School Holidays in Japan: A Quick & Easy Guide

Do Japanese school holidays seem confusing?

That’s likely because each district designates its own time period for when spring, summer, and winter break occurs. 

In this article, we look at the laws covering school holidays and some quick and easy tips to find out when school’s out for the students in your area.

What’s the law regarding school holidays in Japan?

School holidays in Japan are governed by the following acts. 

• School Education Act’s enforcement order, article 29 (学校教育法施行令第29条)

• School Education Act’s enforcement regulations Article 59, 79, 104 (学校教育法施行規則 第59条、79条、104条)

• Law on the Organization and Operation of Local Educational Administration Article 33 (地方教育行政の組織及び運営に関する法律 第33条)

The above laws provide legal background for the Education Board (教育委員会=きょういくいいんかい) in each prefecture and municipality to develop policies on running schools in their jurisdiction and to determine the school holidays (休業日=きゅうぎょうび) and school terms (学期=がっき) in their respective regions. 

While the Japanese school year and the decision of the length and amount of holidays and school terms are left up to the discretion of regional Education Boards, the School Education Act states that school years for kindergarten to high school must begin on April 1 and end on March 31. (Source.)

Why does Japan’s school year start in April?

In many Western countries, the school year begins in September. Japan, however, begins its school year in April. 

The custom of starting the school year in April dates back to the Meiji period, and a popular theory of why has much to do with the Japanese fiscal year.

Japanese school children, late-19th century (Source.)

The fiscal year of Japan starts in April (ever since 130 years ago, Meiji period), and schools back then adjusted their schedule to make it easier to take advantage of government funding. 

During the initial outbreak of COVID-19, when schools were forced to close, lawmakers saw this as an opportunity to reconsider starting the school year in September to synch with the Western school system. 

However, as schools began to operate again, many voiced concerns regarding how such a change may negatively impact the students' lives and careers. In the end, the government, faced with heavy opposition, postponed discussions for a more suitable time.

When is Japan’s Spring break for students?

Spring break differs from region to region, but the average length is 10 days and starts from the end of March to the beginning of April.

Here’s a Google-translated chart showing the 2024 spring holiday dates for schools in Tokyo:

2024 public elementary school spring vacation list in the Kanto region

To find out the dates for Spring break in a certain area, Google the name of the city you’re interested in + 小学校 (elementary school) or 中学校 (middle school) + 春季休業日 (Spring break).

What is the Golden Week in Japan?

2024 Golden Week dates

Additionally, other public holidays during spring in Japan that will allow students to stay home from school include the following:

• Vernal Equinox Day on March 20

• Shōwa Day on April 29

• Constitution Memorial Day on May 3

• Greenery Day on May 4

• Children’s Day on May 5 (observed on May 6)

These consecutive public holidays in May are known as Golden Week and are a popular time for Japanese to travel domestically and abroad as both students and workers have time off. 

Cherry blossoms viewing, wisteria viewing, and going to local festivals are popular activities for families.

When is Japan’s Summer break for students?

Summer break averages around 40 days, starting from the end of July to the end of August. But here, again, take note that each district determines its own summer break, so one must check in with the district in question. 

The following is a Google Translated chart showing Japan's 2024 summer holidays for various prefectures.

List of 2024 summer vacation periods all over Japan

When is Japan’s Winter break for students?

Winter break in Japan lasts around 10 days and starts from the end of December to the beginning of January. It also includes 2 public holidays: New Year’s Day on January 1 and Coming of Age Day, which is observed on the second Monday in January.

In Hokkaido, however, the average Winter break extends to 26 days. Hokkaido’s cold winters force schools to close when blizzards hit. The Hokkaido Education Board extends the winter holidays to minimize delays in the Japanese school program due to bad weather and save on heating expenses while they’re at it.

Additionally, some schools adopt a 2-school term system rather than a 3-school term system to alleviate the load for teachers. However, the schools that have adopted the 2-school term system make up only 10% of the schools in Japan, and that number is declining.

To find out when school vacation starts in winter for your kid's school, Google the name of the city you’re interested in + 小学校 (elementary school) or 中学校 (middle school) + 冬季休業日 (Winter break).

Other public holidays observed during the coldest months in Japan include National Foundation Day on February 11 and Emperor’s Birthday on February 23.

Other ways to learn about school terms and holidays

Another way to find out about school holidays is to Google the name of the school + 年間行事予定表 (annual events timetable). Most schools have websites with a yearly public calendar, so this should do the trick. 

You can also try [name of city] + 小中学校管理規則 =しょうちゅうがっこうかんりきそく (elementary, middle school regulations). Usually, the first few links will show the School Administration Regulation made by the local Education Boards.

To wrap up, here are some good vocabulary to know: 

• Spring Vacation 春季休業日 =しゅんききゅうぎょうび

• Summer Vacation 夏季休業日 =かききゅうぎょうび

• Winter Vacation 冬季休業日 =とうききゅうぎょうび

• Long-term holidays in general 長期休業=ちょうききゅうぎょう

Full list of public holidays in Japan for 2024

Here's a full list of public holidays in Japan for 2024.

Japan public school holidays in 2024

Japan's public school holidays follow Japan's national holiday schedule. Here are the days that public schools in Japan take holiday.

Frequently asked questions

When is Japanese school’s Spring break?

Spring break differs from region to region, but the average length is 10 days and starts from the end of March to the beginning of April.

When is Japanese school’s Summer break?

Summer break averages around 40 days, starting from the end of July to the end of August. But here, again, take note that each district determines its own summer break, so one must check in with the district in question. 

When is Japanese school’s winter break?

Winter break in Japan lasts around 10 days and starts from the end of December to the beginning of January and includes 2 public holidays: New Year’s Day on January 1 and Coming of Age Day, which is observed on the second Monday in January.

In closing

To summarize, Spring, Summer, and Winter breaks are all determined by each district, so they vary from city to city. It's important to check with your local municipality to get a better understanding of when the holidays will be in your area.