by Bryce Marley-Jarrett
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When Japlanning your trip to the land of the rising sun, one thing many people do not look into is when Japan observes public holidays and the other big one: school holidays. Read our guide for the full list of 2015 public and school holidays in Japan!
As for many of us in the world, while we are in festive season, it inevitably means shops closed, as well as many people on holidays, and tourist attractions see increased visits, and sky-high flight prices.
These trends also happen around school holidays and other public holidays, so its best to work your holidays in Japan around these dates, to get yourself the best deals, not only on flights, but also accommodation, which also sees huge price increases around these times.
Now lets take a look at National Holidays for 2015 in Japan.
Most public holidays land around weekends, with the biggest stretch being the start of May, which is known as 'Golden Week', arguably the busiest time in Japan for holidays, when many take the whole week off. Steer clear of theme parks and regional tourist hotspots, as they are packed to capacity, and you may face room shortages at local hotels, not to mention the all-time high prices.
JANUARY
1st - New Year’s Day
12th - Coming of Age Day
FEBRUARY
11th - National Foundation Day
MARCH
20th - Spring Equinox
21st - Spring Equinox
APRIL
29th - Showa Day
MAY
3rd - Constitution Day
4th - Greenery Day
5th - Children's Day
6th - Constitution Day (observed)
JULY
20th - Marine Day
SEPTEMBER
21st - Respect for the Aged Day
23rd - Autumn Equinox
OCTOBER
12th - Sports Day
NOVEMBER
23rd - Labour Thanksgiving Day (observed)
DECEMBER
23rd - Emperor’s Birthday
The other big event to try and avoid are the Japanese school holidays, with all children out of school, these are busy times at attractions and regional holiday spots, with Japanese families using this time to make memories with the kids while they're out of school. Again, you will see hotels being much more expensive, and also will find domestic airfares higher.
SPRING BREAK
Saturday 14th February 2015 - Sunday 22nd February 2015
EASTER SPRING BREAK
Saturday 28th March 2015 - Sunday 14th April 2015
SUMMER HOLIDAYS 1
Saturday 23rd May 2015 - Sunday 30th June 2015
SUMMER HOLIDAYS 2
- Friday 24th July 2015 - Monday 31st August 2015
HALF TERM HOLIDAY
Saturday 24th October 2015 - Sunday 1st November 2015
WINTER HOLIDAYS
Saturday 19th December 2015 - Sunday 3rd January 2016