Japan holidays 2027 and long weekend planner
Japan has 16 public holidays in 2027, plus one substitute holiday. Enter the days of paid leave you can take, and see the longest break you can build.
Public holidays in 2027
There are 16 national holidays in 2027. Vernal Equinox Day, March 21, falls on a Sunday, so Monday, March 22 is a substitute holiday. That makes 17 days off, and 16 of them fall on weekdays. No holiday falls on a Saturday.
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Fri, Jan 1 | New Year's Day |
| Mon, Jan 11 | Coming of Age Day |
| Thu, Feb 11 | National Foundation Day |
| Tue, Feb 23 | Emperor's Birthday |
| Sun, Mar 21 | Vernal Equinox Day |
| Mon, Mar 22 | substitute holiday |
| Thu, Apr 29 | Showa Day |
| Mon, May 3 | Constitution Memorial Day |
| Tue, May 4 | Greenery Day |
| Wed, May 5 | Children's Day |
| Mon, Jul 19 | Marine Day |
| Wed, Aug 11 | Mountain Day |
| Mon, Sep 20 | Respect for the Aged Day |
| Thu, Sep 23 | Autumnal Equinox Day |
| Mon, Oct 11 | Sports Day |
| Wed, Nov 3 | Culture Day |
| Tue, Nov 23 | Labor Thanksgiving Day |
A holiday that falls on a Sunday moves to the next day that is not a holiday. A holiday on a Saturday does not move. The equinox dates are announced each February by the National Astronomical Observatory. The 2027 dates, March 21 and September 23, were announced in February 2026.
Long weekends with no paid leave
The calendar gives 2027 five three-day weekends, a five-day Golden Week and a six-day year-end break.
| Dates | Length | Holidays included |
|---|---|---|
| Sat, Jan 9 – Mon, Jan 11 | 3 days | Coming of Age Day |
| Sat, Mar 20 – Mon, Mar 22 | 3 days | Vernal Equinox Day, substitute holiday |
| Sat, May 1 – Wed, May 5 | 5 days | Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children's Day |
| Sat, Jul 17 – Mon, Jul 19 | 3 days | Marine Day |
| Sat, Sep 18 – Mon, Sep 20 | 3 days | Respect for the Aged Day |
| Sat, Oct 9 – Mon, Oct 11 | 3 days | Sports Day |
| Wed, Dec 29 – Mon, Jan 3, 2028 | 6 days | year-end and New Year break, New Year's Day |
There is no Silver Week in 2027. Respect for the Aged Day is on Monday, September 20, and Autumnal Equinox Day is on Thursday, September 23. With two ordinary days between them, no "citizens' holiday" is created. In 2026 there was one, which made a five-day break from September 19 to 23.
Longer breaks with paid leave
A few days of paid leave go a long way when they sit next to holidays. This table shows the longest break that starts in each period of 2027, for different amounts of leave.
| Period | No leave | 1 day of leave | 2 days of leave | 3 days of leave | 5 days of leave |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernal Equinox Day (March) | 3 days Mar 20 – Mar 22 | 4 days Mar 19 – Mar 22 | 5 days Mar 18 – Mar 22 | 6 days Mar 17 – Mar 22 | 10 days Mar 13 – Mar 22 |
| Golden Week | 5 days May 1 – May 5 | 7 days Apr 29 – May 5 | 9 days May 1 – May 9 | 11 days Apr 29 – May 9 | 13 days Apr 23 – May 5 |
| Mountain Day (August 11) | 1 day Aug 11 | 2 days Aug 10 – Aug 11 | 5 days Aug 7 – Aug 11 | 6 days Aug 6 – Aug 11 | 10 days Aug 6 – Aug 15 |
| September holidays | 3 days Sep 18 – Sep 20 | 4 days Sep 17 – Sep 20 | 6 days Sep 18 – Sep 23 | 9 days Sep 18 – Sep 26 | 11 days Sep 16 – Sep 26 |
| New Year (late December) | 6 days Dec 29 – Jan 3, 2028 | 7 days Dec 28 – Jan 3, 2028 | 10 days Dec 25 – Jan 3, 2028 | 11 days Dec 24 – Jan 3, 2028 | 14 days Dec 28 – Jan 10, 2028 |
For example, taking only Friday, April 30 gives you seven days in a row, from April 29 to May 5. With three days (April 30, May 6 and May 7) the break grows to eleven days, from April 29 to May 9. The planner above finds the best options for any number of days and any year.
Things to know when planning
- Obon, around August 13 to 16, is not a public holiday, but many companies close for several days. If yours does, tick the Obon box in the planner.
- The year-end break is not a public holiday either. Government offices are closed from December 29 to January 3 by law, and banks may close from December 31 to January 3. Many companies follow similar dates, so check your own.
- Paid leave depends on your employer. In Japan an employee can ask for leave at a time of their choosing, but the employer may move it to another time if it would interfere with the normal running of the business.
How the planner counts
- Days off are Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, including substitute holidays and citizens' holidays. The year-end break and Obon count only if you tick the boxes.
- A break is an unbroken run of days off that starts the day after a working day. The days of paid leave sit inside it, on weekdays.
- It finds the longest break you can make with up to the number of leave days you enter, and lists other options that do not overlap.
- Only breaks that start in the chosen year are listed. A year-end break that starts on December 25 and runs into January therefore belongs to the year in which it starts.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Silver Week in 2027?
No. Respect for the Aged Day (September 20) and Autumnal Equinox Day (September 23) have two ordinary days between them. Taking leave on September 21, 22 and 24 turns the weekend into a nine-day break from September 18 to 26.
Is Obon a public holiday in Japan?
No. Obon is a period around August 13 to 16 when many people travel to their home towns and many companies close. The only public holiday near it is Mountain Day on August 11.
How long is Golden Week in 2027?
May 1 to 5 is a five-day break. Showa Day (April 29) is on Thursday, and Friday, April 30 is a normal working day. With one day of leave on April 30, the break runs from April 29 to May 5, seven days.
What happens when a holiday falls on a Sunday?
The next day that is not a holiday becomes a substitute holiday. In 2027 this happens on March 22.
Sources
- Cabinet Office: about national holidays (in Japanese)
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan: almanac for 2027 (in Japanese)
- Act on National Holidays (in Japanese)
- Act on Holidays of Administrative Organs: government offices closed December 29 to January 3 (in Japanese)
Related pages
Last updated: 2026-10-04