What is Golden Week?

Golden Week is a collection of national holidays spanning over a week in Japan that combine to form one of Japan’s busiest holidays. These holidays include;

–       Showa Day (29th April) celebrating the birthday of Emperor Showa, who died in 1989.

–       Constitution Day (May 3rd) commemorating the day the new post WWII constitution was put into effect.

–       Greenery Day (May 4th) which used to be celebrated on the April 29th. This day is dedicated to appreciating the environment, as the former Emperor Showa loved plants and nature.

–        Children’s Day (May 5th) where families pray for the future success and health of their sons by displaying samurai dolls and hanging intricately decorated carp streamers (koinobori) to symbolise power, strength and success.

How to celebrate Golden Week in Japan

If you’re lucky enough (and smart enough to plan in advance) to travel to Japan during Golden Week, you’re guaranteed to have an abundance of activities to participate in, from viewing wisteria or azalea flowers, historical parades, or cultural celebrations. Why not attend the Takatsuki Jazz Street Festival? It’s a two-day live jazz performance festival with 300 acts and over 3,000 artists in 72 different locations in-and-around the center of Takatsuki in northern Osaka.

If you want to see the full beauty of the blooming cherry blossom trees, why not head to Tohoku? It’s a great area for off-the-beaten-path exploration since it’s still a generally underrated region with a lot of nature and incredible landscapes. The peak blooming season lasts until late April, so you still have a good chance during Golden Week to see the sights for yourself. Or to be sure, you can head to Hokkaido where peak cherry blossom season is usually during late April and early May.

One of the biggest festivals held during Golden Week is the Hakata Dontaku Festival in Fukuda, which attracts more than two million visitors each year. The main attraction of the festival is the extravagantly dressed costumed dancers and decorated floats, representing and celebrating the city’s rich history and culture. Another popular attraction is the annual Seihaku Festival in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture, which takes place between May 3rd – 5th. Featuring the country’s largest wheeled floats known as dekayama (translated to giant mountains), these handcrafted floats can stand up to twelve metres tall, weigh over 20 tons and are adorned with life-size figures depicting famous Kabuki plays. Don’t just be a bystander – visitors are encouraged to help pull the floats along the streets, where they’ll be accompanied by ritual music and chants. There’s plenty to see during this festival, including street food, game stalls and traditional dances, making it an inclusive and fun experience for visitors of all ages!

These are just some of the festivities available for you to join in with during the week, with many smaller cities holding their own festivals and events. If you need help getting around, Mymanu CLIK S earbuds can help! They provide live translation for over thirty seven languages, including Japanese, meaning you’ll have no trouble at all immersing yourself in the local culture.

How to celebrate Golden Week outside of Japan

Just because you’re not in Japan doesn’t mean you can’t participate in the festivities. There’s plenty of fun to be had at home no matter your budget. Why don’t you have a try at making takoyaki – apopular street food dish served during festivals. Originating from Osaka, takoyaki are grilled ball-shaped dumplings traditionally filled with pieces of octopus and served with a takoyaki sauce. They’re usually made in a special takoyaki pan consisting of small round holes that help you shape them while cooking. Don’t be deterred – you can still make this delicious treat in a normal shallow fry pan. You can find the recipe here, including how to make the accompanying sauce as well as topping suggestions.

How about a child friendly activity? How about making your own DIY koinobori to proudly display within your own home. You’ll only need a few household items, including;

• some toilet paper rolls
• tape
• tissue paper
• paint
• string
• a dowel

You can decorate them how you like, be creative! Traditionally the ones displayed outside homes in Japan will have a koinobori for each member of the household. The one at the top is the biggest and represents the farther, with the mother below that, and so forth.

There are plenty of ways for you and the whole family to get involved and Celebrate golden Week, wherever you are in the world. Golden Week is centred around appreciating family and participating in the festivities together, so no matter how you decide to celebrate, make sure to get the whole family involved!