Japanese Calender: Don't Plan Your Vacation Without Knowing The Japanese Holidays

Why?

No Tokyo vacation is complete without taking part in one of the Traditional Japanese Festivals.

The Japanese Holidays and Japanese Festivals, especially the Cherry Blossoms flowers festival, will be your best holiday memories.

It's an opportunity to participate with the locals in exciting Japanese Traditions and see how Ancient Japanese culture comes to life.

As expected, Tokyo Festivals create Peak Travel Seasons and high prices follow.
Many tourists arrive especially to join Japanese celebrations in Tokyo, especially Cherry Blossom flowers during the Sakura festival .
Please check this link to Save up to 20% when you book Hotel + air deals to Tokyo during the Cherry Blossom festival and other Japanese National Holidays.

A Fun & Quick Review Of The Japanese Calender

Before 1873 the Japanese calendar was a lunar calendar, based on the cycle of the moon.

Originally, the Japanese calendar was determined by the length of the time the Emperor was in power.

During the first year of a new emperor's throne, the imperial court announced an official name for the period of the reign.
Some examples are –

• The Meiji Era – 'Enlightened Rule', 1868–1912


• Taishō Era – 'Great Righteousness', 1912–1926


• Showa Era – 'Enlightenment and Harmony', 1926–1989


• Heisei Era – 'Achieving Peace', 1989 – current day.

The year 2009, for example, which happened to be the 21th year of the reign of the current emperor, whose name is Heisei, is called 'Heisei 21'.

Some Japanese traditions from the Japanese Zodiac Calender have been kept.
You can see them in various Japanese celebrations.
For example, years are still commonly associated with the twelve animals: mouse, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Very much like the Chinese calendar.

Another feature of the Japanese Calendar that emerges in modern Japanese culture is the division of the week into six days, instead of the seven weekdays that we know today.
Each of the six days is associated with good or bad luck.

That's why some days are in the Japanese calender are still considered ideal for business agreements or wedding ceremonies, while others are considered unfortunate for happy events and fit for funerals.

Continue Reading:

Best 3 Japanese celebrations in Tokyo.

A full list of Japanese festivals

Japanese national holidays

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