Is it hard to take long vacations in Japan? Learn about annual holidays, national holidays, and consecutive days off

Hello, this is Kano from JAC (Japan Association for Construction Human Resources).

Japanese people are said to be one of the nations worldwide that does not take long vacations.
From a foreigner's perspective, you might wonder, "Why?"

For those who are thinking about taking an extended vacation and returning home, it is important to know how much vacation time you can get in Japan.
So, this time we will explain how Japan views long holidays and the times when it is easiest to take a long vacation.

What is a long vacation? Why is it said that it is difficult to take a long vacation in Japan?

In Japan, a long vacation refers to a continuous break of one week or more.

In recent years, people in Japan are being actively encouraged to take time off, and it is possible to take vacations of a few days to a week.

However, few people take a vacation lasting several weeks.
There are two reasons why it is difficult to take long vacations in Japan.

① Labor shortage compared to workload

If you have a heavy workload and are short-staffed, others will have more work to do during your vacation.
This makes some people feel guilty about taking time off.

Many Japanese people have a strong belief that they don't want to cause trouble for others, and tend to feel sorry if they take a day off.

②There are many national holidays

Actually, there are many holidays in Japan.

As we will explain later, Japan has national holidays, with a total of 16 days off per year.
Some people believe that there is no need to take a long vacation because they can take multiple short vacations by combining public holidays and weekends.

How many holidays does Japan have per year? Learn about national holidays and consecutive holidays

As of 2025, the following 16 days have been designated as national holidays in Japan.
If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday will be a substitute holiday.

[National holidays and days off in 2025]

In Japan, in addition to the public holidays mentioned above, many companies are closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Therefore, it is possible to take a longer break by using paid leave and combining public holidays with Saturdays and Sundays.

In early May, there are three consecutive national holidays: Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, and Children's Day.
If there are Saturdays or Sundays before and after your leave, or if you use paid leave, you can take a longer break.
In Japan, this period is called "Golden Week."

Also, the autumnal equinox in September changes every year.
The Autumnal Equinox Day may fall on or around Respect for the Aged Day, resulting in a longer holiday.
This period is called "Silver Week."

Additionally, many Japanese companies will be closed during the following periods.

• Year-end and New Year holidays: December 29th to January 3rd
• Obon: August 13th to August 16th

During this time, many people take a long vacation of about a week by using their paid leave before and after the holiday.

Obon is a traditional Japanese summer event in which the spirits of ancestors who have returned temporarily are welcomed and memorialized.
We have introduced it in this column, so please read it.
What is the Japanese Obon Festival? When is it celebrated and how do you spend it?

Comparing Japan's long holidays with those of other countries

In some parts of the world, it is common to take a long vacation of several weeks.
For example, in France there is a law called the "Vacation Law" that requires companies to provide long vacations, so employees sometimes take more than a month off in the summer.

In addition, in Christian countries such as the United States, many people take holidays starting around December 20th during the Christmas season.
In Asia, many people take holidays during the Christmas season in the Philippines, which also has a large Christian population.

However, in Japan, Christmas is not a holiday.
If you want to return to Japan temporarily during the Christmas season, check with your company two to three months in advance to see if you can take time off.

In addition, the Vietnamese New Year (Tet) holidays and the Indonesian post-Ramadan holidays also have different holiday periods than in Japan.

The Vietnamese New Year (Tet) holiday corresponds to the Japanese New Year holiday, but the timing of Japanese New Year (January) and Lunar New Year (late January to February) is different.

In Indonesia, where many people are Muslim, many take time off to gather with their families after the month-long fast of Ramadan.
The date of Ramadan changes every year, so if it falls close to Japan's Golden Week, it is easy to take time off.

However, many people travel or return home to their hometowns around Japanese public holidays and consecutive weekends, and the costs of airfare to and from Japan and accommodation within Japan will be higher.
Reservations are difficult to get, so make sure to book early once your plans are decided.

[specified skilled workers] A system that can be used when returning home during long vacations

JAC has a system in place to reduce the financial burden of temporary return to Japan for specified skilled workers working in the Japanese construction industry.
The support amount is 50,000 yen per person per time.

Those eligible for support are specified skilled workers who meet the following conditions:

• Specified Skilled Worker (i) have returned to Japan temporarily after April 1, 2023 and continue to work at the same company
• Specified Skilled Worker (ii) belong to a company that pays the necessary acceptance contributions

[Items required for application]

• Residence card
• Copy of passport (photo page)
• Round-trip air ticket stub, etc. (e-ticket receipt is also acceptable)

For more information, please check this page.
" Temporary Return Support" to ease the burden

Summary: You can take long vacations in Japan. Combine them with national holidays.

Japanese people are said to be one of the least likely people in the world to take long vacations, but it is possible to take a long vacation of about a week.

One of the reasons why it is said that it is difficult to take long vacations is that there is a shortage of staff, so many people are reluctant to take time off.
Also, there are many national holidays in Japan, so you can take lots of short holidays.
For this reason, some people feel they do not need to take long breaks.

On the other hand, there are countries overseas where people take long vacations of more than a month.

You may find it difficult to take a long vacation in Japan.
However, it is possible to take a longer break by taking advantage of national holidays and the New Year's holidays.

However, Japan does not have holidays during the Lunar New Year, the end of Ramadan, or the Christmas season.
Check with your employer two to three months in advance to see if you can take time off.

When returning to Japan temporarily, check whether there are any systems you can utilize.
JAC has a system in place to partially cover the costs of temporary return to Japan for specified skilled workers working in the Japanese construction industry.

*This article was written based on information from January 2025.

About us, JAC

JAC (Japan Association for Construction Human Resources) is an organization that supports all specified skilled workers working in the Japanese construction industry. We work with companies that accept specified skilled workers to create a comfortable work environment for all of you.

We also conduct the exams necessary to become specified skilled workers!

JAC has also received many job offers from companies looking to hire specified skilled workers.
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For those of you who want to work in Japan using Specified Skills, we are introducing jobs that match your occupation and aspirations!

If you have any problems, please feel free to contact us!