Important Dates in Japan.

The following are Japanese national holidays and some of the most important other annual nationwide events. In addition, there are countless local annual festivals. 

If a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is also turned into a holiday. Likewise, a day sandwiched between two national holidays is turned into a holiday.

• January 1 (national holiday) 
  New Year (shogatsu): 
  This is the most important holiday in Japan. While only January 1 is designated as a national holiday, many businesses remain closed through January 3. 

• Second Monday of January (national holiday) 
  Coming of Age (seijin no hi): 
  The coming of age of 20 year old men and women is celebrated on this national holiday.

• February 3 
  Beginning of spring (setsubun): 
  Setsubun is not a national holiday, but celebrated at shrines and temples nationwide. 

• February 11 (national holiday) 
  National Foundation Day (kenkoku kinenbi): 
  According to the earliest Japanese history records, on this day in the year 660 BC the first Japanese emperor was crowned.

• February 14 
  Valentine's Day: 
  In Japan, women give chocolates to men on Valentine's Day. It is not a national holiday. 

• February 23 (national holiday) 
  Emperor's Birthday (tenno no tanjobi): 
  The birthday of the current emperor is always a national holiday. If the emperor changes, the national holiday changes to the birthday date of the new emperor.

• March 3 
  Doll's Festival (hina matsuri): 
  On this day, families with girls wish their daughters a successful and happy life. Dolls are displayed in the house together with peach blossoms.

    

• March 14 
  White Day: 
  The opposite of Valentine's Day: Men give cakes or chocolates to women. It is not a national holiday. 

• Around March 20 (national holiday) 
  Spring Equinox Day (shunbun no hi): 
  Graves are visited during the week (ohigan) of the Equinox Day.

• April 29 (national holiday) 
  Showa Day (Showa no hi): 
  The birthday of former Emperor Showa. Before 2007, April 29 was known as Greenery Day (now celebrated on May 4). Showa Day is part of the Golden Week.

• May 3 (national holiday) 
  Constitution Day (kenpo kinenbi): 
  A national holiday remembering the new constitution, which was put into effect after the war. 

• May 4 (national holiday) 
  Greenery Day (midori no hi): 
  Until 2006, Greenery Day was celebrated on April 29, the former Emperor Showa's birthday, due to the emperor's love for plants and nature. It is now celebrated on May 4 and is part of the Golden Week.

• May 5 (national holiday) 
  Children's Day (kodomo no hi): 
  Also called boy's festival. 

• July/August 7 
  Star Festival (tanabata): 
  Tanabata is a festival rather than a national holiday. 

• Third Monday of July (national holiday) 
  Ocean Day (umi no hi): 
  A recently introduced national holiday to celebrate the ocean. The day marks the return of Emperor Meiji from a boat trip to Hokkaido in 1876. In 2020, this holiday will be moved exceptionally to July 23 in order to create a prolonged holiday around the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

• August 11 (national holiday) 
  Mountain Day (yama no hi): 
  Newly introduced in 2016, this national holiday celebrates mountains. In 2020, this holiday will be moved exceptionally to August 10 in order to create a prolonged holiday around the closing ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

• July/August 13-15 
  Obon: 
  Obon is a Buddhist event to commemorate deceased ancestors. 

• Third Monday of September (national holiday) 
  Respect for the Aged Day (keiro no hi): 
  Respect for the elderly and longevity are celebrated on this national holiday.

• Around September 23 (national holiday) 
  Autumn Equinox Day (shubun no hi): 
  Graves are visited during the week (ohigan) of the Equinox Day.

• Second Monday of October (national holiday) 
  Health and Sports Day (taiiku no hi): 
  On that day in 1964, the Olympic games of Tokyo were opened. In 2020, this holiday is will be moved exceptionally to July 24 in order to create a prolonged holiday around the opening ceremony of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

• November 3 (national holiday) 
  Culture Day (bunka no hi): 
  A day for promotion of culture and the love of freedom and peace. On culture day, schools and the government award selected persons for their special, cultural achievements. The day was originally a public holiday because it was Emperor Meiji's birthday. Later in 1946, the post-war constitution was promulgated on the this date which led to the establishment of Culture Day.

• November 15 
  Seven-Five-Three (shichigosan): 
  Girls of age three and seven and boys of age three and five are celebrated on Shichigosan around November 15, and it is prayed for their good health and growth.

• November 23 (national holiday) 
  Labor Thanksgiving Day (kinro kansha no hi): 
  A national holiday for honoring labour.

• December 24-25 
  Christmas: 
  Christmas is not a national holiday, but shopping malls are heavily decorated in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and many people follow some local Christmas traditions, such as eating chicken and a Christmas cake or having a dinner with one's partner.

• December 31 
  New Year's Eve (omisoka): 
  December 31 is not a national holiday.