Culture Day in Japan : 文化の日　ぶんかのひ

Culture Day is

A Day for Loving Love, Peace, and Culture

It Also Used to Emperor Meiji’s Birthday

Which Also Used To Be A Public Holiday

Culture Day on November 3rd celebrates the promulgation of the Japanese constitution after World War 2 in 1947. On this day awards for cultural achievement are handed out. It is one of the three big national holidays. This day is also famous for good weather!

Before 1947 this day was a holiday known as Meiji-Setsu, or Meiji Festival. While emperor Meiji was alive, his birthday was a national holiday. But after he passed away it stopped being celebrated as such. But in 1927 November 3rd was brought back as a kind of festival day and was celebrated as such until after World War 2.

This day is usually just used as a day off to relax. But at Ueno Park all the museums and the zoo are open to everyone free of charge. Across Japan all government museums, aquairiums, zoos, and parks/gardens are for free. Of course this also means that things can get pretty crowded later in the day. So get ready to go early!