Golden Week
In Japan, the Golden Week is the longest holiday other than the New Year, so it is typically a very busy travel time. The week is made of several holidays: Green Day (Midori no hi) - After the death of Emperor Showa in 1989, his birthday, April 29, was made a national holiday to remember his love of the environment and nature; Constitution Day (Kenpo kinenbi) - the post-war constitution became effective on May 3, 1947; "Between Day" (Kokumin no kyujitsu) - a recently created national holiday to make the Golden Week a continuous holiday, celebrated May 4; Children's Day (Kodomo no hi) - a/k/a the Boy's Festival (Tango no Sekku), families with boys wish their sons good fortune by celebrating on May 5. Carp streamers are hung outside the houses, and samurai dolls are put inside. Traditional food includes rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves and mochi wrapped in oak leaves. [The girl's or doll festival (Hina matsuri) is celebrated on March 3.]
See also: holidays, Japan, Children's Day
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