There are 14 national holidays each year in Japan. Included below are other days which are not national holidays, but are important to Japanese people. Holidays written in bold letters are national holidays.

January 1: New Year

Celebrating the beginning of the new year.

January 15: Coming-of-Age Day

Celebration for men and women who reach 20 years of age in the coming year.

February 3: Setsubun

Bean-throwing ceremony to invite good luck and drive out bad luck.

February 11: National Foundation Day.

Celebrating the founding of the nation. Holiday established in 1966.

March 3: Hina Matsuri, (Girl's Festival).

Otherwise known as Doll's Festival. Prayers for the well-being of girls, celebrated with peach blossoms and Hina Dolls.

March 21: Higan (Spring Day)

Visiting the graves of ancestors.

April 29: Midori-no-Hi

Celebration of the Emperor Showa's birthday.

May 3: Constitution Day

Established in 1947 to commemorate the Constitution.

May 5: Tango (Boy's Festival)also known as 'Children's Day'

Celebrating boy's coming-of-age. Flying of carp streamers.

The 2nd Sunday of May: Mother's Day

Gifts of Carnations.

The 3rd Sunday of June: Father's Day.

Gifts of Roses.

July 7: Tanabata

The Tanabata Festival is connected with the legend of two lovers. Wishes are written on paper and tied to branches of a bamboo tree.

July 20: Marine Day

August 13-16 Obon

Fires are lit to welcome the spirits of the ancestors.

September 15: Keiro-no-Hi (Respect for the Aged Day)

Celebrating love for and longevity of the aged.

September 23: Higan (Fall Day)

October 10: Physical Fitness Day

Established to commemorate the Tokyo Olympics (1964)

November 3: Culture Day

Celebrating cultural progress and development.

November 15: Shichi-go-san

Celebrating the coming of age of 7, 5 and 3-year-old children with a visit to the shrine to ask for blessings in the future.

November 23: Labor Appreciation Day

A day when citizens show appreciation for each other's labor and production.

December 23: The Emperor's birthday

December 25: Christmas

December 31: Omisoka

Celebrating the end of the year.

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