Golden Week in Japan is a week-long holiday that lasts from the end of April to the beginning of May each year. The holiday week is actually a combination of four different holidays, strung together during the same week.

Golden Week in Japan

Golden Week, also called Ōgon Shūkan in Japanese, is a long holiday that runs from the end of April to the beginning of May. GW is often used as an abbreviation.

It’s not one long holiday, though. Instead, it’s a series of Japan holidays that happen one after the other.

Children’s Day Carp Streamers

The holidays are Showa Day on April 29, Memorial Day on May 3, Greenery Day on May 4, and Children’s Day on May 5. The length of the holiday depends on where the weekend falls within these days.

Many people use this time off from work to travel or return to their hometowns. Trains and airports are very crowded during this holiday.

Why is it called Golden Week?

The Golden Week holidays were made official on July 20, 1948. The new long holiday had an impact on the number of moviegoers, and the movie production company Dai Nippon Eiga named it Golden Week.

Crowded Street in Shibuya, Tokyo

The name was initially used just in the film industry, to describe their most lucrative time of year, but soon spread to the public.

Can I Visit Japan During Golden Week?

Yes, you can visit Japan during Golden Week, but be ready for massive crowds. It’s a popular time for families to travel, so everywhere you go will be like the big game just let out.

Crowded Street in Harajuku, Tokyo

Golden Week is a public holiday. Japanese families usually use this time to travel and visit family because schools are out, and most blue-collar employees get time off from work.

Since most of the country is on vacation, trains are crowded and tickets are hard to get.

Crowded Train in Japan

If you can’t change your dates, I would avoid long train rides on the first and last days of Golden Week. These days will be the busiest and hardest to get tickets.