Business Hours & Holidays

The business hours of banks, post offices, department stores, as well as museums, parks and other public services and spaces in Japan may differ from that of your home country. These business hours will also vary throughout the country.

Below is a rough guide to some of the more general businesses and services. However, make sure to check the individual websites for the opening hours of the places or facilities that you are planning to visit.

Along with regular national holidays, there are longer holiday periods when almost the whole nation takes time off from the office and heads to the beaches, mountains, or back to family homes. The last week of December into the first week of January, Golden Week—a few days at the end of April into May—and the Obon holiday in mid-August are three of the main holiday periods. Many businesses are closed during the few days surrounding New Years. Golden Week sees a lot of both domestic and international travel, while during Obon many Japanese head to their family homes in more rural parts of the country.

Traffic and resorts tend to be extremely busy during these times, so make sure to book any tickets or hotels in advance. Generally, the shinkansen, express trains, night-buses, and other forms of long-distance transportation can often be booked just one month in advance of the date you wish to travel, meaning a mad scramble as people try to get hold of tickets for the first day of the holidays. Be sure to research thoroughly and make the necessary arrangements.

The dates on this calendar are bank holidays, so be aware of closures and crowded transportation. For more culturally and spiritually significant days, look up regional festivals and events.