Guide
Golden Week in Japan
Everything you need to know
Golden Week, which encompasses four national holidays in Japan in April and May, provides opportunities for springtime advertising and marketing.
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What is Golden Week?
Golden Week is a collection of four consecutive national holidays in Japan, running from the end of April to early May. The high volume of national days, which includes four out of the 16 in Japan, during this one week makes it the ideal time for vacations, tourism, celebrations – and advertising campaigns.
Where is Golden Week celebrated?
Golden Week is celebrated in Japan in April and May. The week of holidays is seen as an important break in Japan, similar to the New Year’s break in the US, for example, and it’s commemorated by locals and tourists alike. There are often advertisements including discounts and social media campaigns during this holiday period.
China also celebrates their own Golden Week in October, with additional Golden Week occurrences in the country happening around Chinese New Year and Labor Day or International Workers’ Day (1 May). It is also a holiday week in China, providing opportunities for relaxation, tourism and vacations.
When is Golden Week?
There are four national holidays that make up Golden Week. They include Shōwa Day, Constitution Memorial Day, Greenery Day, and Children’s Day and they span the week from 29 April to 5 May.1
Shōwa Day (29 April)
Shōwa Day is a public holiday honouring Shōwa (Hirohito), a former emperor of Japan.
Constitution Memorial Day (3 May)
Constitution Memorial Day is a public holiday commemorating the Constitution of Japan, which was enacted in 1947.
Greenery Day (4 May)
Greenery Day is a public holiday that has been held on 4 May since 2007 as a day to celebrate nature.
Children’s Day (5 May)
Children’s Day is a national holiday honouring youths, often celebrated with koinobori, wind socks that are shaped like carp. Formerly called Boys' Day (Tango no Sekku), it was renamed to Children’s Day to include both boys and girls.
Why advertise around Golden Week?
The holidays occur near the change of the season, making it an ideal opportunity for advertising or sales offerings on spring and summer items, such as seasonal apparel or outdoor travel equipment.
When should I start advertising for Golden Week?
You should consider starting your Golden Week marketing strategy by advertising discounts or campaigns to consumers at least a couple of weeks before Golden Week, in order to participate in a Japan-specific sales event on Amazon called Time Sale Festival.
In 2022, the Time Sale Festival was held on Amazon.co.jp multiple times. During monthly deal events held on Amazon.co.jp in 2022, products that had a deal and were promoted with Sponsored Products had an average 71% higher number of order units than those that only used deals.
Two advertisements to inspire you for Golden Week
Golden Week is an ideal time to advertise, and these two campaigns that ran in Japan can help you get inspired.
Case study
LIPPS, a franchise in Japan for men’s hair care, has salons across Tokyo but wanted to increase their sales in the Amazon store. LIPPS used Sponsored Products, which are easy-to-create cost-per-click ads, as well as Sponsored Brands, to help raise brand awareness and Sponsored Display, to help promote the brand wherever they spend time during sales events.
Case study
MYTREX is a Japanese health and beauty brand with a distinct line of products that blend wellness and tech. Since launching their first campaign in 2018, they’ve used Amazon Ads products including Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display, and Amazon DSP to build a full-funnel marketing strategy.
Are you ready for seasonal advertising? See more in our complete guide to marketing for the holiday season.
If you have limited experience, contact us to request services managed by Amazon Ads. Budget minimums apply.