Everything we say about activities in our articles and itineraries is based on an ordinary day. Waiting times, opening hours, how busy a place gets: all of it shifts sharply during the busiest periods. If your trip falls in one of them, read this article carefully.
Periods to avoid
Golden Week
Golden Week is a week in which several public holidays fall one after another, which lets Japanese people take time off. It is the busiest travel period in Japan, and most Japanese people are away.
Hotels cost more as a result, and the well-known sites are crowded.
Golden Week dates for the coming years: 2025: 29 April to 5 May (inclusive) 2026: 29 April to 5 May (inclusive)
Obon
Obon is the festival of the dead. It is generally held from 13 to 16 August. Japanese people use these 3 days to take a holiday, often adding days of their own leave to make up to a week off.
Expect a seasonal peak between 10 and 18 August.
New Year
New Year in Japan is the equivalent of Christmas in France. The first 3 days of the year are treated as public holidays, and many shops are closed.
Hotels and trains are therefore very busy from 30 December to 4 January. Many visitor sites are also closed from 1 to 3 January.
Heavy tourism
March – April: cherry blossom season
Late March to mid-April: the cherry blossom season is short and draws a large number of visitors to Japan. Expect the main sites, in Tokyo and Kyoto especially, to be busy.
November: maple season
The last two weeks of November are also very busy, since many people come to Japan for the autumn maples. As in cherry blossom season, expect heavy crowds at the main sites.
Sensible habits
Plan around the crowds
- Allow 1 to 2 hours more for a visit
- Set out early in the morning
- Book trains and activities in advance wherever you can.
Check the public holiday calendar
For Golden Week, Obon and Japanese New Year in particular: check that opening hours and closing days have not changed. You will find the Japanese public holiday calendar at the end of this article.
Public holidays in Japan
Japan has 16 public holidays a year. If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is a holiday as well.
2024 public holiday calendar
- 1 January: New Year’s Day
- 8 January: Coming of Age Day
- 11 and 12 February: National Foundation Day
- 23 February: The Emperor’s Birthday
- 20 March: Vernal Equinox Day
- 29 April: Shōwa Day
- 3 May: Constitution Memorial Day
- 4 May: Greenery Day
- 5 and 6 May: Children’s Day
- 15 July: Marine Day
- 11 and 12 August: Mountain Day
- 16 September: Respect for the Aged Day
- 22 and 23 September: Autumnal Equinox Day
- 14 October: Sports Day
- 3 and 4 November: Culture Day
- 23 November: Labour Thanksgiving Day
2025 public holiday calendar
- 1 January: New Year’s Day
- 13 January: Coming of Age Day
- 11 February: National Foundation Day
- 23 and 24 February: The Emperor’s Birthday
- 20 March: Vernal Equinox Day
- 29 April: Shōwa Day
- 3 May: Constitution Memorial Day
- 4 May: Greenery Day
- 5 May: Children’s Day
- 6 May: Respect for the Aged Day
- 21 July: Marine Day
- 11 August: Mountain Day
- 15 September: Respect for the Aged Day
- 23 September: Autumnal Equinox Day
- 13 October: Sports Day
- 3 November: Culture Day
- 23 and 24 November: Labour Thanksgiving Day
