Long Weekends in Japan 2026
Japan has 17 public holidays in 2026, creating 13 long-weekend opportunities — 8 automatic 3-day weekends and 5 bridge chances where a day or two of leave buys a longer break.
Smartest break
Take 1 leave day around New Year's Day (January 1, 2026) for 4 days off — Jan 1 – Jan 4.
| Holiday | Date | Leave to book | Days off | Your break |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thu, Jan 1 | Fri, Jan 2 | 4 | Jan 1 – Jan 4 |
| Coming of Age Day | Mon, Jan 12 | None — automatic | 3 | Jan 10 – Jan 12 |
| Foundation Day | Wed, Feb 11 | Mon, Feb 9, Tue, Feb 10 | 5 | Feb 7 – Feb 11 |
| Emperor's Birthday | Mon, Feb 23 | None — automatic | 3 | Feb 21 – Feb 23 |
| Spring Equinox Day | Fri, Mar 20 | None — automatic | 3 | Mar 20 – Mar 22 |
| Showa Day | Wed, Apr 29 | Mon, Apr 27, Tue, Apr 28 | 5 | Apr 25 – Apr 29 |
| Greenery Day | Mon, May 4 | None — automatic | 3 | May 2 – May 4 |
| Marine Day | Mon, Jul 20 | None — automatic | 3 | Jul 18 – Jul 20 |
| Mountain Day | Tue, Aug 11 | Mon, Aug 10 | 4 | Aug 8 – Aug 11 |
| Respect-for-the-Aged Day | Mon, Sep 21 | None — automatic | 3 | Sep 19 – Sep 21 |
| Sports Day | Mon, Oct 12 | None — automatic | 3 | Oct 10 – Oct 12 |
| Culture Day | Tue, Nov 3 | Mon, Nov 2 | 4 | Oct 31 – Nov 3 |
| Labor Thanksgiving Day | Mon, Nov 23 | None — automatic | 3 | Nov 21 – Nov 23 |
Long weekend FAQ
- What is a bridge day?
- A bridge day ("puente" in Spanish) is a workday wedged between a public holiday and the weekend. Book it off and the holiday and weekend join into one unbroken break.
- How many long weekends does Japan have in 2026?
- Japan has 13 long-weekend opportunities in 2026: 8 that need no leave and 5 that need one or two days off.