Holiday planning
Long Weekends in Japan 2026
Japan has 13 long weekends in 2026. The longest natural break is 5 days around Constitution Memorial Day & Greenery Day & Children's Day & Constitution Memorial Day Observed (Sat 2 May – Wed 6 May). Take Thursday and Friday off and turn the Constitution Memorial Day & Greenery Day & Children's Day & Constitution Memorial Day Observed break into a 9-day run.
13
Long weekends
9
Longest break (days)
13
Bridge day opportunities
All long weekends in Japan 2026
Sorted by calendar date. "Days off" = the natural break without any annual leave. "Bridge days" = working days to take as paid leave to extend the break.
| Date range | Holiday | Days off | Bridge days to take | Total break |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 1 Jan – Sun 4 Jan | New Year's Day | 1 | Friday(Fri 2 Jan) | 4d |
| Fri 9 Jan – Mon 12 Jan | Coming of Age Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 9 Jan) | 4d |
| Sat 7 Feb – Wed 11 Feb | Foundation Day | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 9 Feb, Tue 10 Feb) | 5d |
| Fri 20 Feb – Mon 23 Feb | The Emperor's Birthday | 3 | Friday(Fri 20 Feb) | 4d |
| Thu 19 Mar – Sun 22 Mar | Vernal Equinox Day | 3 | Thursday(Thu 19 Mar) | 4d |
| Sat 25 Apr – Wed 29 Apr | Shōwa Day | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 27 Apr, Tue 28 Apr) | 5d |
| Sat 2 May – Sun 10 May | Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children's Day, Constitution Memorial Day Observed | 5 | Thursday + Friday(Thu 7 May, Fri 8 May) | 9d |
| Fri 17 Jul – Mon 20 Jul | Sea Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 17 Jul) | 4d |
| Sat 8 Aug – Tue 11 Aug | Mountain Day | 1 | Monday(Mon 10 Aug) | 4d |
| Sat 19 Sept – Sun 27 Sept | Respect for the Aged Day, Bridge Public Holiday, Autumnal Equinox Day | 5 | Thursday + Friday(Thu 24 Sept, Fri 25 Sept) | 9d |
| Fri 9 Oct – Mon 12 Oct | Sports Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 9 Oct) | 4d |
| Sat 31 Oct – Tue 3 Nov | Culture Day | 1 | Monday(Mon 2 Nov) | 4d |
| Fri 20 Nov – Mon 23 Nov | Labour Thanksgiving Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 20 Nov) | 4d |
Best long weekends in Japan 2026
The top breaks ranked by total consecutive days off.
May
Constitution Memorial Day & Greenery Day & Children's Day & Constitution Memorial Day Observed
Sat 2 May – Sun 10 May
9
days
September
Respect for the Aged Day & Bridge Public Holiday & Autumnal Equinox Day
Sat 19 Sept – Sun 27 Sept
9
days
February
Foundation Day
Sat 7 Feb – Wed 11 Feb
5
days
April
Shōwa Day
Sat 25 Apr – Wed 29 Apr
5
days
How to use bridge days in Japan
A bridge day (sometimes called a sandwiched day) is a working day that sits between a public holiday and a weekend. By taking it as paid annual leave, you connect the holiday to the weekend and create a longer uninterrupted break.
For example, if a public holiday falls on a Thursday, taking Friday off gives you Thursday + Friday + Saturday + Sunday — four consecutive days using only one day of leave.
In Japan 2026, there are 13 bridge day opportunities highlighted in the table above. The biggest gain is around Constitution Memorial Day & Greenery Day & Children's Day & Constitution Memorial Day Observed: take Thursday and Friday off to turn a 5-day break into 9 consecutive days using only 2 days of annual leave.
Public holidays linked to long weekends
Constitution Memorial Day
Sun 3 May
Greenery Day
Mon 4 May
Children's Day
Tue 5 May
Constitution Memorial Day Observed
Wed 6 May
Respect for the Aged Day
Mon 21 Sept
Bridge Public Holiday
Tue 22 Sept
Autumnal Equinox Day
Wed 23 Sept
Foundation Day
Wed 11 Feb
Shōwa Day
Wed 29 Apr
New Year's Day
Thu 1 Jan
Coming of Age Day
Mon 12 Jan
The Emperor's Birthday
Mon 23 Feb
Vernal Equinox Day
Fri 20 Mar
Sea Day
Mon 20 Jul
Mountain Day
Tue 11 Aug
Sports Day
Mon 12 Oct
Culture Day
Tue 3 Nov
Labour Thanksgiving Day
Mon 23 Nov
Continue exploring
More for Japan 2026
Public holidays
Public holidays in Japan 2026
Full list of 20 public holidays with dates and observance notes.
Working days
Working days in Japan 2026
Monthly breakdown of weekdays minus public holidays.
Other year
Long weekends in Japan 2027
Same bridge day analysis for 2027.
Country overview
Japan holidays overview
All years at a glance — upcoming public holidays.
Calculator
Working Days Between Two Dates
Net working days for any date range — public holidays excluded, 192 countries.
Frequently asked questions
How many long weekends does Japan have in 2026?
Japan has 13 long weekends in 2026 where a public holiday creates a break of three or more consecutive days.
What is a bridge day?
A bridge day is a regular working day that falls between a public holiday and a weekend. Taking it as annual leave creates an uninterrupted break of four or more days using just one or two days of paid leave — maximising your time off.
What is the longest long weekend in Japan in 2026?
The longest break is 9 days from Saturday, 2 May 2026 to Sunday, 10 May 2026, centred around Constitution Memorial Day and Greenery Day and Children's Day and Constitution Memorial Day Observed (taking Thursday and Friday as annual leave).
How can I get the most days off with the least leave in Japan 2026?
The best bridge day opportunity is around Constitution Memorial Day & Greenery Day & Children's Day & Constitution Memorial Day Observed (Sat 2 May – Wed 6 May). Take Thursday and Friday as annual leave to get a 9-day break using only 2 days of paid leave.
Are bridge days public holidays in Japan?
No. Bridge days are ordinary working days — employees choose to take them as paid annual leave. They are not legally mandated public holidays.