The Japanese School Year

For public and private schools, the school year begins in April, which makes winter a popular time for hiring.

Universities begin in late August, so they spend the three or four months prior to that gathering resumes and doing interviews; most make their final hiring decisions in early August.

Listed below are the major holidays in Japan. You can expect to be given vacation time on these days.

• Second week in April: School begins
• May 3: Constitution Memorial Day
• May 5: Children’s Day
• End of July through the end of August: Summer vacation
• September 15: Respect-for-the-Aged Day
• September 23 (or 24): Autumnal Equinox Day
• October 10: Health-Sports Day
• November 3: Culture Day
• November 23: Labor Thanksgiving Day
• December 23: Emperor’s Birthday
• December 25 through January 7: Winter vacation
• January 15: Adults’ Day
• February 11: National Foundation Day
• March 21 (or 20): Vernal Equinox Day
• Third week in March: School ends, and spring vacation begins

Many schools offer classes during vacations, so check with your school before making vacation plans.