This week is Golden Week. I asked Kaneko-san in my last lesson, how one says "Golden Week" in Japanese. He smiled and thought about it and chuckled and then said in his sweet English voice, "I do not know."
And why question a week long holiday at the end of April? No matter that it doesn't exist in America or England (to my knowledge), the fact it has an English name doesn't take away the joy of free time. The week is comprised of the last Emperor's birthday (now Showa Day) (April 29th), Constitution Memorial Day (May 3), "holiday" day (a holiday because there is a rule than any day between two other holidays becomes a holiday- nice rule) (May 4th), and Children's Day (May 5th). The most holiday of holidays are May 3-6 but many businesses take a break for the entirety of the week.
And why the name? Because of the increase in ticket sales at the movie box office. The time wasn't named "golden" because people go home to their loved ones, it's golden because the movie theaters are doing well. But golden time is golden. And this is a week of it.
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