Japan’s Golden Week Holiday at a Glance
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A Late Spring Break
In Japan, Golden Week refers to the period from late April to early May when several national holidays fall in succession.
- April 29 Shōwa Day
- May 3 Constitution Memorial Day
- May 4 Greenery Day
- May 5 Children’s Day
Based on the timing of the holidays each year, some people may take extra days off to create an extended break of around 10 days. Alongside the New Year holidays, this is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with many people going on trips or returning to their hometowns. As a result, public transportation and expressways grow crowded, while some restaurants and commercial facilities in office districts close for the duration.
When the Act on National Holidays was first enacted in 1948, there were only three holidays within this period: April 29, May 3, and May 5. However, a 1985 revision to the law introduced a rule designating any weekday sandwiched between national holidays as a holiday. This change made May 4 a day off as well, creating the continuous holiday period seen today.
Origin of the Name Golden Week
The term Golden Week is said to have been coined in the 1950s by Japanese film companies, which noticed a surge in movie attendance during this period and used the name as part of their promotional efforts. Over time, the abbreviation “GW” also became widely used in travel magazines and other media, and the term has since taken firm root in everyday usage.
However, it is not an official name defined by law and, for example, public broadcaster NHK does not use the term.
What Is Silver Week?
In contrast to Golden Week in spring, the term Silver Week is sometimes used to refer to a stretch of holidays in September that takes place when Autumnal Equinox Day happens to fall on the Wednesday after Respect for the Aged Day (always on the third Monday). In this case, the Tuesday that falls between these two national holidays automatically becomes a holiday too.
Including the weekend, this creates a five-day consecutive break. However, since the date of the autumnal equinox varies from year to year, these five-day holiday periods are relatively uncommon. A four-day Silver Week, when Autumnal Equinox Day comes the day after Respect for the Aged Day is even rarer.
The term Silver Week, like Golden Week, is said to have been coined by film companies in the 1950s as a way to attract audiences. At the time, it referred to a holiday period that included Culture Day on November 3, but the term did not take hold. In the 2000s, however, after Respect for the Aged Day became fixed on a Monday, the first Silver Week under the new definition took place in 2009.
(Banner photo © Adobestock.)