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🇯🇵 Japan public holidays 2026

Japan has 18 public holidays in 2026. 3 of them fall on a weekend. The longest continuous break is 5 days. A further 1 days are granted at administrative discretion.

Who decides these days

Japan's sixteen national holidays are set out in Article 2 of the Act on National Holidays. Two further days derive from them: a holiday falling on a Sunday makes the nearest following non-holiday a substitute holiday (Art. 3(2)), and a weekday caught between two holidays becomes one itself (Art. 3(3)). The equinox days carry no date in law; computed by the National Astronomical Observatory, they are fixed by the gazette a year ahead.

DateNameLegal status
January 1, 2026New Year's DaySee this topicPublic holiday
January 12, 2026Coming of Age DayPublic holiday
February 11, 2026National Foundation DaySee this topicPublic holiday
February 23, 2026The Emperor's BirthdayPublic holiday
March 20, 2026Vernal Equinox DaySee this topicPublic holiday
April 29, 2026Shōwa DaySee this topicPublic holiday
May 3, 2026Constitution Memorial DayPublic holiday
May 4, 2026Greenery DaySee this topicPublic holiday
May 5, 2026Children's DaySee this topicPublic holiday
May 6, 2026Substitute HolidayPublic holiday
July 20, 2026Marine DayPublic holiday
August 11, 2026Mountain DayPublic holiday
September 21, 2026Respect for the Aged DaySee this topicPublic holiday
September 22, 2026Citizens' HolidayPublic holiday
September 23, 2026Autumnal Equinox DaySee this topicPublic holiday
October 12, 2026Sports DayPublic holiday
November 3, 2026Culture DayPublic holiday
November 23, 2026Labor Thanksgiving DaySee this topicPublic holiday
December 29, 2026 – January 3, 2027Year-End and New Year HolidaysDiscretionary day off

Sources and dates