Japanese Holidays

Japanese Holidays

*:National Holiday

Day Holiday Explanation　

Jan. 1-3 *New Year's Day　
snow doll 　
We visit a shrine to pray for the new year. Adults give children o-toshidama, or New Year's money, and we all eat special New Year's food called 0-sechi-ryori.　

Jan. 15 *Coming of Age Day　 This is a national holiday to congratulate people who turned 20 years old in the previous year. The young people, many dressed in kimono, attend a community ceremony.　

Feb. 3 or 4 Bean-Throwing Ceremony　 On the evening of this day, we throw beans out of windows and doors, shouting "Devils out, good luck in". This is meant to invite good lick into the house and drive bad luck out.　

Feb. 11 *National Foundation Day　 This is a national holiday commemorating the foundation of Japan.　

March 3 Doll's Festival
Dolls that represent the imperial court are displayed in the homes of young girls. We drink amazake, or sweet sake, and eat green colored sweets.　

Around March 22 *Vernal Equinox Day　 On this national holiday, the length of night and day becomes equal. We pay homage to our ancestors.　

At the beginning of April Entrance Ceremonies　 The school and business year begins in April. We say the children with their eager faces are pika-pika, or twinkling.　

April Cherry Blossom When the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, we have hanami, or flower-viewing parties. Parks are filled with groups of people eating, drinking, as the pink blossoms float down around them.　

April 29 *Green Day　 This is the Birthday of Emperor Showa, or Hirohito. After his death, the day became a national holiday called Green Day. It is the first day of Golden Week, a series of national holidays.　

May 3 *Constitution Memorial Day　 This day marks the introduction of the Japanese constitution.　

May 5 *Children's Day/Boy's Day　 Families of boys display to toy samurai armor and fly large carp streamers called koi-nobori.　

July 7 The Festival of the Weaver Star　 A legend tells of two lover atars who can only meet on this day. We write our wishes and prayers on colorful paper and hang them from bamboo branches.　

July 20 *Marine day　 This became a national holiday in 1996.

Around August 13-16 Feast of Lanterns　 This is when our ancestors come back to visit their former homes. Highways and trains are crowded as families travel back to their hometowns to pray respects to their ancestors. Bon-odori, or bon-dance festivals, take place in each community, with people dressed in cotton kimonos.　

furin

Sep.15 *Respect for the Aged Day　 This is a national holiday to honor the elderly by wishing them long life and good health.　

Around Sep. 22 *Autumnal Equinox Day　
sisimai 　
As on Vernal Equinox Day, the length of night and day becomes equal on this national holiday. Buddhist temples perform special services for our ancestors and we visit their tombs.　

Oct. 10 *Sports Day　 many schools and companies hold an undo-kai, or field day on this national holidays. A red team and a white team compete in races and games.　

Nov. 3 *Culture Day　 Various cultural events take place throughout the country on this national holidays. In schools, students put on Culture Festivals, inviting family and friends to come.　

Nov. 15 Seven-Five-Three Festival　 boys aged three and five and girls aged three and seven get dressed up, and taken to Shinto shrines by their parents.　

Nov. 23 *Labor Thanksgiving Day　 This national holiday is a day to thank working people.　

Dec. 23 *Emperor's Birthday　 In 1989, the present emperor's birthday became a national holiday.　

Dec. 25 Christmas pon tree pon

Christmas decorations and music are everywhere , but most Japanese will go to work on this day. On Christmas Eve, fancy restaurants and hotels will be packed with young couples. On Christmas day, families celebrate by eating chicken and Christmas cake.　

Dec. 31 New Year's Eve On the last night of the old year, most families are together at home. At night , we eat toshikoshi-soba, or New Year's noodles, and wait for midnight. At midnight, every temple in Japan rings its bell 108 times.　

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Day	Holiday	Explanation
Jan. 1-3	*New Year's Day	We visit a shrine to pray for the new year. Adults give children o-toshidama, or New Year's money, and we all eat special New Year's food called 0-sechi-ryori.
Jan. 15	*Coming of Age Day	This is a national holiday to congratulate people who turned 20 years old in the previous year. The young people, many dressed in kimono, attend a community ceremony.
Feb. 3 or 4	Bean-Throwing Ceremony	On the evening of this day, we throw beans out of windows and doors, shouting "Devils out, good luck in". This is meant to invite good lick into the house and drive bad luck out.
Feb. 11	*National Foundation Day	This is a national holiday commemorating the foundation of Japan.
March 3	Doll's Festival	Dolls that represent the imperial court are displayed in the homes of young girls. We drink amazake, or sweet sake, and eat green colored sweets.
Around March 22	*Vernal Equinox Day	On this national holiday, the length of night and day becomes equal. We pay homage to our ancestors.
At the beginning of April	Entrance Ceremonies	The school and business year begins in April. We say the children with their eager faces are pika-pika, or twinkling.
April	Cherry Blossom	When the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, we have hanami, or flower-viewing parties. Parks are filled with groups of people eating, drinking, as the pink blossoms float down around them.
April 29	*Green Day	This is the Birthday of Emperor Showa, or Hirohito. After his death, the day became a national holiday called Green Day. It is the first day of Golden Week, a series of national holidays.
May 3	*Constitution Memorial Day	This day marks the introduction of the Japanese constitution.
May 5	*Children's Day/Boy's Day	Families of boys display to toy samurai armor and fly large carp streamers called koi-nobori.
July 7	The Festival of the Weaver Star	A legend tells of two lover atars who can only meet on this day. We write our wishes and prayers on colorful paper and hang them from bamboo branches.
July 20	*Marine day	This became a national holiday in 1996.
Around August 13-16	Feast of Lanterns	This is when our ancestors come back to visit their former homes. Highways and trains are crowded as families travel back to their hometowns to pray respects to their ancestors. Bon-odori, or bon-dance festivals, take place in each community, with people dressed in cotton kimonos.

Sep.15	*Respect for the Aged Day	This is a national holiday to honor the elderly by wishing them long life and good health.
Around Sep. 22	*Autumnal Equinox Day	As on Vernal Equinox Day, the length of night and day becomes equal on this national holiday. Buddhist temples perform special services for our ancestors and we visit their tombs.
Oct. 10	*Sports Day	many schools and companies hold an undo-kai, or field day on this national holidays. A red team and a white team compete in races and games.
Nov. 3	*Culture Day	Various cultural events take place throughout the country on this national holidays. In schools, students put on Culture Festivals, inviting family and friends to come.
Nov. 15	Seven-Five-Three Festival	boys aged three and five and girls aged three and seven get dressed up, and taken to Shinto shrines by their parents.
Nov. 23	*Labor Thanksgiving Day	This national holiday is a day to thank working people.
Dec. 23	*Emperor's Birthday	In 1989, the present emperor's birthday became a national holiday.
Dec. 25	Christmas
		Christmas decorations and music are everywhere , but most Japanese will go to work on this day. On Christmas Eve, fancy restaurants and hotels will be packed with young couples. On Christmas day, families celebrate by eating chicken and Christmas cake.
Dec. 31	New Year's Eve	On the last night of the old year, most families are together at home. At night , we eat toshikoshi-soba, or New Year's noodles, and wait for midnight. At midnight, every temple in Japan rings its bell 108 times.