Mountain Day

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Mountain Day (“Yama no Hi”), which is celebrated on August 11, is Japan’s newest public holiday. Mountain Day was first announced in 2014, with its first observance happening in 2016 (when it went into effect as a national holiday). That holiday’s intent is celebrating Japan’s mountains (which make up about 70 percent of Japan’s area). In fact, some believe that the month of August (the eighth month of the year) was chosen to celebrate Mountain Day because the character for “8”—八—looks like a mountain.

Mountain Day in Japan is typically celebrated by heading out into nature—like hiking, mountain climbing, or visiting an onsen (or hot spring). In Tokyo, many opt to hike up Mt. Takao, which offers a variety of trails and a cable car (it’s accessible for most fitness levels). Others appreciate the mountains from afar, observing them from places like the Bunkyo Civic Centre, which provides a great view of Mt. Fuji. Creative people may also enjoy Mountain Day by painting or sketching their favorite mountain.

When August 11 falls on a Sunday, it’s celebrated on Monday, ensuring workers get a three-day weekend.

How to prepare:

In honor of Mountain Day, our offices will be closed on [insert date]. Please make sure to turn on your out-of-office message.

How we’re celebrating

Happy Mountain Day! While our offices are closed on Mountain Day (and we encourage you to get outdoors and enjoy the mountains!), we will be hosting a few celebrations at [company.name] in honor of Mountain Day, including:

• [Insert event]
• [Insert event]
• [Insert event]