Japanese long holiday season from late April to early May called golden week is staring this week in 2015. Golden week is the time people in big cities go out to travel. Golden week is one of the busiest time seasons for tourism. If you are planning to go out around this time, you need to plan ahead. Airplane tickets are getting much expensive, hard to reserve ground transportations such as bullet trains, and crazy traffics on highways.
Golden week is consists of 4 national holidays sequence with one weekend. You can get maximum of 6 days off and if you use paid vacation, you can get days off about 10 days.
Each national holiday is
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昭和の日(showa no hi):A day of Showa emperor’s birthday.
Originally it was called “Green day”, but in 2005 it changed name to “Showa no Hi”
憲法記念日(kenpo kinenbi): Constitution Memorial Day
Officially amounced in July, 1948.
みどりの日 (midori no hi): Green Day
The birthday of Showa emperor. Former national holiday of “Showa no hi”. It was replaced name to “Showa no hi” and replaced date to “May 4th” in 2005. The origin of name “Green day” is named after the replacement of “Showa Emperor’s birthday”. “Green” represents nature which Showa emperor loved in this life.
こどもの日 (kodomo no hi): Children’s day
振替休日: a substitute holiday of national holiday if it is on weekend.
Official Meanings of national holidays in Golden week.
According to the Act on National Holidays which was promulgated in 1948, meanings of these holidays are:
昭和の日(showa no hi): Showa emperor’s birthday
四月二十九日 激動の日々を経て、復興を遂げた昭和の時代を顧み、国の将来に思いをいたす。
April 29th A day giving thoughts to nation’s by looking back the years of ferment and revival in Showa period.
憲法記念日(kenpo kinenbi): Constitution Memorial day
五月三日 日本国憲法 の施行を記念し、国の成長を期する。
May 3rd A day commemorating establishment of the Constitution and hoping the growth of the nation.
みどりの日(Midori no hi): Green day
五月四日 自然に親しむとともにその恩恵に感謝し、豊かな心をはぐくむ。
May 4th A day feeling and appreciating the mother nature and refine our spirit.
こどもの日(Kodomo no hi): Children’s day
五月五日 こどもの人格を重んじ、こどもの幸福をはかるとともに、母に感謝する。
May 5th A day honoring children’s independence and hoping their well-being, and also acknowledging to their mother.
Golden week is though to be the time that no work, to relax, and to travel; however, there are meanings in each day and knowing the meanings, you might enjoy Golden week more.
Happy Golden Week.
