedicated to the environment and nature, because the emperor loved plants and nature. Before being declared Greenery Day, May 4 used to be a national holiday due to a law, which declares a day, that falls between two national holidays, a national holiday.

  • May 5
    Children's Day (Kodomo no hi):
    The Boy's Festival (Tango no Sekku) is celebrated on this day. Families pray for the health and future success of their sons by hanging up carp streamers and displaying samurai dolls, both symbolizing strength, power and success in life. The Girl's Festival, by the way, is celebrated on March 3.

 
Golden Week 2009

In 2009, the weekends are placed in a way to create a holiday of five consecutive days as shown below. Travel activity is anticipated to peak on May 2 with people leaving the large urban centers and on May 6 in the opposite direction. Heavy traffic can also be expected on April 29 and May 5.

Mon
April 27
Tue
April 28
Wed
April 29
Thu
April 30
Fri
May 1
Sat
May 2
Sun
May 3
Mon
May 4
Tue
May 5
Wed
May 6
Thu
May 7
Fri
May 8
Sat
May 9
Sun
May 10

 
Golden Week 2010

In 2010, the weekends are placed in a way that results in a Golden Week consisting of an isolated public holiday (April 29) and a 5-day weekend (May 1-5). Travel activity is anticipated to peak on April 29 and May 1 with people leaving the large urban centers and on May 5 in the opposite direction. Heavy traffic can also be expected on May 4.

Mon
April 26
Tue
April 27
Wed
April 28
Thu
April 29
Fri
April 30
Sat
May 1
Sun
May 2
Mon
May 3
Tue
May 4
Wed
May 5
Thu
May 6
Fri
May 7
Sat
May 8
Sun
May 9

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

english links

Boy's Day (Ginkoya.com)
General information about Boy's Festival.
Boy's Festival (Hiro's Home Page)
General information.

 

 
May 12, 2008  
Copyright © 1996-2008 japan-guide.com All rights reserved
home - site map - privacy policy - terms of use - contact - L‚ɂ‚¢‚Ä - advertising

Asian-inspired
Plasma TV Stands

BuildYourJapan