Silver Week 2024: Japanese Public Holidays in September

Silver Week in Japan: Enjoy Early Fall Holidays!

Silver Week is a string of consecutive holidays that often fall in September, depending on the year’s alignment of national holidays. During Silver Week, public transportation is often very crowded, which can have an effect on your trip.

This article introduces the schedule of Silver Week in 2024, how to avoid the rush, and some places to enjoy autumn travels. This set of consecutive holidays is like a shorter version of Golden Week, which occurs in early May.

Silver Week 2024

1. What is Silver Week? Public Holidays in September
3. How to Extend the 2024 Silver Week to a 10-Day Holiday
4. Points to Note and Ways to Enjoy Silver Week
5. Regarding Exclusion from Holiday Discounts on Expressways
6. The Best Destinations for Silver Week
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Silver Week: Public Holidays in September

The Harvest Moon and the silvery susuki pampas grass are some of the seasonal highlights in September
Silver Week does not occur every year. In September in Japan, there are two national holidays, and when these two holidays align just right, Silver Week is created.

These two holidays are Respect for the Aged Day on the third Monday of September and Autumn Equinox Day around September 23.

In Japan, weekdays sandwiched between holidays become national holidays, so weekdays between Respect for the Aged Day and Autumn Equinox Day are also holidays.

For example, if Respect for the Aged Day falls on a Monday and Autumn Equinox Day is two days later on a Wednesday, the Tuesday in between also becomes a national holiday, creating a 5-day Silver Week including the weekend.

The most recent Silver Week was in 2015, and the last Silver Week before that was a significant 6 years earlier. The next Silver Week will be in 2026, which is 2 years away. Following that will be 2032 and 2037.

1: Autumn Equinox Day: the day when the length of day and night are equal, determined by observatories. In Japan, it is a day to celebrate a bountiful autumn harvest and to honor ancestors.

How to Extend the 2024 Silver Week to a 10-Day Holiday

Photo by Pixta
The 2024 Silver Week will consist of two sets of 3-day weekends: September 14 (Saturday) to 16 (Monday) and September 21 (Saturday) to 23 (Monday).

Therefore, if you're working in Japan, by taking paid leave or other days off from September 17 to September 20, it is possible to extend this to a maximum of 10 consecutive days off!

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Important Points About Silver Week

During Silver Week, it is expected that people residing in Japan will embark on significant travels for homecoming or vacations, leading to massive movements. Roads, trains, airports, and tourist destinations are extremely crowded, so it is crucial to be cautious when planning a trip.

Regardless of the mode of transportation, congestion is inevitable during Silver Week. Traveling by car or bus can result in getting stuck in traffic jams, risking wasting a whole day.

While train travel allows for timely arrival, there is a high chance of not finding a seat due to crowding, potentially leading to extreme fatigue.

To avoid wasting time and circumvent congestion, reserving seats on trains or opting for air travel guarantees smoother journeys. However, since this is a popular period, prices tend to rise, necessitating early bookings.

Since many people will be leaving Tokyo for their hometowns, metropolitan routes headed for the countryside will be crowded for the first half of Silver Week, and countryside routes bound for cities will be crowded for the latter half. Be aware of this pattern and you might be able to avoid some traffic while traveling.

In addition, there is data stating that traffic on the final day of Silver Week and similar holidays is comparatively less congested. Perhaps there are a lot of people who want to relax on their last vacation day, or have to get ready for the following day of work.

The Best Destinations During Silver Week

1. The Earliest Autumn Foliage in Japan! Mt. Daisetsu in Hokkaido

Picture courtesy of Sounkyo Tourism Association
The end of September, during Silver Week, is a little early to see autumn foliage. However, you can enjoy the wonderful fall colors in the north, where temperatures drop quickly on higher ground.

Mt. Daisetsu is said to have the earliest autumn foliage in the country, and it can be enjoyed from mid-September until early October. Take the ropeway halfway up, and a seven-minute lift ride will get you to the top. If you’re confident in your stamina and physical fitness, you can also walk to the summit to enjoy the amazing view.

Daisetsuzan National Park

Sounkyo, Kamikawa-cho, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido 078-1701

2. Enjoy the Season with Hot Springs! Shin-Hotaka in Gifu

The Shin-Hotaka Ropeway is famous as a place where visitors can look down at the autumn foliage that shrouds the overlapping mountains. We recommend taking a dip in the open-air bath at the waystation on the ropeway, so you can relax and gaze out at the mountains.

A round trip fare for the ropeway (2,900 yen), a ticket for food and drink (2,900 yen), and a pass to the open air bath (600 yen) can all be had in the “Refreshing Pack” for just 3900 yen, which is quite a bargain.

Shin-Hotaka Visitor Center

711-1 Okuhida Onsengo, Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture 506-1421

3. Attend one of Tokyo’s Three Great Festivals: Nezu Shrine Reitaisai

The Nezu Jinja Reitaisai (*2) is a historic festival at Nezu Shrine that sees normally 30,000 attendees a year. At the festival, you can see traditional shrine dances, as well as mikoshi (portable decorated shrines that are carried around). Street stalls line the festival’s spacious grounds, and you can really enjoy the bustling atmosphere around you.

4. Hakone’s Sengokuhara Pampas Grass Fields

From A Great 2-Day Hakone Trip For Solo Travelers! Outdoors, Cuisine, And Art

Also known as silver grass, many visitors flock to Hakone to see the sight of vast fields of pampas grass, which can be enjoyed from late September to early November every year. The silver and gold fields of Sengokuhara are the perfect way to enjoy the atmosphere of fall.

Hakone is also home to many other fantastic sightseeing spots. These include beautiful Lake Ashi and its famous pirate ship cruise, the surreal art of the Hakone Open-Air Museum, and the ropeway to steaming volcanic Mount Owakudani.

If you’re very lucky and the weather is clear, you may also get the chance to enjoy Hakone’s iconic view of Mount Fuji!

5. See Breathtaking Golden Fields Against the Backdrop of Mount Fuji at Lake Yamanaka

Lake Yamanaka is one of the famed Fuji Five Lakes, where visitors can enjoy some of the most stunning views of Japan’s most iconic mountain.

Yamanakako Hana no Miyako Park, located on the west side of Lake Yamanaka, is famed for its stunning seasonal flowers, and every fall from late September onwards the park becomes a vast field of golden cosmos flowers! Referred to as “fall sakura” in Japanese, these flowers are a stunning sight which can only be enjoyed in this season.

To the east side of the lake lies the Lake Yamanaka Panoramic Deck, a point from which visitors can enjoy incredible views of the lake and Mount Fuji. In fall the fields in front of Mount Fuji become a vast sea of golden pampas grass.

Enjoy the Charm of Early Autumn in Japan during Silver Week

The season around Silver Week offers wonderful weather and food, and it’s the perfect time for traveling. Take the unique travel situations of consecutive holiday periods into account when you plan your trip in order to make the best of your time in Japan.

Main image from Pixta