Since 1872 Japan uses the Gregorian Calendar, with local names for the months and mostly fixed holidays. Before 1872 a lunisolar calendar was in use, which was adopted from the Chinese calendar.

Table of contents

1 Months 2 Holidays 3 Further reading 4 External Links

Months

The name of month: (pronunciation, literally meaning)

• January - 睦月 (mu tsuki)
• February - 如月 or 衣更着 (kisaragi)
• March - 弥生 (yayoi)
• April - 卯月 (uzuki)
• May - 皐月 or 早月 or 五月(satsuki)
• June - 水無月 (minatsuki or minazuki, no water month)
• July - 文月 (fumi zuki)
• August - 葉月 (ha zuki)
• September - 長月 (naga tsuki, long month)
• October - 神無月 (kan'na zuki, no god month)
• November - 霜月 (shimo tsuki)
• December - 師走 (shiwasu, teachers run)

Holidays

• January 1 - Ganjitsu New Year's Day (since 1948)
• The second monday in January - Seijin no hi Coming of Age Day. Until 1999, the day was on January 15 (since 1948)
• February 11 - Kenkoku kinen no hi National Foundation Day)
• March 21 - Vernal Equinox Day (since 1966) The day may vary according to the law.
• April 29 - Midori no hi Greenery Day (since 1989)
• May 3 - Constitution Memorial Day (since 1948)
• May 4 - National holiday (since 1985)
• May 5 - Kodomo no hi Children's Day (since 1948)
• The third monday in July - Umi no hi Marine Day. Until 2002, the day was on July 20 (since 1995)
• The third monday in September - Keirō no hi Respect for the Aged Day. Until 2002, the day was on September 15 (since 1966)
• September 22 - national holiday (since 2003). This day appears occasionally according to the law. The day is predicted to appear in 2009 unless the law remains same.
• September 23 - Autumnal Equinox Day (since 1948)
• The second monday in October - Taiiku no hi Health and Sports Day. Until 1999, the day was on October 10 (since 1966)
• November 3 - National Culture Day (since 1948)
• November 23 - Labor Thanksgiving Day (since 1948
• December 23 - The Emperor's Birthday (since 1989)

• January 5 - 寒の入り Kannoiri
• January 5 - 小寒 Shōkan
• January 17 - 冬土用 Fuyu doyō
• January 20 - 大寒 Daikan
• February 3 - 節分 Setsubun
• February 4 - 立春 Risshun (literally meaning standing spring)
• February 19 - 雨水 Usui
• March 6 - 啓蟄 Keichitsu
• March 16 - 春社日 haru sha nichi
• March 18 - 春彼岸 haru higan
• March 21 - 春分 Shunbun
• April 5 - 清明 Seimei
• April 17 - 春土用 haru doyō
• April 20 - 穀雨 Kokuu
• May 2 - 八十八夜 hachijū hachi ya 88 nights
• May 6 - 立夏 Rikka (literally meaning standing summer)
• May 21 - 小満 Shōman'
• June 6 - 芒種 Bōshu
• June 11 - 入梅 Nyū bai (literally meaning entering tsuyu)
• June 21 - 夏至 Gesshi
• July 2 - 半夏生 Hange shō
• July 7 - 小暑 Shōsho
• July 15 - 中元 Chūgen
• July 15 - お盆 Obon
• July 20 - 夏土用
• July 23 - 大暑 Taisho
• August 8 - 立秋 Risshū
• August 23 - 処暑 Shosho
• September 1 - 二百十日 (Ni-hyaku to ka, 210 days)
• September 8 - 白露 Hakuro
• September 11 - 二百二十日 (Ni-hyaku hatsu ka, 220 days)
• September 20 - 秋彼岸 aki higan
• September 22 - 秋社日 aki sha nichi
• September 23 - 秋分 Shūbun
• October 8 - 寒露 Kannro
• October 20 - 秋土用 aki doyō
• October 23 - 霜降 Sōkō
• November 7 - 立冬 Rittō
• November 22 - 小雪 Shōsetsu
• December 7 - 大雪 Taisetsu
• December 22 - 冬至 Tōji

Some of these names are still used quite frequently in everyday life in Japan. It is common that daily weather reports use 冬至 (Touji).

五節句 (Gosekku)

• January 7 - 人日 (Jinjutsu), 七草の節句
• March 3 - 上巳 (Jōshi/Jōmi), 桃の節句
• May 5 - 端午 (Tango), 端午の節句
• July 7 - 七夕 (Sichiseki/Tanabata)
• September 9 - 重陽 (Chōyō), 菊の節句

Here is a good website that explains the history of the Japanese calendar: http://www.ndl.go.jp/koyomi/e

External Links

• Koyomi no page in Japanese
• Koyomi no hanashi in Japanese