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Public Holidays in Japan 2026 + Free Staff Planning Template

Complete list of official public holidays and free downloadable staff planning templates

Official Public Holidays

18 holidays in Japan for 2026

Japan flag
Holiday Date Day Applies To
New Year's Day
New Year’s Day is the first day of the year, or January 1, in the Gregorian calendar.
 January 01 Thursday Nationwide
Coming of Age Day
Coming of Age Day is a national holiday in Japan
 January 12 Monday Nationwide
National Foundation Day
National Foundation Day is a national holiday in Japan
 February 11 Wednesday Nationwide
Emperor's Birthday
Emperor's Birthday is a national holiday in Japan
 February 23 Monday Nationwide
Spring Equinox
Spring Equinox is a national holiday in Japan
 March 20 Friday Nationwide
Shōwa Day
Shōwa Day is a national holiday in Japan
 April 29 Wednesday Nationwide
Constitution Memorial Day
Constitution Memorial Day is a national holiday in Japan
 May 03 Sunday Nationwide
Greenery Day
Greenery Day is a national holiday in Japan
 May 04 Monday Nationwide
Children's Day
Children's Day is a national holiday in Japan
 May 05 Tuesday Nationwide
Constitution Memorial Day observed
Constitution Memorial Day is a national holiday in Japan
 May 06 Wednesday Nationwide
Sea Day
Sea Day is a national holiday in Japan
 July 20 Monday Nationwide
Mountain Day
Mountain Day is a national holiday in Japan
 August 11 Tuesday Nationwide
Respect for the Aged Day
Respect for the Aged Day is a national holiday in Japan
 September 21 Monday Nationwide
Bridge Public holiday
Bridge Public holiday is a national holiday in Japan
 September 22 Tuesday Nationwide
Autumn Equinox
Autumn Equinox is a national holiday in Japan
 September 23 Wednesday Nationwide
Sports Day
Sports Day is a national holiday in Japan
 October 12 Monday Nationwide
Culture Day
Culture Day is a national holiday in Japan
 November 03 Tuesday Nationwide
Labor Thanksgiving Day
Labor Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in Japan
 November 23 Monday Nationwide

Legal Notice: This information is for guidance only and should not be considered legal advice. Always validate with local authorities or legal practitioners in Japan.

📅 Free Staff Holiday Planning Templates

Download our ready-to-use templates to plan your team's time off around Japan's public holidays

Google Sheets Template Excel Template

Perfect for HR managers, team leads, and small business owners planning staff coverage around public holidays

Managing staff leave around these holidays?

Stop juggling spreadsheets and manual processes. Leavetrack automatically handles public holidays and makes employee leave management effortless.

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Why HR Teams Choose Leavetrack

Everything you need for seamless leave management

Automatic Public Holiday Import
All public holidays for Japan and 180+ other countries automatically loaded. No manual data entry required.
Save 5+ Hours Per Week
Eliminate manual leave calculations and reduce administrative overhead by up to 80%.
Compliance Made Easy
Built-in compliance tracking ensures you meet local employment laws and holiday entitlements.
Team Visibility
Everyone sees who's off when, preventing scheduling conflicts and ensuring adequate coverage.

Trusted by HR teams worldwide

160,478
Absences managed
5048
Employees using Leavetrack
4.8/5
Average customer rating

"With a team of over 50 employees, keeping track of absences and holidays using a paper based system used to be time consuming and prone to errors. Since introducing Leavetrack, the whole process has become a lot simpler and easier."

Cynthia Fisher
Commercial Director, Intatec Limited

How It Works

Simple, powerful leave management in four steps

1

Employees Request Leave

Simple, intuitive interface lets employees request time off in seconds. Public holidays are automatically excluded from calculations.

  • Book leave in under 30 seconds
  • See available leave balance instantly
  • Mobile-friendly for on-the-go requests
2

Managers Approve Instantly

Managers see all request details including conflicts with public holidays and other team members' leave.

  • Approve/reject directly from email
  • See team coverage at a glance
  • Complete audit trail of decisions
3

Plan Team Coverage

Beautiful visual calendar shows exactly who's off when, including public holidays, so you can plan optimal team coverage.

  • Color-coded wall chart
  • Filter by department or team
  • Spot conflicts before they happen
4

Generate Reports

Comprehensive reporting gives you insights into leave patterns, costs, and compliance - all exportable to Excel.

  • Full audit trail of all leave
  • Export to CSV for further analysis
  • Track entitlements and accruals

Don't Forget Your Free Planning Templates!

Get our ready-to-use staff planning templates to organize your team around Japan's 2026 public holidays

Download Google Sheets Download Excel

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About Public Holidays in Japan

Public holidays in Japan, known as "shukujitsu," are an integral part of the country's cultural and social fabric. Established by the Public Holiday Law, these holidays are designed to promote the spirit of the Japanese people and encourage a sense of community. Japan observes 16 national holidays throughout the year, including New Year's Day, Showa Day, and Constitution Memorial Day. Many businesses and schools close during these holidays, allowing employees to enjoy time off and spend quality moments with family and friends. Understanding public holidays is essential for effective staff leave planning and absence management, ensuring that businesses can maintain productivity while respecting employees' time off.