Glossary

National Holidays

National Holiday

While the Act on National Holidays (Cabinet Office Site ) defines Japanese National Holidays, it gives no definitive dates for "Shunbun no Hi" nor "Shuubun no Hi". We determine these dates using 24 Solar Terms and announce in Reki Yoko on the first Official gazette issued in February.

There are no official English names for Japanese National Holidays.

Appendix

Related Contents (Japanese Only): Topics on Calendars, History of National Holiday and "Reki Yoko", History, Future predictions

Tables of National Holidays

Ganjitsu Seijin no Hi Kenkoku Kinen no Hi Shunbun no Hi Shouwa no Hi Kenpou Kinen Bi Midori no Hi Kodomo no Hi Umi no Hi Yama no Hi Keirou no Hi Shuubun no Hi Sports no Hi Bunka no Hi Kinrou Kansha no Hi Tennou Tanjou Bi

Name	Definition	Meaning
Ganjitsu	January 1st	New Year's Day the day to celebrate a new year
Seijin no Hi	2nd Monday in January	Coming of Age Day the day to celebrate and encourage youngsters who realize that they reached legal age of adulthood and try to survive their own life
Kenkoku Kinen no Hi	provided by cabinet order (February 11th)	National Foundation Day the day to recall the foundation of Japan and raise patriotic minds
Tennou Tanjou Bi	February 23rd	Emperor's Birthday The day to celebrate Emperor's Birthday
Shunbun no Hi	Shunbun Bi	Vernal Equinox Day, Spring Equinox Day the day to admire nature and love life.
Shouwa no Hi	April 29th	Shouwa Day, Showa Day The day to look back Shuowa Era and hope for the future
Kenpou Kinen Bi	May 3rd	Constitution Day, Constitution Memorial Day the day to celebrate enforcement of the constitution of Japan and hope for the growth of our country
Midori no Hi	May 4th	Greenery Day the day to get close to nature, thank its benefits and grow fertile minds
Kodomo no Hi	May 5th	Children's Day the day to think highly of children's personality, hope for their happiness and thank mothers
Umi no Hi	3rd Monday in July July 23rd, exclusively in 2020 July 22nd, exclusively in 2021	Marine Day the day to thank benefits from sea and hope for the prosperity of Japan.
Yama no Hi	August 11th August 10th, exclusively in 2020 August 8th, exclusively in 2021	Moutain Day the day to commune with mountains and thank benefits from them.
Keirou no Hi	3rd Monday in September	Respect for the Elderly Day, Respect for the Aged Day the day to respect elders who served for national welfare for a long time and celebrate longevity
Shuubun no Hi	Shuubun Bi	Autumnal Equinox Day, Autumn Equinox Day the day to respect ancestors and think of people who has passed away
Sports no Hi Taiiku no Hi until 2019	2nd Monday in October July 24th, exclusively in 2020 July 23rd, exclusively in 2021	Sports Day the day to enjoy sports, grow mind to respect others, and hope to realize the healthy and energetic society
Bunka no Hi	November 3rd	Culture Day, National Culture Day the day to love freedom & peace and promote culture
Kinrou Kansha no Hi	November 23rd	Labor Day, Labor Thanksgiving Day The day to respect labor, celebrate harvest or production and thank each other

National Holiday and holiday

Article 3 of the Act on National Holidays (Cabinet Office Site) declares,

Article 3.1: National Holidays are holidays.
Article 3.2: If a national holiday falls upon Sunday, the first day after that day excluding national holidays becomes a holiday. Example: May 4th ("Midori no Hi") is Sunday in 2014. Since May 5th is a national holiday ("Kodomo no Hi"), May 6th becomes a holiday.
Article 3.3: A non national holiday sandwiched by two National holidays becomes a holiday. Example: Since September 21st is "Keirou no Hi" and September 23rd is "Shuubun no Hi" in 2009, September 22nd becomes a holiday.

Appendix

Related topics: National holiday and holiday (Japanese Only)