Holidays in Japan 2012
Holidays in Japan have special significance for each event. Here is a website that shows the specific main holidays in Japan. They are also shown below.
Month Date Holiday _
January 1 Sunday New Year's Day (The Japanese have fun and celebrate the modern calendar also)
January 2 Monday New Year's Day (Observed) (Who doesn't need a break from work!)
January 9 Monday Coming of age day ( Are you about to turn 20 {or 20 again}? if so, this day is a celebration of you! 20 is the age when all good adult like things and some not so good for you can legally happen. Things like drinking, smoking, driving and more are permissable for those who have turned 20, the age of majority in Japan). Young women are often purchased furisodes (Special Kimonos) and Zori (Thonged Sandals) to indicate she has reached womanhood and that she is single. Watch out boys!
February 11 Saturday National Foundation day (This is the Japanese version of Independence Day. They celebrate their love for their nation and a national patriotism that rivals our most patriotic displays.)
March 20 Tuesday Vernal Equiniox day (Who doesn't love Spring?! A time of birth and regrowth, spring and living things are celebrated on this day with fervor)
April 29 Sunday Showa day (The Showa Emporer lived until 1989. His birthday was celebrated every year while he was alive and this day continued on as a legacy .)
April 30 Monday Bridge Public Holiday (An extra day, part of the "Happy Monday" system)
May 3 Thursday Constitution Memorial Day (This is a celebration of the crafted document after the second World War)
May 4 Friday Greenery day (That emporer Showa had a big influence on how the Japanese viewed the environment and their impact on it. He even had an addition made of a biology lab on one of the palaces. This day is another of his legacies.)
May 5 Saturday Children's Day (Originally Boys Day, this day is celebrated as a planning day for the happiness of children and for those who do have boys in their households a poi fish garden flyer can be hung or mini-samurai or armor can be displayed. Modern day now includes girls so other items for them can also be displayed.)
July 16 Monday Marine Day (Japan is a cluster of Islands and as such much of their food is derived from the ocean. This is the day to thank the powers that be for all those blessings that come out of the sea. Thank you for the octopus, squid, eel, clams, mussels, scallops, shrimps, fishes of all sizes and tastes and more)
(An extra day, part of the "Happy Monday" system)
September 17 Monday Respect for the aged Day (Flower Power had an influence on the Japanese and peace and love was extended to the people who came before. In 1966, they celebrated the older generations in their lives and they also prayed for long life for themselves. Peter Pan notwithstanding. :) )
September 22 Saturday Autumnal Equiniox day (Hooray decay! Without it, Spring wouldn't be so exciting! So this was another way to celebrate life and living things.)
October 08 Monday Health and Sports Day (The Japanese are already ahead of us in that they spend time at some work places and most schools giving a moment to stretch the body out so that focus can be attained. No wonder we Americans have too many wiggle-butts {Not to mention obese ones}. This is a day to remind everyone to get your health on and be active.)
November 3 Saturday Culture Day (Repeatedly the children of any Nation will ask, well, why do I have to learn this? This day provides answers showing a respect for the arts, continued educational efforts and the fruits of culture. Who doesn't need more polish?!)
November 23 Friday Labour Thanksgiving Day (Leave it to the Japanese to combine Labor day and Thanksgiving in one day. This is a day to Thank everyone for being good workers and to celebrate effort. Notice that the Japanese never fail to want to work. We could learn something from this attitude.)
December 23 Sunday The Emperor's Birthday (Current reigning Emporer's day of celebration. Of course, there was another emporer before him that was celebrated on this day, but hey, who's counting.)
December 24 Monday Bridge Public Holiday (An extra day, part of the "Happy Monday" system)
Golden Week - This is a concept that we need to adopt here. Essentially they take off Friday for the first week then they add in Monday, Thursday and Friday for the second week. This year 2012 Golden Week will fall on April 28, April 30, May 3 and May 4. Saturday and Sundays are already free. Think of it as Spring Break for everyone.
Of course, as with many countries, other holidays have either been incorporated or adopted. They don't celebrate the same Halloween as the United States, but they have their own version that is similar and fun. Christmas is selected as desired and Thanksgiving is celebrated on a different day in November entirely. We often are so incorporated in our own culture we forget that there are different histories behind these days and the celebration of them in the United States of North America is not mandatory elsewhere.
