Japan Golden Week Travel Guide

What Is Golden Week?

Golden Week is Japan’s largest consecutive holiday period — a cluster of national holidays falling between April 29 and May 5. It’s the busiest domestic travel week in Japan, comparable to Christmas in Western countries.

Golden Week Dates

April 29: Showa Day | May 3: Constitution Day | May 4: Greenery Day | May 5: Children’s Day
Many Japanese take the entire week off, creating a continuous holiday from April 29 through May 5 (or longer with bridge days).

What This Means for Tourists

Transport: Shinkansen and major routes are fully booked weeks ahead. Reserve seats as far in advance as possible.
Accommodation: Hotels and ryokan in popular destinations are nearly impossible to find at normal prices. Book 3–6 months ahead.
Attractions: Lines at popular sites are much longer than normal. Disneyland, Universal Studios Japan, and teamLab can have 2–3 hour queue times.
Prices: Accommodation prices typically increase 30–100% during Golden Week.

Should You Avoid Golden Week?

If possible, shift your trip slightly — arriving May 6–7 onwards sees immediate normalization of prices and crowds. If you must travel during Golden Week, book everything months ahead and focus on lesser-visited destinations.