Japanese Silver Week Holidays Began, Heavy Traffic and People Everywhere

After six years, Silver Week happens again. It occurs by 3 Japanese national holidays in September to run continuously. This Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are national holidays and it became 5 days off work for many as Saturday and Sunday are also holidays. Many Japanese has been looking forward to this 5 days break from work.

This break allows many to go travel. Some might go back to hometown, some might go to travel abroad or visit somewhere famous.  It causes traffic to be very jammed.

JR East said its Tokaido Shinkansen trains were running at the maximum of 170% limit on Saturday morning while Tohoku Shinkansen trains were at 150%, Fuji TV reported. 

Many of the highways are fully jammed too. According to the Japan Road Traffic Information Center, Tomei Expressway, Chuo Expressway, Kanetsu expressway are all making long ques of cars and vehicles.

According to the Japanese weather casts, the first half of the silver weeks will be sunny at most of the cities of the eastern coast of the country. However, it is expected to be covered by more clouds and partly raining at the ends of the 5 days break.

Aircrafts reported that household flights from Haneda and Osaka airports were fully packed on Saturday. Hawaii is the most famous spot to be visited this time as there are many great tours of 4 to 5 days.  

Everybody can enjoy their break, but it will ends eventually after 5 days.  The return rush is expected to reach the peak on Wednesday afternoon when all people need to go back home and return to the original working cycle.

Next Silver Week will happen in 2026.

News Source: Asahi Shimbun