Month Date Holiday _
January 1 Sunday New Year's Day (The Japanese have fun and celebrate the modern calendar also)
January 2 Monday New Year's Day (Observed) (Who doesn't need a break from work!)
January 9 Monday Coming of age day ( Are you about to turn 20 {or 20 again}? if so, this day is a celebration of you! 20 is the age when all good adult like things and some not so good for you can legally happen. Things like drinking, smoking, driving and more are permissable for those who have turned 20, the age of majority in Japan). Young women are often purchased furisodes (Special Kimonos) and Zori (Thonged Sandals) to indicate she has reached womanhood and that she is single. Watch out boys!
February 11 Saturday National Foundation day (This is the Japanese version of Independence Day. They celebrate their love for their nation and a national patriotism that rivals our most patriotic displays.)
March 20 Tuesday Vernal Equiniox day (Who doesn't love Spring?! A time of birth and regrowth, spring and living things are celebrated on this day with fervor)
April 29 Sunday Showa day (The Showa Emporer lived until 1989. His birthday was celebrated every year while he was alive and this day continued on as a legacy .)
April 30 Monday Bridge Public Holiday (An extra day, part of the "Happy Monday" system)
May 3 Thursday Constitution Memorial Day (This is a celebration of the crafted document after the second World War)
May 4 Friday Greenery day (That emporer Showa had a big influence on how the Japanese viewed the environment and their impact on it. He even had an addition made of a biology lab on one of the palaces. This day is another of his legacies.)
May 5 Saturday Children's Day (Originally Boys Day, this day is celebrated as a planning day for the happiness of children and for those who do have boys in their households a poi fish garden flyer can be hung or mini-samurai or armor can be displayed. Modern day now includes girls so other items for them can also be displayed.)
July 16 Monday Marine Day (Japan is a cluster of Islands and as such much of their food is derived from the ocean. This is the day to thank the powers that be for all those blessings that come out of the sea. Thank you for the octopus, squid, eel, clams, mussels, scallops, shrimps, fishes of all sizes and tastes and more)
(An extra day, part of the "Happy Monday" system)
September 17 Monday Respect for the aged Day (Flower Power had an influence on the Japanese and peace and love was extended to the people who came before. In 1966, they celebrated the older generations in their lives and they also prayed for long life for themselves. Peter Pan notwithstanding. :) )
September 22 Saturday Autumnal Equiniox day (Hooray decay! Without it, Spring wouldn't be so exciting! So this was another way to celebrate life and living things.)
October 08 Monday Health and Sports Day (The Japanese are already ahead of us in that they spend time at some work places and most schools giving a moment to stretch the body out so that focus can be attained. No wonder we Americans have too many wiggle-butts {Not to mention obese ones}. This is a day to remind everyone to get your health on and be active.)
November 3 Saturday Culture Day (Repeatedly the children of any Nation will ask, well, why do I have to learn this? This day provides answers showing a respect for the arts, continued educational efforts and the fruits of culture. Who doesn't need more polish?!)
November 23 Friday Labour Thanksgiving Day (Leave it to the Japanese to combine Labor day and Thanksgiving in one day. This is a day to Thank everyone for being good workers and to celebrate effort. Notice that the Japanese never fail to want to work. We could learn something from this attitude.)
December 23 Sunday The Emperor's Birthday (Current reigning Emporer's day of celebration. Of course, there was another emporer before him that was celebrated on this day, but hey, who's counting.)
December 24 Monday Bridge Public Holiday (An extra day, part of the "Happy Monday" system)
Golden Week - This is a concept that we need to adopt here. Essentially they take off Friday for the first week then they add in Monday, Thursday and Friday for the second week. This year 2012 Golden Week will fall on April 28, April 30, May 3 and May 4. Saturday and Sundays are already free. Think of it as Spring Break for everyone.
Of course, as with many countries, other holidays have either been incorporated or adopted. They don't celebrate the same Halloween as the United States, but they have their own version that is similar and fun. Christmas is selected as desired and Thanksgiving is celebrated on a different day in November entirely. We often are so incorporated in our own culture we forget that there are different histories behind these days and the celebration of them in the United States of North America is not mandatory elsewhere.