How many public holidays does Japan have?

Japan has 16 national public holidays (syukujitsu) per year — the most of any major economy. Key dates include Golden Week (Showa Day, Constitution Day, Greenery Day, Children's Day), Marine Day, Mountain Day, Respect for the Aged Day, and others spread across the year.

What is Golden Week in Japan?

Golden Week is a cluster of four public holidays between April 29 and May 5. Because they fall close together, many Japanese companies shut down entirely for the full week, making it Japan's peak domestic travel season.

How much annual leave do Japanese workers receive?

Under the Labour Standards Act, Japanese workers are entitled to a minimum of 10 days paid annual leave after 6 months of continuous employment, rising to 20 days after 6.5 years. Since 2019, workers must take at least 5 days of their annual leave entitlement each year by law.

Can I use PocketLeave for Japan?

Yes. PocketLeave supports Japan and fetches live, official public holiday data from the Nager.Date API. Select Japan in the calculator to get your personalised leave plan with all opportunities ranked by ROI.

What does leave ROI mean?

Leave ROI (return on investment) is the ratio of total consecutive days off to annual leave days required to achieve that break. A 3× ROI means taking 1 day of leave gives you 3 days off in total.

Annual Leave Calculator Japan 2026 — Maximise Your Days Off

In Japan in 2026, the best annual leave opportunity is Respect for the Aged Day & Autumnal Equinox Day Bridge (19 September – 23 September), where just 1 leave day delivers 5 consecutive days off — a 5.0× ROI. There are 16 public holidays in Japan in 2026, with Greenery Day, Children's Day & More Bridge and New Year's Day Break also offering strong returns.

Japan has one of the richest public holiday calendars in Asia, with 16 national holidays per year and the famous Golden Week in late April and early May — a cluster of four public holidays within seven days. With Japan's unique substitute holiday rule ensuring workers never lose a holiday that falls on a Sunday, there are reliable windows every year for maximising annual leave. Use PocketLeave to calculate your best leave opportunities for 2026 and get the most out of every day off.

Top 3 Leave Opportunities in 2026

5.0× ROI

Respect for the Aged Day & Autumnal Equinox Day Bridge

19 Sept – 23 Sept

Use 1d leaveGet 5 days off

4.5× ROI

Greenery Day, Children's Day & More Bridge

2 May – 10 May

Use 2d leaveGet 9 days off

4.0× ROI

New Year's Day Break

1 Jan – 4 Jan

Use 1d leaveGet 4 days off

Japan Public Holidays 2026

Date	Holiday	Day
1 Jan 2026	New Year's Day	Thursday
12 Jan 2026	Coming of Age Day	Monday
11 Feb 2026	Foundation Day	Wednesday
23 Feb 2026	The Emperor's Birthday	Monday
20 Mar 2026	Vernal Equinox Day	Friday
29 Apr 2026	Shōwa Day	Wednesday
6 May 2026	Constitution Memorial Day	Wednesday
4 May 2026	Greenery Day	Monday
5 May 2026	Children's Day	Tuesday
20 Jul 2026	Marine Day	Monday
11 Aug 2026	Mountain Day	Tuesday
21 Sept 2026	Respect for the Aged Day	Monday
23 Sept 2026	Autumnal Equinox Day	Wednesday
12 Oct 2026	Sports Day	Monday
3 Nov 2026	Culture Day	Tuesday
23 Nov 2026	Labour Thanksgiving Day	Monday

Frequently Asked Questions — Japan

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Enter your leave balance and let PocketLeave find every high-ROI break in the 2026 calendar for Japan.

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Best Days to Take Annual Leave in Japan 2026