One of the most important times of year in Japan is Golden Week.
Golden Week occurs at the end of April and the beginning of May and starts on the 29th of April when there is a national holiday for the birthday of the Emperor Showa. This then goes into another holiday on the 1st of May for May Day, then the 3rd of May for Memorial Day and finally the 5th of May which is Children’s Day. As such, many people take the whole week off and some businesses can close for up to 10 days including weekends blocked around the holidays.
If you happen to be in Japan at this time then this is a wonderful time of year. But what can you expect during Golden Week in Japan?
We take you through everything you can expect during one of the most important weeks of the year...
(1) You will need to make reservations in advance:
This is one of the most important aspects of Golden Week. As most of the country is on holiday people usually use this time to travel or go home to visit family or friends. As a result a huge number of hotels are booked out in advance as are trains and even domestic flights. If you plan to travel around Japan at this time then it is imperative that you book tickets ahead of time. You may even find that hotels and transport can be booked out up to 6 months ahead of time.
(2) There are a range of festivals:
There are a variety of festivals held in Japan during Golden Week. Some of these include flower festivals as this is spring time and peak flower-blooming season. Other festivals to look out for include parades in honor of Children’s Day and other more localized events that are held especially for Golden Week. Some of the other major festivals held during Golden Week are the Hamamatsu Kite Flying Festival as well as the Hakata Dontaku Festival in Fukuoka.
(3) You can see the best movies at this time:
As you would expect, going to the cinema is a top activity during Golden Week. This means that many movie theaters will be busy but it also means that many big blockbusters are released to coincide with this influx of customers. If you want to see some of the biggest movies of the year then this is probably the time to do it.
(4) Expect it to be busy:
If you are going to travel during Golden Week and have booked transport in advance then expect it to be crowded. Trains will probably be packed and even the roads will often have long traffic jams as people take to their cars to visit relatives or just go out for day trips. As such you need to factor this into any travel time.
(5) It is a good time to commune with nature:
This time of year in Japan coincides with spring time. With that in mind you will find that there are a range of beautiful flower shows in full bloom, and you may even find cherry blossom in some areas. If the cherry blossom is of the late-blooming variety then it will still be on show during Golden Week as well as tulips in places like Huis Ten Bosch and Japanese wisteria. At this time many people go to the local parks to take in the blooms so know beforehand that these will probably be crowded.
(6) It’s a great time to get a bargain:
To coincide with Golden Week many stores and shops will have sales. Many shops will hand out coupons that give you discounts on apparel or services and this can be the best time to shop for bargains. Think of this time as something akin to Black Friday in the United States to get an idea of the crowds and the general atmosphere.
(7) It can be a good time to go to the beach:
Many shops, malls, and tourist attractions tend to be very busy during Golden Week, so one of the best things to do is go to the beach. It will still be crowded but less so than many other places. If you like to surf and want to brave the waters in a wetsuit then Golden Week is a good time to get in the water and the waves are usually good for surfing. Another popular pastime if you go to the beach during Golden Week is to dig for clams which are in season around this time.
(8) Consider leaving Japan:
If you are on holiday in Japan and don’t know when to fly out then Golden Week can actually be the best time. International travel to locations around Asia is usually busy and prices expensive as many Japanese use the holiday to go abroad. If you are flying long haul however you may find that the international airport lounges are not nearly as crowded and a ticket to leave Japan for a European destination may not be that expensive during this period as people tend to stay closer to home.
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