Thanksgiving Day is Thursday (Plan Ahead: Expect Traffic, Higher Fares and Hotel Rates)NEW

Thanksgiving in the United States and Labor Thanksgiving Day in Japan are both celebrated in late November, each with distinct traditions that share a spirit of gratitude. In the U.S., Thanksgiving is held on the fourth Thursday in November, bringing families together to enjoy feasts and reflect on blessings. In Japan, Labor Thanksgiving Day (Kinrō Kansha no Hi) is celebrated on November 23-or the following Monday if it falls on a Sunday-as a national holiday to honor workers and give thanks for the year’s harvest.

Date
United States: November 26, 2026 (Thursday)
Japan: November 23, 2026 (Monday, observed)

Details
In Japan, the holiday has its roots in the ancient Niiname-sai harvest festival. After WWII, it was renamed Labor Thanksgiving Day in 1948 to emphasize gratitude for workers rather than Shinto rituals. Today, it’s marked by school and workplace closures, gift-giving to public service workers, visits to temples and shrines, and increasingly, Western-style celebrations with turkey dinners and football.

History
Thanksgiving in North America grew from both Native and European harvest celebrations. The most commonly cited origin is the 1621 Plymouth feast between Pilgrims and the Wampanoag, though Spanish explorers and Virginia colonists also held earlier thanksgiving observances. The modern U.S. date was fixed in 1941 by federal law as the fourth Thursday in November.

Japanese Celebration
• Giving gifts or cards to workers such as police, firefighters, and hospital staff
• Visiting temples or shrines to give thanks for the harvest
• Enjoying meals with rice, sweet potatoes, and, increasingly, turkey
• Western-style potlucks, football viewing, and pumpkin pie are becoming more common

Both holidays highlight gratitude - for the harvest, for hard work, and for shared community - whether in traditional or modern form.

Because holidays often bring crowds and higher travel costs, planning ahead can make your trip smoother and less expensive.

January
• January 1: New Year’s Day - Celebrates the first day of the year.
• Third Monday in January: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - Honors the civil rights leader’s life and legacy.

February
• Third Monday in February: Presidents’ Day - Honors all U.S. presidents, especially George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

May
• Last Monday in May: Memorial Day - Honors military personnel who died in service to the United States.

June
• June 19: Juneteenth National Independence Day - Commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

July
• July 4: Independence Day - Celebrates the nation’s founding and the Declaration of Independence.

September
• First Monday in September: Labor Day - Honors American workers and the labor movement.

October
• Second Monday in October: Columbus Day - Marks Christopher Columbus’s 1492 landing; also recognized by many as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

November
• November 11: Veterans Day - Honors all U.S. military veterans.
• Fourth Thursday in November: Thanksgiving Day - Day of gratitude, family gatherings, and feasting.

December
• December 25: Christmas Day - Celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ; widely observed as a cultural holiday.