2003 Holidays and Events in Japan

Additional Information	Date	Name
	1/1/2003, Wed	New Year's Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event –
	1/2/2003, Thu	New Year's Day Holidays
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note Government holidays only. 2004: Also bank holiday. Most Businesses close on the New Years' Holidays
	1/3/2003, Fri	New Year's Day Holidays
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note Government holidays only. 2004: Also bank holiday. Most Businesses close on the New Years' Holidays
	1/13/2003, Mon	Coming-of-Age/Adults' Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 2003 Change: Name changed from Adult’s Day to Coming-of-Age/Adults’ Day
	2/11/2003, Tue	National Foundation Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: This holiday lasts only one day and the name was changed from Founding Day & Observance to National Foundation Day.
	3/21/2003, Fri	Vernal Equinox Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event –
	4/8/2003, Tue	Hana Matsuri/Buddha's Birthday
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion Buddhist Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note Religious Festival
	4/29/2003, Tue	Showa Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: Name changed from Green Day to Greenery Day Part of Golden Week 2007 Change: Name changed from Geenery Day to Show Day
	4/29/2003, Tue	Golden Week
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: End date of 5/5 added here, eliminating need for separate entry of “5/5 Golden Week ends”. Also Banks are NOT closed. Most days are holidays. Some businesses close for entire week.
	4/30/2003, Wed	Golden Week
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: End date of 5/5 added here, eliminating need for separate entry of “5/5 Golden Week ends”. Also Banks are NOT closed. Most days are holidays. Some businesses close for entire week.
	5/1/2003, Thu	Golden Week
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: End date of 5/5 added here, eliminating need for separate entry of “5/5 Golden Week ends”. Also Banks are NOT closed. Most days are holidays. Some businesses close for entire week.
	5/2/2003, Fri	Golden Week
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: End date of 5/5 added here, eliminating need for separate entry of “5/5 Golden Week ends”. Also Banks are NOT closed. Most days are holidays. Some businesses close for entire week.
	5/3/2003, Sat	Golden Week
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: End date of 5/5 added here, eliminating need for separate entry of “5/5 Golden Week ends”. Also Banks are NOT closed. Most days are holidays. Some businesses close for entire week.
	5/3/2003, Sat	Constitution Memorial Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: Name changed from Constitution Day to Constitution Memorial Day. Part of Golden Week
	5/4/2003, Sun	Golden Week
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: End date of 5/5 added here, eliminating need for separate entry of “5/5 Golden Week ends”. Also Banks are NOT closed. Most days are holidays. Some businesses close for entire week.
	5/4/2003, Sun	Greenery Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note Part of Golden Week. In 98 we used Constitution Memorial Day Obs. 1999 Official Holiday list says this is a holiday because it is “a day falling between 2 holidays” 2007: Changed name from Bank Holiday to Greenery Day. Official Hol.
	5/5/2003, Mon	Golden Week
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: End date of 5/5 added here, eliminating need for separate entry of “5/5 Golden Week ends”. Also Banks are NOT closed. Most days are holidays. Some businesses close for entire week.
	5/5/2003, Mon	Children's Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note Part of Golden Week
	5/11/2003, Sun	Mother's Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note LB5 new for 2003
	7/21/2003, Mon	Marine Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: This holiday has been added 2004: Formula changed
	8/11/2003, Mon	Mountain Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note National holiday. People are encouraged to take the day off and enjoy the mountains.
	8/13/2003, Wed	Obon/Festival of Souls
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion Buddhist Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note Air and road congestion, major travel time as per embassy
	8/14/2003, Thu	Obon/Festival of Souls
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion Buddhist Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note Air and road congestion, major travel time as per embassy
	8/15/2003, Fri	Obon/Festival of Souls
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion Buddhist Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note Air and road congestion, major travel time as per embassy
	9/15/2003, Mon	Respect-for-the-Aged Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 2004: formula changed
	9/23/2003, Tue	Autumnal Equinox Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event –
	10/13/2003, Mon	Health Sports Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: This holiday has been added
	11/3/2003, Mon	Culture Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: Name changed from Cultural Day to Culture Day
	11/23/2003, Sun	Labor Thanksgiving Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: Date changed from 11/24 to 11/23
	11/24/2003, Mon	Labor Thanksgiving Day: Additional Observance Day
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 1998 Change: Date changed from 11/24 to 11/23
	12/23/2003, Tue	Emperor's Birthday
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event –
	12/31/2003, Wed	New Year's Eve
Businesses Closed Banks Closed Religious Holiday Religion – Disrespectful to Hold an Event – Note 2004: this is a bank holiday

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