Japan public holidays 2028
All 16 national holidays in 2028, and what each does to crowds at Japan's major sights. 5 land on a Monday, and 2 fall on a Saturday — which under Japanese law gets no substitute day.
The calendar
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Sat 1 Jan 2028 | New Year's Day |
| Mon 10 Jan 2028 | Coming of Age Day |
| Fri 11 Feb 2028 | National Foundation Day |
| Wed 23 Feb 2028 | Emperor's Birthday |
| Mon 20 Mar 2028 | Vernal Equinox Day estimated |
| Sat 29 Apr 2028 | Showa Day |
| Wed 3 May 2028 | Constitution Memorial Day |
| Thu 4 May 2028 | Greenery Day |
| Fri 5 May 2028 | Children's Day |
| Mon 17 Jul 2028 | Marine Day |
| Fri 11 Aug 2028 | Mountain Day |
| Mon 18 Sep 2028 | Respect for the Aged Day |
| Fri 22 Sep 2028 | Autumnal Equinox Day estimated |
| Mon 9 Oct 2028 | Sports Day |
| Fri 3 Nov 2028 | Culture Day |
| Thu 23 Nov 2028 | Labor Thanksgiving Day |
The travel windows that actually matter
These aren't single holidays — they're multi-day periods when the whole country travels at once. They move crowds far more than an isolated public holiday does.
- Golden Week — Sat 29 Apr 2028 to Fri 5 May 2028. The single worst week of the year to visit a major sight. Domestic travel peaks and prices follow.
- Obon — Sun 13 Aug 2028 to Wed 16 Aug 2028. Family-travel season. Transport books out and cities empty while resorts and hometowns fill.
- New Year holidays — Thu 28 Dec 2028 to Thu 4 Jan 2029. Shrines are extremely busy for hatsumode in the first three days; much of the country shuts.
What this means for your trip
Every date above is folded into KANAGI's crowd forecast for all 70 landmarks it tracks. If you're picking dates, the landmark forecasts show exactly how much each holiday moves a specific place — and the city forecasts do the same at city level.
Common questions
How many public holidays does Japan have in 2028?
When is Golden Week 2028?
Do Japanese public holidays make tourist sights busier?
Crowd alerts
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Other years: 2026 · 2027 · 2029 · 2030
A note on accuracy
Fixed-date and Happy-Monday holidays are exact — they follow statutory rules. The two equinox days are marked estimated: their dates are astronomically determined but only officially gazetted by the Cabinet Office about a year ahead, so anything beyond that is a computed projection rather than a confirmed date. Substitute holidays are derived from the rule that a Sunday holiday moves to the next day that isn't already one.