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Print your tickets! Pack your bags! The most celebrated week of the year (at least in Japan) is here: Golden Week!\u00e3\u20ac\u20acBy now you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve heard of the series of national holidays clustered at the beginning of May.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acPerhaps it was a fellow ALT or a friendly JTE who first made you aware of this spectacular feat in scheduling.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acSome of us will embrace Golden Week as a time to travel while others may spend the extra time sleeping late or enjoying local festivities.<\/p>\n
No matter how you choose to express your merriment, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s interesting to consider the meaning behind Golden Week and the significance of the individual days.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acSurprisingly, the term \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Golden Week\u00e2\u20ac\u009d was actually coined by the movie industry, which experiences its highest sales of the year during this time period.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acMassive ad campaigns are expected for new releases and theaters will likely be crowded.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acCommercialism aside, the holidays themselves are important reflections of Japanese heritage and history.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acRead on to learn more about the symbolism and intended meaning behind this week of gold.<\/p>\n
Showa Day <\/b>\u00e6\u02dc\u00ad\u00e5\u2019\u0152\u00e3\u0081\u00ae\u00e6\u2014\u00a5<\/b> Sh\u00c5\u008dwa no Hi<\/i> \u00c2\u00a0[Tuesday April 29th <\/sup>2014]<\/b><\/p>\n Japanese custom dictates that the reigning emperor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s birthday will be celebrated as a public holiday.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acFormer Emperor Hirohito (whose posthumous name is Emperor Showa) was born on April 29th<\/sup>, 1901.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acDuring his reign, from December 25th<\/sup>, 1926 through January 7th<\/sup>, 1989, this date was a recognized as a national day of rest.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acAfter his death, April 29th<\/sup> became Greenery Day, officially promoted as a day to celebrate nature.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acSome sources (http:\/\/news.bbc.co.uk\/2\/hi\/asia-pacific\/4543461.stm<\/a>) claim that Greenery Day was intended as an implicit nod to the former monarch, who loved plants, while deliberately removing the wartime emperor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s name from the holiday.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acGreenery Day was moved to May 4th<\/sup> in 2007.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acAt that time, April 29th<\/sup> was re-instated as Showa Day.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acRather than celebrating the life and times of the former emperor, Showa Day is described as a time for people to reflect on the hardships and achievements of Japanese society during Emperor Showa\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s reign, a time period now known as the Showa Period.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acThe current emperor\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s birthday is December 23, which is marked as a national holiday (\u00e5\u00a4\u00a9\u00e7\u0161\u2021\u00e8\u00aa\u2022\u00e7\u201d\u0178\u00e6\u2014\u00a5 Tenn\u00c5\u008d Tanj\u00c5\u008dbi<\/i>).<\/p>\n Constitution Memorial Day <\/b>\u00e6\u2020\u00b2\u00e6\u00b3\u2022\u00e8\u00a8\u02dc\u00e5\u00bf\u00b5\u00e6\u2014\u00a5<\/b> Kenp\u00c5\u008d Kinenbi <\/i>[Saturday May 3rd <\/sup>2014]<\/b><\/p>\n On May 3rd<\/sup>, 1947, the Constitution of Japan became the supreme law of the nation.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acThis document establishes Japan as a democratic society and limits the powers of the emperor to that of a symbolic figure head.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acModeled after American and British federal documents, the Constitution of Japan also contains the controversial Article 9 which, summarized and simplified, states that Japan may never declare war nor maintain a domestic military capable of waging war.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acOn this day, Japanese people are encouraged to reflect on democracy and the Japanese government system.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acFor more information about Article 9 and it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s relevancy in current events, see Taylor M Wettach\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s February article \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Active Pacifism.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/a><\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n Greenery Day <\/b>\u00e3\u0081\u00bf\u00e3\u0081\u00a9\u00e3\u201a\u0160\u00e3\u0081\u00ae\u00e6\u2014\u00a5<\/b> Midori no Hi <\/i>[Sunday May 4th <\/sup>2014]<\/b><\/p>\n It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not surprising that Japan would designate a national holiday to honor nature and all its greenery.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acDespite its relevance, Greenery Day\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s celebrations have been bumped around the calendar several times. The first Greenery Day celebration began in 1989 on April 29th<\/sup> (former Emperor Showa\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s birthday). At the same time, May 4th<\/sup> was recognized as a de facto holiday because it fell between two national holidays.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acIt wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t until 2007 that April 29th<\/sup> was officially recognized as Showa Day and Greenery Day was rescheduled to May 4th<\/sup>.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acAlso known as Arbor Day, the holiday focuses on nature and promoting care and concern for the earth.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acThe National Land Afforestation Promotion Organization hosts a festival every year to raise money for its conservation work.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acAccording to my JTEs, the festival is held in a different prefecture each year and the Emperor and Empress will make an appearance to plant a tree.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acHowever, the location is a secret until the day of the event.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acMany municipalities across the country host tree planting events.<\/p>\n This year, May 4th<\/sup> falls on a Sunday which means the day of rest is automatically moved to the following Monday. But wait \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Monday May 5th<\/sup> is another national holiday!\u00e3\u20ac\u20acTherefore, Greenery Day will be observed on Tuesday, May 6th<\/sup>, extending our weekend by an additional day!<\/p>\n Children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day <\/b>\u00e3\u0081\u201c\u00e3\u0081\u00a9\u00e3\u201a\u201a\u00e3\u0081\u00ae\u00e6\u2014\u00a5<\/b> Kodomo no Hi <\/i>[May 5th<\/sup> 2014]<\/b><\/p>\n In 1948 the Japanese government changed the symbolism of this holiday to celebrate lives of all<\/i> children. Although it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s labeled as a gender-neutral \u00e2\u20ac\u0153children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s\u00e2\u20ac\u009d day, this holiday is for the boys.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acMany people still recognize Children\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day as Tango no Sekku<\/i> or Boy\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day (likewise, Girl\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Day is still linked to Hinamatsuri<\/i> on March 3rd<\/sup>).\u00e3\u20ac\u20acParents express their love by hanging paper carp lanterns, displaying samurai dolls, and praying for the future happiness and success of their sons.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acThe carp\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s prominence comes from the Chinese teaching that a carp that swims upstream will turn into a dragon.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acThe paper carps blow in the wind, as though they are swimming against the current.\u00e3\u20ac\u20acLocal organizations typically host fun activities for children on these days.<\/p>\n \u00c2\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n So there you have it \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Golden Week is not simply an extended weekend for traveling (or sleeping) but also a series of important historical and cultural celebrations about Japan\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s symbolic land and beautiful culture.<\/p>\n \n Bonus: If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re brave enough to venture north to Tokyo during Golden Week, visit Meiji Shrine from April 29th<\/sup> \u00e2\u20ac\u201c May 3rd<\/sup> for the Spring Grand Festival, Golden Week\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s biggest festival: http:\/\/www.gotokyo.org\/en\/kanko\/shibuya\/event\/meijijinguharu.html<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sources:<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.officeholidays.com\/countries\/japan\/<\/a><\/p>\n http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Public_holidays_in_Japan<\/a><\/p>\n