Golden Week in Japan (there's one in China, too) consists of four holidays pushed up close together. The first one is Showa - you know him perhaps as Hirohito - Emperor's birthday and then followed closely by Constitution Memorial Day, Green Day (not the band), and Children's Day. There used to be a Boys' Day and a Girls' Day but only the Boys' Day was a national holiday. Sometime in the 80s, the two were combined into Children's Day (May 5th, which was traditionally Boys' Day.)
- April 29 Emperor's Birthday (天皇誕生日 Tennō tanjōbi)
- May 3 Constitution Memorial Day (憲法記念日 Kenpō kinenbi)
- May 4 Greenery Day (みどりの日 Midori no hi)
- May 5 Children's Day (子供の日 kodomo no hi)
Since all the holidays are smashed up together, it is a great time for companies to close up shop and let all their employees take a vacation. The most popular destination seems to be grandmom's house. People return to their hometown or their parents' homes. The highways have massive traffic jams (measured not in time but in length; some are 35 kilometers long) and the trains are packed solid with travelers.
About 10% of the population of Japan leaves the country, usually for places in Asia like Korea, Hong Kong, and Singapore. It is a great time to stay home and enjoy being with friends and family.
This year, because of the economy being so depressed, companies are allowing employees almost two weeks of vacation. This is the longest continuous paid vacation most employees have ever gotten.
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