During Golden Week, you’ll find festivals, special events, and families across the country taking time off to travel, relax, and enjoy the season. 

The four holidays of Golden Week 

The days that make up Golden Week are, in order:

• Showa Day 
• Constitution Memorial Day 
• Greenery Day 
• Children’s Day (historically Boy’s Day)

It all kicks off with Showa Day on April 29th, which was originally celebrated as Emperor Hirohito’s birthday — posthumously known as Emperor Showa. After his death in 1989, the day was redefined as a time to honor his legacy and reflect on the complex history of the Showa era—particularly the turbulent first half, marked by war and transformation. Due to its contemplative nature, Showa Day is typically observed with quieter, more reflective activities rather than flashy festivals. 

Next is Constitution Memorial Day on May 3rd. As the name suggests, this is a holiday celebrating the Japanese constitution, enacted on this date in 1947. Like Showa Day, this holiday is also a reflection on Japan’s history, especially to celebrate democracy, human rights, and the progress made out of the ashes of totalitarianism. In particular, the constitution explicitly states the importance of peace while denouncing authoritarianism and fascism: 

“…we shall secure for ourselves and our posterity the fruits of peaceful cooperation with all nations and the blessings of liberty throughout this land, and resolved that never again shall we be visited with the horrors of war through the action of government, do proclaim that sovereign power resides with the people…” 

The next holiday of Golden Week is Greenery Day or Midori no Hi. Originally established on what is now Showa Day after Emperor Hirohito’s death to honor his love of nature and greenery. As a celebration of his birthday, it was moved to May 4th in 2007, when Emperor Hirohito’s birthday was then changed to Showa Day. 

Greenery Day is a day to appreciate the environment and Japan’s rich natural beauty.  You might see people going out to take care of plants, plant trees, and other activities to help support the health of the environment. Many botanical gardens or public parks hold special events or free entry.  

Celebrated on May 5, Children’s Day (Kodomo no Hi) was historically known as Boys’ Day. It became a national holiday for all children in 1948, but still carries traditions centered on boys’ health and success. Families display koinobori (carp streamers) and samurai dolls, symbolizing strength and prosperity. The day as a whole honors children’s happiness and well-being. 

A note on Golden Week’s history 

As a sidenote, in Japanese, Golden Week is called (and spelled) gōruden uiiku — if you look at that for a moment, you’ll realize it’s quite literally a Japanese transliteration of the words “golden week,” altered to fit within the language’s limitations and linguistic customs. It’s a fun example of how Japanese as a language has absorbed and reshaped foreign loan words from completely unrelated languages. Another famous example of this is ikura salmon roe, itself derived from the Russian source word for caviar. 

The name Golden Week itself isn’t actually directly tied to the holidays, but rather comes from the fact that, after World War II, movie theater tickets would sky-rocket during this week. The filmmaker Bunroku Shishi saw record sales during these holidays for one of his movies, he called it “Golden Week,” and the name stuck. 

What to expect during Golden Week 

During Golden Week, you’ll see a lot of bustling streets and increased tourist traffic as people throughout Japan take the time to travel, visit family, and take part in celebrations and holiday activities. 

Expect crowded train stations, airports, and general public transit full of travelers on holiday. In a similar vein, plan ahead — hotels, flights, and trains can book up quickly, so prepare your itinerary weeks or even months ahead. 

Golden week celebrations and customs 

Among these are the carp streamers or koinobori hung up on Children’s Day. Tracing their origins back to the samurai of feudal Japan, carp are known for their tenacity — these streamers were hung out on homes during the Edo period, symbolizing courage, strength, and power.

On Children’s Day you’ll still find them adorning homes and public spaces. There are some places known to have especially extensive koinobori decorations: 

• Tsuetate Onsen: This scenic hot springs is on the island of Kyushu in southwestern Japan, nestled in the Kyushu Mountains. During Golden Week, hundreds of carp banners are hung along the river. 
• Achi Village: Another mountain town, Achi’s peach blossoms bloom concurrently with the raising of their koinobori. The combination of the vivid pink blossoms and fluttering carp are visually unlike anything else. 
• Tatebayashi: An old castle town, this koinobori viewing location isn’t as frequented by tourists. You’ll find streamers hanging above the river, where they’re kept up for longer than in many other places. 

Festival street food 

Golden Week festivals often feature stalls serving classic Japanese snacks like: 

• Takoyaki: Crispy batter balls filled with chopped octopus, typically topped with savory sauces, Kewpie mayo, and bonito flakes. 
• Taiyaki: As the suffix “yaki” implies just like in takoyaki, taiyaki are another fried or grilled street snack. Fish-shaped cakes filled with sweet red bean paste, custard, chocolate, or even savory options. Some versions are served with soft-serve ice cream. 
• Gyoza: You’re probably familiar with gyoza given that they’re everywhere beyond Japan now, but these thinly-wrapped dumplings are especially popular at Japanese festivals. The most common filling is pork, aromatics, and herbs. 

Golden Week both provides a week to have time off and appreciate what’s around you, while also celebrating holidays with various meanings from milestones and values to traditions and history. Among all else, it reflects Japan’s blend of modernity and ancient customs. 

If you find yourself travelling to Japan around this time, make sure you plan your accommodations and transit ahead of time. But just as importantly, make sure to go out and experience all these holidays have to offer!