"Monday Lover" 4 Mondays Off a Year... 'Happy Monday System' [Sunday Culture]

Four Public Holidays Designated on Mondays... Nicknamed 'Silver Week'
Holiday Overlapping with Korean Chuseok... Tourist Spots Expected to Be Crowded
High Attention for Domestic Demand Boost... Criticism Over Diminished Holiday Significance

Are you having a good rest during the Chuseok holiday? This Chuseok is really fortunate because it’s a long break rather than falling on the weekend. There’s nothing more disappointing than a public holiday coinciding with the weekend. Still, these days, having substitute holidays gives us a bit of breathing room.

Then, how is neighboring Japan handling it? Japan is also off on Monday the 16th. They are entering a short three-day holiday from Saturday to Monday. For those traveling to Japan during Chuseok, you might wonder, "Is it Chuseok in Japan this week too?" since tourist spots are likely to be crowded. Japan has unified its holidays based on the solar calendar, so it’s not a Chuseok holiday per se, but thanks to a system similar to Korea’s substitute holidays. Today, we bring you information about Japan’s "Happy Monday System."

Until the 16th, Japan is entering Silver Week. It’s not an official name but a nickname given because it’s shorter than Japan’s biggest May holiday, Golden Week. The holiday created by Japan’s Happy Monday System is similar to Korea’s substitute holidays. You can probably guess from the name: the purpose is to move public holidays to Monday, creating a three-day weekend of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

The Happy Monday System began discussions in 1998 and was introduced in 2000, targeting four public holidays in total. They are Coming of Age Day on January 15, Marine Day on July 20, Respect for the Aged Day on September 15, and Health and Sports Day on October 10. Coming of Age Day was revised to the second Monday of January, Marine Day to the third Monday of July, Respect for the Aged Day to the second Monday of September, and Health and Sports Day to the second Monday of October. Thanks to this, holidays are guaranteed without the need for discussions or approval for substitute holidays.

When the Happy Monday System was introduced in 2000, people started traveling domestically aiming for a golden holiday, and demand for travel and leisure sharply increased. As a result, it became a highly regarded policy that boosts the domestic economy without incurring costs.

An article introducing water play spots to visit in Tokyo during the September holidays. (Photo by Ikoyo News)

However, the Japanese Cabinet Office began to have other concerns. They felt that the meaning of public holidays was fading as people went out to have fun. The Cabinet Office stated, "More than ten years after the system’s introduction, Happy Monday has become established among the public, but there are concerns that the original significance of public holidays is becoming vague," and they urged people to deeply understand the meaning of Japan’s public holidays while also re-recognizing the inherited traditions and culture. They even posted notices explaining the significance of the holidays.

What meaning does Respect for the Aged Day, the third Monday of September, hold in Japan? According to the Cabinet Office, Respect for the Aged Day was established as a public holiday by the amendment of the Public Holiday Law in 1966. Its purpose is to express gratitude to elderly people who have contributed to society over many years and to pray for their well-being in old age. Since 1947, Hyogo Prefecture had already designated this day as "Elderly Day (としよりの日)," and as this spread, related events were held nationwide even before it was officially designated as a public holiday. Because it was already a well-known day, it was designated as a Happy Monday holiday.

However, there are various opinions about the Happy Monday System. Calls for its abolition arise from time to time. Although it has generated economic effects, as mentioned earlier, there are criticisms that it undermines the original significance of the commemorative days, and also complaints that adjusting school schedules is troublesome because Monday classes are reduced. In fact, in 2010, a proposal was submitted to the National Diet to abolish the Happy Monday System and to disperse golden holidays differently by region.

Both Korea and Japan can enjoy holidays this week. Still, it seems we are fortunate to have a longer holiday. It’s also more meaningful because it’s Chuseok. Wishing everyone a joyful Hangawi.