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With the autumn leaves almost about to turn in Tokyo and Tori no Ichi festivals in full swing at shrines around the capital, it’s starting to feel a lot like year-end season. And with that, it’s about time to begin plotting your 2027 holidays.
After taking a long hard look at next year’s calendar, we have some excellent news for all you vacationmaxxers. With proper planning, in 2027 you can turn 14 days of paid leave into a whopping 52 days off – more than enough time to, for instance, complete all of our favourite day trips from Tokyo.
Save this public holiday cheat sheet, line up your destinations and lock in those paid leave days before HR knows what hit them.
February: National Foundation Day
Take one day of paid leave for a four-day weekend.
- February 11: Public holiday (National Foundation Day)
- February 12: Paid leave (1/14)
- February 13–14: Weekend
February: Emperor’s Birthday
Take one day of paid leave for a four-day weekend.
- February 20–21: Weekend
- February 22: Paid leave (2/14)
- February 23: Public holiday (Emperor’s Birthday)
April–May: Golden Week
Take three days of paid leave for 11 days off from April 29 to May 9 (or, if you can get away with it, spring for an extra three paid leave days – April 26–28 – for a cool 16 days off).
- April 29: Public holiday (Showa Day)
- April 30: Paid leave (3/14)
- May 1–2: Weekend
- May 3: Public holiday (Constitution Memorial Day)
- May 4: Public holiday (Greenery Day)
- May 5: Public holiday (Children’s Day)
- May 6–7: Paid leave (4&5/14)
- May 8–9: Weekend
August: Mountain Day
Take two days of paid leave before (or after) the Wednesday holiday for a five-day weekend. Tip: If you’re travelling out of town, we recommend taking time off before the holiday to avoid the worst of the Obon transport crunch around August 15.
- August 7–8: Weekend
- August 9–10: Paid leave (6&7/14)
- August 11: Public holiday (Mountain Day)
September: Silver Week (Respect for the Aged and Autumn Equinox days)
Make your Silver Week shine by taking three days of paid leave for a nice nine days off from September 18 to 26.
- September 18–19: Weekend
- September 20: Public holiday (Respect for the Aged Day)
- September 21–22: Paid leave (8&9/14)
- September 23: Public holiday (Autumn Equinox Day)
- September 24: Paid leave (10/14)
- September 25–26: Weekend
November: Culture Day
Take two days of paid leave before (or after) the Wednesday holiday for a five-day weekend.
- October 30–31: Weekend
- November 1–2: Paid leave (11&12/14)
- November 3: Public holiday (Culture Day)
OR
- November 3: Public holiday (Culture Day)
- November 4–5: Paid leave (11&12/14)
- November 6–7: Weekend
November: Labour Thanksgiving Day
Take one day of paid leave for a four-day weekend.
- November 20–21: Weekend
- November 22: Paid leave (13/14)
- November 23: Public holiday (Labour Thanksgiving Day)
December: New Year
With most offices closing for the year on December 28, you can take one day of paid leave for a 10-day holiday, from December 25 2027 to January 3 2028.
- December 25–26: Weekend
- December 27: Paid leave (14/14)
- December 28–January 3: New Year’s holiday period
And with that, you’ve just turned 14 days of paid leave into a soothing, rejuvenating, inspiring 52 days of your very own time.
Plus, with regular three-day weekends in January (Jan 9–11 for Coming of Age Day), March (Mar 20–22 for Spring Equinox Day), July (Jul 17–19 for Marine Day) and October (Oct 9–11 for Sports Day), 2027 has the potential to really fill up your camera roll (and wreak havoc on your bank account, but let’s not worry about that now).
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