Mountain Day (Japan’s National Holidays)

Celebrating Japan’s Mountains

Mountain Day falls on August 11 each year. It is Japan’s newest public holiday, and was first held in 2016. Its purpose is to provide opportunities to become familiar with mountains and appreciate their blessings. Throughout August, events celebrating mountains are held across the country.

Roughly 70％ of Japan’s landmass consists of mountains and hilly terrain. Mount Fuji is an international icon and is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site as a “sacred place and source of artistic inspiration.” The 3,776-meter peak is highly popular with both Japanese climbers and visitors from overseas.

Japan has more than 20 mountains with an elevation of more than 3,000 meters. All of these giants are located in the center of the country, but there are peaks of all sizes to enjoy throughout Japan. For example, Mount Takao is just 599 meters high, but attracts many visitors from nearby Tokyo.

Easily accessible from central Tokyo, Mount Takao appeals to casual hikers. (© Pixta)

The Making of Mountain Day

In 2010, mountaineering organizations formed a committee to promote the idea of Mountain Day. Their persistent lobbying efforts paid off: in 2014, the Act on National Holidays was amended to officially recognize the new holiday. Unlike most other national holidays in Japan, Mountain Day was not created by government initiative but rather grew out of a grassroots movement, making it a rare case.

Some suggest the date was chosen because the kanji for eight (八), representing August, resembles a mountain shape, and the number 11 looks like a pair of tall trees. In reality, the month was selected because it had no existing holidays, and August 11 could easily be combined with the mid-month Obon break (August 13–16) to create a longer stretch of time off.

As some stores and facilities close for both Mountain Day and Obon, it is a good idea to check ahead before making travel plans.

Data Sources

• National Holidays (Japanese) from the Cabinet Office.
• Mountain Day Establishment Council (Japanese) (English site)

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: Climbers on Mount Amakazari, which straddles Niigata and Nagano Prefectures. © Pixta.)