Shiiba Village Japan
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Holidays & Events
These are just a few of the many events and holidays which are relevant to life in Shiiba. In Japan, not a day goes by without some sort of major cultural event taking place.
Tip: If you're going to work or go to school in Japan, don't try to use a calendar or appointment book that's meant for use in the United States. Buy and use Japanese calendars and appointment books. One of the first things you should do with such a calendar is to mark American holidays, important birthdays, and anniversaries in your Japanese calendar. Such will help you to maintain connections with those who are back home. If you have a position here in the United States that requires you to work remotely with those who are in Japan, buy a Japanese calendar. Make note of Japanese holidays, the academic year, and if you're in business, the fiscal year.
January
1/1 New Year's Day is an important day for Japanese families to come together. Many festivals and important rituals take place on this day.
Elementary and Secondary School classes resume during the second week of January.
1/15 Coming of Age Day is when ceremonies are held for those who turned 20 during the previous year. This marks the end of childhood and the beginning of life as an adult.
February
2/11 Foundation Day
2/14 Valentine's Day. In Japan women present men with small gifts on Valentine's Day. Men are expected to reciprocate on "White Day."
"Exam Hell" season begins for those students who are about to graduate from either Junior High or High School.
March
3/14 "White Day" is when men are supposed to give small presents to women. Many forget though!
Most Graduation ceremonies take place during either the second or the third week of March. Promotion and graduation are almost automatic in Japan for it is very rare for student's to have to repeat a year of school.
3/20 Vernal Equinox
Cherry blossoms start to bloom during mid March. There are many "Hanami" (cherry blossom viewing parties) during this time. Hanami parties mark the beginning of the outdoor party season.
April
1/1 New Fiscal Year Begins
1/1 Job Transfers usually take effect during the first week of April.
New School Year Begins (for all levels).
Homeroom Teachers schedule "home visits" during the second and third weeks of April. These visits are usually stressful events for parents for the teachers literally perform household inspections.
4/29 Green Day
Green Day marks the beginning of the Spring Holiday season commonly known as "Golden Week."
May
5/3 Constitution Day
5/5 Children's Day
June
July
Summer Vacation for students usually begins during the third week of July.
7/20 Marine Day
The "Heike Rally" (a car rally) usually takes place during the third weekend of July.
Most Government employees in Shiiba (as well as in other localities) get a three day holiday which can be taken at any time during the summer months (July-September).
Fireworks Season begins and runs through August. Most fireworks events are quite good and are worth attending.
August
The first two weeks of August are another peak travel/vacation time in Japan. Like Winter Vacation and Golden Week a lot of Airlines double their fares during this peak season.
Obon is when Japanese honor the spirits of their ancestors. Many festivals and rituals take place during the second week of August.
Undo Kai Season (Track and Field Season) begins during late August and runs till mid November. These are community events and worth attending.
September
Summer Vacation ends and classes resume.
9/15 Respect for the Aged Day
9/23 Autumnal Equinox
October
10/10 Sports Day
November
11/3 Culture Day
Shiiba Village's Heike Matsuri takes place during the second weekend in November.
Shiiba's Kagura Season begins during mid November and runs till the end of the year.
11/23 Labor Thanksgiving Day
December
Most Kagura Dances take place during December.
Winter Break for schools usually starts before the Emperor's Birthday. University students usually do not have to return to school till the beginning of the new school year in April.
12/23 The Emperor's Birthday
There are many parties on Christmas and it is considered a "Romantic Time." Most family gatherings take place on New Year's Day.
In addition to Christmas, most government employees in Shiiba get a vacation which runs from about December 29th till January 3rd.
