Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japan is in the middle of its annual “Golden Week” holiday, which fills trains and planes, gridlocks expressways and sees crowds of people at popular destinations.

Japan has national holidays on April 29 (Showa Memorial Day), May 3 (Constitution Memorial Day), May 4 (Greenery Day) and May 5 (Children’s Day). 

People who live in the big cities head out to the countryside, while those living in rural areas often head into the big cities, changing the atmosphere of places like Tokyo and Kyoto. Massive traffic jams clog up the main highways.

Huge carp streamers – effectively wind socks in the shape of a fish – fly throughout the country for Children’s Day, decorating the cities, towns and countryside.

Tokyo Tower in the middle of Tokyo is lit up in special colorsand decorated with carp streamers, made even more attractive as a full moon could be seen on Thursday.

Saturday and Sunday will see more travel chaos as people return home in time to get to work on Monday.

Many Japanese take little or no annual leave from their jobs. Golden Week, the short summer Obon holiday and New Year are usually their only opportunities to escape from work and relax.