Holiday planning
Long Weekends in Japan 2027
Japan has 13 long weekends in 2027. The longest natural break is 5 days around Constitution Memorial Day & Greenery Day & Children's Day (Sat 1 May – Wed 5 May). Take Thursday and Friday off and turn the Constitution Memorial Day & Greenery Day & Children's Day break into a 9-day run.
13
Long weekends
9
Longest break (days)
13
Bridge day opportunities
Official reference: Cabinet Office of Japan — National holidays · How we verify this data
All long weekends in Japan 2027
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 31 Dec – Sun 3 Jan | New Year's Day | 3 | Thursday(Thu 31 Dec) | 4d |
| Fri 8 Jan – Mon 11 Jan | Coming of Age Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 8 Jan) | 4d |
| Thu 11 Feb – Sun 14 Feb | Foundation Day | 1 | Friday(Fri 12 Feb) | 4d |
| Sat 20 Feb – Tue 23 Feb | The Emperor's Birthday | 1 | Monday(Mon 22 Feb) | 4d |
| Thu 29 Apr – Sun 2 May | Shōwa Day | 1 | Friday(Fri 30 Apr) | 4d |
| Sat 1 May – Sun 9 May | Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, Children's Day | 5 | Thursday + Friday(Thu 6 May, Fri 7 May) | 9d |
| Fri 16 Jul – Mon 19 Jul | Marine Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 16 Jul) | 4d |
| Sat 7 Aug – Wed 11 Aug | Mountain Day | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 9 Aug, Tue 10 Aug) | 5d |
| Sat 18 Sept – Wed 22 Sept | Respect for the Aged Day | 3 | Tuesday + Wednesday(Tue 21 Sept, Wed 22 Sept) | 5d |
| Thu 23 Sept – Sun 26 Sept | Autumnal Equinox Day | 1 | Friday(Fri 24 Sept) | 4d |
| Fri 8 Oct – Mon 11 Oct | Sports Day | 3 | Friday(Fri 8 Oct) | 4d |
| Sat 30 Oct – Wed 3 Nov | Culture Day | 1 | Monday + Tuesday(Mon 1 Nov, Tue 2 Nov) | 5d |
| Sat 20 Nov – Tue 23 Nov | Labour Thanksgiving Day | 1 | Monday(Mon 22 Nov) | 4d |
Best long weekends in Japan 2027
The top breaks ranked by total consecutive days off.
May
Constitution Memorial Day & Greenery Day & Children's Day
Sat 1 May – Sun 9 May
9
days
August
Mountain Day
Sat 7 Aug – Wed 11 Aug
5
days
September
Respect for the Aged Day
Sat 18 Sept – Wed 22 Sept
5
days
November
Culture Day
Sat 30 Oct – Wed 3 Nov
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 2027, there are 13 bridge day opportunities highlighted in the table above. The biggest gain is around Constitution Memorial Day & Greenery Day & Children's Day: 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
Mon 3 May
Greenery Day
Tue 4 May
Children's Day
Wed 5 May
Mountain Day
Wed 11 Aug
Respect for the Aged Day
Mon 20 Sept
Culture Day
Wed 3 Nov
New Year's Day
Fri 1 Jan
Coming of Age Day
Mon 11 Jan
Foundation Day
Thu 11 Feb
The Emperor's Birthday
Tue 23 Feb
Shōwa Day
Thu 29 Apr
Marine Day
Mon 19 Jul
Autumnal Equinox Day
Thu 23 Sept
Sports Day
Mon 11 Oct
Labour Thanksgiving Day
Tue 23 Nov
Continue exploring
More for Japan 2027
Public holidays
Public holidays in Japan 2027
Full list of 16 public holidays with dates and observance notes.
Working days
Working days in Japan 2027
Monthly breakdown of weekdays minus public holidays.
Other year
Long weekends in Japan 2026
Same bridge day analysis for 2026.
Region guide
Public holidays across Asia Pacific
Compare holiday calendars for neighbouring countries in the region.
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 2027?
Japan has 13 long weekends in 2027 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 2027?
The longest break is 9 days from Saturday, 1 May 2027 to Sunday, 9 May 2027, centred around Constitution Memorial Day and Greenery Day and Children's Day (taking Thursday and Friday as annual leave).
How can I get the most days off with the least leave in Japan 2027?
The best bridge day opportunity is around Constitution Memorial Day & Greenery Day & Children's Day (Sat 1 May – Wed 5 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.