With the rescheduling of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in Summer 2021, also the scheduling of Japanese National Holidays has followed an adjustment from the standard days. The reason for this is to avoid traffic congestion and reduce rush-hour frenzy.
National holidays themselves are popular times for Japanese people to leave their city area and visit other ones. Some main attraction areas will be more crowded during national holidays and you may need to purchase train tickets in advance to secure a seat. Besides that, trains run as usual but may be less frequent. There also may be fewer restaurant choices to choose from.
Here is what the holidays for 2021 look like:
January
01- New Year
11 – Coming of Age Day
February
11 – National Foundation Day
23 – Emperor’s Birthday
March
3 – Hina Matsuri, female children’s day (not National Holiday)
20 – Vernal Equinox Day
April
29 – Showa Day
May
3 – Constitution Memorial Day
4 – Greenery Day
5 – Male Children’s Day
July
22 – Marine Day (2021 only)
23 – Sports Day (2021 only)
August
09 – Mountain Day (festive from 08th – 2021 only)
September
20 – Respect for the Aged Day
23 – Autumnal Equinox Day
November
3 – Culture Day
23 – Labor Thanksgiving Day