Public Holidays in Japan — 2026
There are 16 public holidays in Japan in 2026 — a middle-of-the-road calendar by international standards.
Every one of them falls on a working day this year, because none collide with the local Saturday + Sunday weekend.
The dates are spread fairly evenly — 9 before July and 7 after it — with May the busiest month.
The longest dry spell runs 75 days, from Wednesday, May 6, 2026 to Monday, July 20, 2026; that is the stretch worth spending annual leave on.
8 holiday(s) sit next to the weekend, and 3 single bridge day(s) could turn into a four-day break.
Japan sits in Eastern Asia, is run from Tokyo, pays in Yen, and has about 126.5M people planning around these same dates.
- Public holidays
- 16
- Days off work
- 16
- Weekend
- Saturday + Sunday
- Busiest month
- May (3)
- Longest gap
- 75 days
- Capital
- Tokyo
| Date | Day | Holiday | Local name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Jan 1 | Thursday | New Year's Day | 元日 |
| Mon, Jan 12 | Monday | Coming of Age Day | 成人の日 |
| Wed, Feb 11 | Wednesday | Foundation Day | 建国記念の日 |
| Mon, Feb 23 | Monday | The Emperor's Birthday | 天皇誕生日 |
| Fri, Mar 20 | Friday | Vernal Equinox Day | 春分の日 |
| Wed, Apr 29 | Wednesday | Shōwa Day | 昭和の日 |
| Mon, May 4 | Monday | Greenery Day | みどりの日 |
| Tue, May 5 | Tuesday | Children's Day | こどもの日 |
| Wed, May 6 | Wednesday | Constitution Memorial Day | 憲法記念日 |
| Mon, Jul 20 | Monday | Marine Day | 海の日 |
| Tue, Aug 11 | Tuesday | Mountain Day | 山の日 |
| Mon, Sep 21 | Monday | Respect for the Aged Day | 敬老の日 |
| Wed, Sep 23 | Wednesday | Autumnal Equinox Day | 秋分の日 |
| Mon, Oct 12 | Monday | Sports Day | スポーツの日 |
| Tue, Nov 3 | Tuesday | Culture Day | 文化の日 |
| Mon, Nov 23 | Monday | Labour Thanksgiving Day | 勤労感謝の日 |
How many public holidays does Japan have in 2026?
16 — of which 16 fall on a working day and 0 fall on the Saturday + Sunday weekend.
What is the first public holiday in Japan in 2026?
元日 on Thursday, January 1, 2026. The last one of the year is 勤労感謝の日 on Monday, November 23, 2026.
Which days are the weekend in Japan?
Saturday + Sunday. Working-day counts on this site use that pattern, not a fixed Saturday–Sunday assumption.
When is the longest period without a public holiday in Japan in 2026?
Between Wednesday, May 6, 2026 and Monday, July 20, 2026 — 75 days with nothing official in between.
Are these 2026 dates confirmed?
Yes, all 16 dates come from the official calendar (source: Nager.Date public holiday API) and none are moon-sighting estimates.