Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about reading the Japan-Korea Calendar and the data behind it. If yours is not here, send it through the contact page.
Who decides the holidays in Japan and Korea?
Japan's are fixed by the Act on National Holidays, a law passed by parliament; Korea's by the Regulations on Public Holidays of Government Offices, a presidential decree. Changing a Japanese holiday needs an amendment in the Diet, whereas Korea can declare a temporary holiday by Cabinet decision, sometimes at short notice.
When are next year's holidays confirmed?
Japan's Cabinet Office publishes the following year's holidays, including the equinox dates, in the official gazette around February. Korea's regular holidays follow from the decree and the lunar calendar, so they are known well ahead, but temporary holidays and election days are added once decided.
Why are some days in the list labelled only 休日?
Because the Cabinet Office records both substitute holidays and citizens' holidays under the single official name 休日 (holiday). This site follows the official wording and adds the common name only as a note.
Is a holiday that falls on a Saturday moved?
Not in Japan. In Korea, eligible holidays that fall on a Saturday move to the next weekday (Seollal and Chuseok only for Sundays; New Year's Day and Memorial Day are never moved).
Are Obon, the New Year break and Labour Day public holidays?
None of them is. Obon and the year-end break (29 December to 3 January) are customary or government-office closures in Japan, and Korea's Labour Day on 1 May is a paid holiday under labour law. The calendar does not mark them as holidays, but the travel and business cards mention them.
Where can I see the days when both countries are closed?
Dates on the calendar are coloured differently for Japan only, Korea only and both. The business card summarises the periods when both countries stop, and the business-days card shows how working days differ month by month.
How far ahead can I look?
As far as the Korean lunar conversion tables go, using the year selector. Future years for Japan are calculated from the law and for Korea from the lunar conversion, and they change if a law is amended or a temporary holiday is declared.
How often is the data updated?
Holidays are updated by hand after the official announcement is confirmed. Exchange rates are fetched automatically every business day from published reference rates.
Which time zone decides “today”?
Japan Standard Time. Korea shares the same offset (UTC+9), so the date is the same in both countries. Viewed from elsewhere, it may differ from your device by a day.
Where are the dates and amounts I enter stored?
Only in your own browser; nothing is sent to our servers. See the privacy policy for details.
Can I rely on the calculations for business or official procedures?
Treat them as reference information. For contracts, applications and delivery dates, confirm with official sources or your counterpart. See the terms of use.
Does it work on phones and tablets?
Yes. There is nothing to install; open the same address in your browser. On wide screens the tool cards sit on both sides of the calendar, and on narrow screens the months and lists switch to a swipeable layout automatically. Add it to your iPhone or Android home screen to open it like an app.
I found a mistake. What should I do?
Please tell us through the contact page with the year and date concerned. We will check and correct it.