1. Early Meiji Offices Closed on Days Ending in 1 and 6, Before Sunday Became the Day Off
Today, government offices are closed on Sundays and national holidays. However, until spring of 1876 (the 9th year of the Meiji era), offices were closed on the 1st, 6th, 11th, 16th, 21st, and 26th of every month. These days were called "ichi-roku-bi" (one-six days) and continued the custom from Edo Castle [1]. Counting these days, there were 6 days off per month, totaling 72 days per year. This count included only the "ichi-roku-bi" days; holidays and festivals were separate [1]. It is said that there were voices complaining that this amount of time off was too much [1]. So, what changed at that time?
2. The 1876 Decree That Made Sunday a Holiday and Saturday a Half-Day
On March 12, 1876, the Grand Council of State issued a decree. Starting in April of that year, Sunday was designated as a holiday, and Saturday was a half-day off starting at noon [2]. This change was explained as having the aim of aligning the days of the week with Western countries to facilitate trade [1]. By defining rest days by the day of the week rather than the date, holidays would more easily align with foreign partners. Looking at the numbers, Sundays alone provide 52 days off per year, which is about 20 days fewer than the 72 days of the "ichi-roku-bi" system. However, there is a calculation suggesting that adding the half-day Saturday off brings the total to about 78 days per year [1]. Since this comes from a single calculation, it is best understood as "one way of looking at it." Thus, government holidays became determined by the day of the week. So, what determines today's holidays?
3. The Labor Standards Act: How the Law Sets Minimum Days Off for Workers
The Labor Standards Act, created in 1947, sets the minimum line for holidays in the current workplace. Article 35 states that employers must give workers at least one holiday per week. It is also acceptable to have 4 or more holidays over a period of 4 weeks [5]. It is important to note that this law does not specify "Sunday" or "national holidays." A prefectural explanation also clarifies that statutory holidays do not necessarily have to be Sundays or public holidays [5]. In other words, it is not decided that companies must close on national holidays. This rule used international concepts as clues. In the 1947 Diet explanation, it was stated that the 8-hour workday, weekly rest, and annual paid leave, which had been minimum standards at the International Labour Conference, were made the legal standards [6]. ILO Convention No. 14 (1921) stipulates that workers in industrial enterprises must have at least 24 hours of rest every 7 days [7]. So, how and why are national holidays decided?
4. The Act on National Holidays: The Purpose Behind Each Holiday
On July 20, 1948 (Showa 23), the Act on National Holidays was promulgated and enforced. Article 1 states that days for the people to celebrate, thank, or commemorate together, in order to build a better society and a richer life, are designated as "National Holidays" [3]. The important point here is that the days for "celebrating, thanking, or commemorating" are written first, not the days for "resting." Making them holidays comes in later regulations. There are currently 16 national holidays per year, and Article 2 of the law writes the purpose of each one [4]. For example: Children's Day: To respect the personalities of children and celebrate their happiness while expressing gratitude to mothers [4]. Labor Thanksgiving Day: To honor labor, celebrate production, and express gratitude to one another [4]. Greenery Day: To be familiar with nature, express gratitude for its benefits, and cultivate a rich heart [4]. Mountain Day: To have the opportunity to be familiar with mountains and express gratitude for their benefits [4]. In other words, national holidays are days with a specific focus on "what to celebrate and what to be grateful for" before they are simply days off. So, what happens when a holiday falls on a Sunday?
5. What Happens When a National Holiday Falls on a Sunday
The rules for national holidays include provisions for overlaps. Article 3 of the Act on National Holidays stipulates that if a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the nearest subsequent day that is not a holiday becomes a holiday [4]. This is called a substitute holiday. It was established by an amendment on April 12, 1973 [2]. Also, weekdays that fall between two national holidays are also made holidays [4]. These are called "Citizens' Holidays" and were established by an amendment on December 27, 1985 [2]. Later, Coming of Age Day and Sports Day moved to Mondays in 2000, and Marine Day and Respect for the Aged Day moved to Mondays in 2003 [2]. Thus, holiday breaks have moved in the direction of creating long weekends while maintaining the "day of celebration."
6. How to Find the Reason for a Red Day on Your Calendar at Home
Choose one red day on the calendar at home. You can find its purpose on the Cabinet Office's page for national holidays (in Japanese). By looking at whether "celebrate," "thank," or "commemorate" is written, you will notice that even though they are all holidays, the content is different. Another way to check is to write in the old "ichi-roku-bi." Mark the days ending in 1 and 6 on a full-year calendar and count them by month. You will notice that the number of days differs by month. How do you feel about this compared to current holidays? Rest days have not always been decided for the same reason. The convenience of Meiji offices, the rest of workers, and days for the whole country to celebrate and give thanks have overlapped for different purposes in different eras.