Target English Center News

TEC Holiday, April 29, 2012 to May 5, 2012: Golden Week

Managing Director — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 02:24:37 +0000

Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク Gōruden Wīku), often abbreviated to simply GW and also known as Ōgon shūkan (黄金週間, “Golden Week”) or Ōgata renkyū (大型連休, “Large consecutive holiday”) is a Japanese term applied to the period containing the following public holidays:

April 29
- Emperor’s Birthday (天皇誕生日 Tennō tanjōbi), until 1988
- Greenery Day (みどりの日 Midori no hi), from 1989 until 2006
- Shōwa Day (昭和の日 Shōwa no hi), from 2007
May 3
- Constitution Memorial Day (憲法記念日 Kenpō kinenbi)
May 4
- Holiday^† (国民の休日 Kokumin no kyūjitsu), from 1985 until 2006
- Greenery Day (みどりの日 Midori no hi), from 2007
May 5
- Children’s Day (こどもの日 Kodomo no hi), also customarily known as Boys’ Day (端午の節句 Tango no sekku).

†: “kokumin no kyūjitsu” or “citizen’s holiday” is a generic term for any official holiday. May 4 was until 2007 an unnamed but official holiday because of a rule that converts any day between two holidays into a new holiday.

Note that May Day (on May 1) is not a public holiday. Instead, Japan has Labour Thanksgiving Day, a holiday with a similar purpose. When a public holiday lands on a Sunday, the next day that is not already a holiday becomes a holiday for that year.

April 8th, 2012: Easter Sunday

Managing Director — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:35:40 +0000

In the United States, Easter Sunday is a flag day but has not been a federal and state holiday due to falling on a Sunday, which is already a non working day for federal and state employees. However, nearly every retail store, shopping malls and some restaurants are closed on Easter Sunday. Few banks that are normally open on regular Sundays are closed on Easter. Two days before Easter Sunday, on Good Friday, is a holiday in 12 states. Most private businesses and sectors, as well as financial and stock market, and public schools are closed on Good Friday. Historically, schools have given extended spring breaks of one to two weeks around the Easter holiday, but this practice has been declining in favor of fixed one-week recesses around Washington’s Birthday and in late April.

Many Americans follow the tradition of coloring hard-boiled eggs and giving baskets of candy. The Easter Bunny is a popular legendary anthropomorphic Easter gift-giving character analogous to Santa Claus in American culture. On Easter Monday, the President of the United States holds an annual Easter egg roll on the White House lawn for young children. New York City holds an annual Easter parade on Easter Sunday.

In Canada, both Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are public holidays. In province of Quebec, either Good Friday or Easter Monday (although most companies give both) are statutory holidays. Two days before Easter Sunday, on Good Friday, is a public holiday as well.

TEC Holiday, March 20, 2012: Vernal Equinox Day

Managing Director — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 06:13:08 +0000

Vernal Equinox Day (春分の日 Shunbun no hi) is a public holiday in Japan that occurs on the date of the vernal equinox in Japan Standard Time (the vernal equinox can occur on different dates in different timezones), usually March 20 or 21. The date of the holiday is not declared official until February of the previous year, due to the need for recent astronomical measurements.

Vernal Equinox Day became a public holiday in 1948. Prior to that it was the date of Shunki kōreisai ( 春季皇霊祭), an event relating to Shintoism. Like other Japanese holidays, this holiday was repackaged as a non-religious holiday for the sake of separation of religion and state in Japan’s postwar constitution.

March 17, 2012: Saint Patrick’s Day

Managing Director — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:17:45 +0000

Saint Patrick’s Day (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig; Ulster-Scots: Saunt Petherick’s Day) is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick (c. AD 387–461), the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church. Saint Patrick’s Day was made an official feast day in the early 17th century, and has gradually become a secular celebration of Irish culture in general.

The day is generally characterized by the attendance of church services, wearing of green attire (especially shamrocks), and the lifting of Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol, which is often proscribed during the rest of the season.

Saint Patrick’s Day is a public holiday in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Newfoundland and Labrador and in Montserrat. It is also widely celebrated by the Irish diaspora, especially in places such as Great Britain, Canada, the United States, Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand, among others. Today, St. Patrick’s Day is probably the most widely celebrated saints day in the world.

March 3, 2012: Doll Festival (Hina-matsuri) or Girls’ Day

Managing Director — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 08:59:47 +0000

The Japanese Doll Festival (雛祭り Hina-matsuri), or Girls’ Day, is held on March 3. Platforms covered with a red carpet are used to display a set of ornamental dolls (雛人形hina-ningyō) representing the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian period.

February 20, 2012: Presidents’ Day

Managing Director — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:11:35 +0000

Presidents’ Day is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States. It is intended (for some) to honor all the American presidents, but most significantly George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. According to the Gregorian or “New Style” calendar that is most commonly used today, George Washington was born on February 22, 1732.

14 February, 2012: Valentine’s Day

Managing Director — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:49:09 +0000

Saint Valentine’s Day, commonly shortened to Valentine’s Day, is a holiday observed on February 14 honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines“). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI.

Modern Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.

TEC Holiday, February 11, 2012: National Foundation Day

Managing Director — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:52:30 +0000

National Foundation Day (建国記念の日 kenkoku kinen-no-hi) is a national holiday in Japan celebrated annually on February 11. On this day, Japanese celebrate the founding of the nation and the imperial line by its legendary first emperor, Jimmu, who according to legend established his capital in Yamato in 660 BC.

2 February, 2012: Groundhog Day

Managing Director — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:46:19 +0000

Groundhog Day is a day celebrated on February 2. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, then spring will come early. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.

16 January, 2012: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Managing Director — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:51:59 +0000

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King’s birthday, January 15. The floating holiday is similar to holidays set under the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, though the act predated the establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by 15 years.