As a mother who has experienced emigration from Japan to Europe, living in a different country offers new discoveries every day. In particular, the differences in public holidays are one of the main points of cultural difference. In this article, I will discuss the number of public holidays and the treatment of consecutive holidays in Japan, the UK and the Netherlands, and how this relates to national identity, using my own experiences and theories.
National holidays and consecutive holidays in Japan: the impression is that there are many national holidays and many people make them into consecutive holidays, for example by combining them with paid holidays.
In Japan, there are 16 national holidays per year (as of 2024), and in addition to these, there are also certain weeks that are not solely national holidays, such as Golden Week (May), Obon (August) and New Year holidays (New Year's Eve and New Year), which are generally combined with paid holidays to form long consecutive holidays throughout Japan. Until I left Japan, I myself worked as a company employee, and I and others around me used to go on long trips with my family during these periods. (Even so, it was a foreign company in the US, so it was easy to take paid holidays freely.) Perhaps because Japanese people value harmony with those around them, many people feel uncomfortable taking a holiday when everyone else is working, just them.
As in other countries, I often have the opportunity to spend long holidays with family and friends. Also, in Japan, when an official holiday falls on a weekend, the following weekday is often a substitute holiday, making it a bit more affordable. This makes it possible to enjoy consecutive holidays.
Just imagine what happens on these big holidays, everyone. That's right! People from all over Japan take advantage of the opportunity to go out, so tourist spots, theme parks, roads and public transport are overcrowded. In a way, you could say that it is wiser to relax at home during the big holidays.
National holidays and consecutive holidays in the UK: I felt there were fewer holidays, but I got the impression that if you decide to take a holiday, you take a series of holidays.
In the UK, where I spent two and a half years from December 2020 to May 2023, there were only eight public holidays a year. British public holidays are called 'bank holidays' and are usually set on a Monday, so they are usually consecutive holidays in nature. At first I was surprised at the lack of public holidays, but it seemed that British people tended to make efficient use of their limited holidays and enjoy them. I also got the impression that they take their paid holidays freely, for example to coincide with long school holidays for their children or to suit their own convenience, such as during events in their country of origin.
During the Platinum Jubilee, which celebrated the 70th anniversary of the accession to the throne of the late Queen Elizabeth II, the whole city was decorated for a while, and I remember that there were festive events at schools and small parties organised in the streets with people from the neighbourhood.
National holidays and consecutive holidays in the Netherlands: even fewer, and the impression is that they are flexible and well refreshed.
And then, one year after I arrived in the Netherlands in May 2023, I was even more surprised, or close to shocked. This was because there were even fewer public holidays than the eight a year in the UK. What was more shocking was that when Dutch public holidays coincide with weekends, there is no compensatory holiday! Many people may be surprised by this. I felt a bit like I was missing out.
But after living here for a year, I feel that the Dutch are very pragmatic and value a good balance between work and private life, but also have a culture of flexibility when it comes to public holidays and lack of holidays. Parents with children (at least at the school my children go to) are always instantly ready to help with sudden school events on weekdays because people would come up and say "I can do it!". I also found it efficient (from a Japanese point of view, where the huge crowds during consecutive holidays in Japan were the norm) that the long school holidays are divided into three parts of the country and staggered slightly in each area.
School holidays and the challenges of one-parenting
I feel like I should write another article about this eternal issue (lol), but whether you are in Japan, the UK or the Netherlands, children's long school holidays are a major challenge in childcare. I am often surprised to hear that in Japan, when children reach the age of primary schools (six years old), they go to school on their own or get together and play in a nearby park. So in this respect, I feel that it is easier to spend time with children when they are young, as in the UK and the Netherlands, where they don't always have to have an adult present. In the UK, there are also various activities offered for children, such as after-school clubs and camps, which the children enjoyed, but in the Netherlands, there are many more activities that are organised free of charge by local groups etc., which is a very good solution financially, especially as a parent of three!
Relationship between public holidays, consecutive holidays and national identity
The differences between the three countries in terms of public holidays and consecutive holidays reveal differences in national character in terms of how each country values time and how they create and spend their holidays. Compared to Japan, I feel that the UK and the Netherlands tend to place more emphasis on individual freedom and efficiency. The history, culture and economy of each country may be considered to shape the number and nature of holidays.
Conclusion
The way different countries spend and number of public holidays reflects the differences in their societies, cultures and values. Facing these differences while living in a different country sometimes offers surprises and new discoveries. Personally, through these experiences, I have been reminded of the importance of cross-cultural understanding and how important it is to respect different values. (Especially with regard to taking paid leave!)