Golden Week Due to a coincidental chain of Japanese national holidays, the name “Golden Week” was given to one of Japan’s longest and busiest holidays. Golden Week starts with Midori no Hi (Greenery Day) on April 29th and ends with Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day) on May 5th. Other holidays in between are Kenpou Kinen bi (Constitution Memorial Day) on May 3rd and occasionally Kokumin no Kyujitsu (People’s Day) on May 4th, …showed first 75 words of 1346 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1346 total…and also because of the belief that the iris holds medicinal powers to ward off illnesses. Sake with finely chopped shobu leaves mixed in it is prepared. In ancient times, the leaves of the shobu was also believed to have some kind of power to extinguish fire. Accordingly, people still observe the tradition of placing shobu leaves in the attic of their houses as a talisman to ward off possible fire breakouts and evil spirits.