What is Golden Week?
Golden Week is a cluster of national holidays in Japan that occur in late April and early May. It includes Showa Day on April 29, which is the birthday of Emperor Showa, who ruled Japan during World War II. On May 3, Constitution Day is celebrated in honor of the ratification of the Japanese constitution in 1947. May 4 is Green Day, which honors the environment and the late Emperor’s love for nature, flowers, and plants, and will be observed as a bank holiday on May 6th this year. Finally, May 5 is Children’s Day, a festival celebrating young children with outdoor displays of carp streamers, symbolizing their strength and success in life.
Although Golden Week can be crowded and challenging to navigate for international travelers, it also offers unique travel opportunities. If you plan on traveling to Japan during this special week of activity, consider the following suggestions to make the most of your trip.
The origins of Golden Week
The term “Golden Week” originated from a surge in revenue observed by leisure and travel entities during this period. On national holidays, Japanese people tend to visit cinemas, stores, and amusement parks more frequently, leading to record-breaking attendance at many of these venues.
This prompted industry leaders to coin the term “Golden Week,” similar to the radio’s peak listening period known as “Golden Time.” The name stuck, and it’s now widely used by the population to refer to this holiday period.
During Golden Week, numerous businesses and schools remain closed, or at the very least, many full-time workers will use some of their vacation days in between holidays during Golden Week to enjoy consecutive time off.
AloJapan.com