Around Christmas in Japan, it's no longer just a holiday of lights and the shopping season, but also a kind of Valentine's Day romantic tradition. Although in the West, households on Christmas Eve ...

For many non-Japanese, especially newcomers to Japan, many of the customs and traditions of New Year may seem hard to understand. New Year or oshogatsu is the most important holiday period in Japan ...

From mass weddings in the Philippines to women gifting men chocolates in Japan, Asian nations put their own spin on Valentine ...

Japan's Coming of Age Day is a sure sign of winter, arriving after New Year celebrations and before the cherry blossom ...

Setsubun no Hi (節分の日), celebrated annually on February 2, 3 or 4, is a traditional event marking the official beginning of spring, according to the Japanese lunar calendar. Though not a national ...

Japan has 16 fixed national holidays throughout the year. However, in 2026 there will be 17, due to a rule that if an ordinary working day falls between two holidays, it becomes a “bonus” holiday.

The best kind of Japanese holiday embraces these contrasts ... with as many of its oldest traditions and ancient sights as possible. Punctual (the average delay is roughly 20 seconds), clean ...