Golden Week is an annual cluster of Japanese national holidays that adds up, more or less, to a week of holidays. This of course makes Golden Week a popular time to travel and enjoy a break from work or school. For many Japanese, Golden Week is also one of the longest possible vacation periods during the year. If you plan to travel to or away from Japan during this time anticipate prices to spike significantly- up to as much as 3 times to famous destinations. Some of the official holidays and ceremonies are observed but many people just simply enjoy the week off or take the chance to return to their hometowns and visit family.

Showa Day (Showa no hi), April 29th
Showa Day (April 29th) honors the birthday of the late Emperor Showa. Showa Day is often a day for some to reflect on the difficult time that occurred during the Emperor Showa's rule more than actually celebrating the birthday of the Emperor himself.

Constitution Memorial Day, May 3rd
This national holiday celebrates the enactment of the Constitution of Japan in 1947. It is the only day of the year when the National Diet Building (in Nagatacho, Tokyo) is open to the general public. The Diet is composed of the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors from where the nation’s leadership is selected and bills introduced, debated and passed.

Greenery Day (Midori no hi), May 4th
Greenery Day was originally celebrated on April 29th (now Showa Day) between 1989 and 2006 to celebrate the late Emperor Showa’s love of botany and the natural sciences. Although the name suggests similarities to Earth Day (April 22nd), in practice it is largely recognized as additional holiday that makes up Golden Week.

Children's Day (Kodomo no hi), May 5th
Children's Day, also sometimes known as Boys' Day, was declared a national holiday in 1948. Families fly colorful carp-shaped flags (called koinobori) that represent the father followed by his sons (or children) in descending size by age. Around the time leading up to this festival you will see these colorful carp flags all across Japan as families honor their children and pray for their strength and good health.