Golden Week

One thing I love about Japan is that there are LOTS of national holidays - there were 12 last year and they are pretty much spaced out so you have at least one 4-day work week every month. There is nothing better than a 4-day work week. Well actually there is the 3-day work week...and then the 2-day work week. I vote that Wednesday should be declared a global weekend day - everyone in the world gets Wednesday off. Doesn't that sound good? I do find that it gives me time to catch up on things I don't have time or the inclination to usually do during the week. This year Golden Week nearly works out to a full week off work - sweet. Yesterday was Green Day and it was a ripper. It was totally unplanned and we stayed local, but the weather was perfect. I knitted at an outdoor cafe, then at an outdoor restaurant and then in the park. We hung out with friends - ate and drank lots of good stuff. Everyone deserves a Golden Week.

Here's some interesting information about Golden Week:
Golden Week is a group of national holidays in Japan, beginning with April 29 and ending with May 5. This is not only one of the longest holiday periods, but one of the most popular as well. With well-placed weekends, it can be even better.

Apparently the origin of Golden Week comes from the movie industry. They thought it would be a "golden opportunity" for people to have the time to go to the movies.

Golden Week Holidays

April 29: Midori no Hi - Green Day
April 29 was the birthday of Emperor Hirohito, Showa period, who died in 1989. Following his death, the holiday was changed to Midori no Hi, in honor of the environment and nature. The Emperor was passionate about environmental issues and a nature lover.

May 3: Kenpo Kinenbi - Constitution Day
On May 3, 1947, the new post-war constitution became law.

May 4: Kokumin no Kyujitsu - "Between Day"
This recently created national holiday was added in order to make the Golden Week a continuous holiday period.

May 5: Kodomo no Hi - Children's Day This holiday was originally called Tango no Sekku or Boys Day or Festival. Families with boys would celebrate by flying koi nobori or carp streamers and gogatsu ningyo or May dolls.

Comments

[gleek]

enjoy golden week! (oh, i think that you have a typo in there.. May 5 is boy's day, not March 5) i love the picture that you posted with this entry.. where did you get it from?

[kat]

thanks gleek. problem fixed. I just copy and pasted that part, so I guess the original also has a typo. oh and I found the pic by doing a google image search on golden week. The pic is by keigetsu.

[jitty]

Am back from Chiiori! :) feel free to link any pix ;)