What is Golden Week? The Golden Week is a collection of four national holidays within seven days. In combination with well placed weekends, the Golden Week becomes one of Japan's three busiest holiday seasons, besides New Year and the Obon week. The national holidays making up the Golden Week are: * April 29 Showa Day (Showa no hi): April 29 is the birthday of former Emperor Showa, who died in the year 1989. Until 2006, Greenery Day (see May 4) used to be celebrated on this day. * May 3 Constitution Day (Kenpo kinenbi): On this day in 1947, the new post war constitution was put into effect. * May 4 Greenery Day (Midori no hi): Until 2006, Greenery Day used to be celebrated on April 29, the birthday of former Emperor Showa. The day is dedicated to the environment and nature, because the emperor loved plants and nature. Before being declared Greenery Day, May 4 used to be a national holiday due to a law, which declares a day, that falls between two national holidays, a national holiday. * May 5 Children's Day (Kodomo no hi): The Boy's Festival (Tango no Sekku) is celebrated on this day. Families pray for the health and future success of their sons by hanging up carp streamers and displaying samurai dolls, both symbolizing strength, power and success in life. The Girl's Festival, by the way, is celebrated on March 3. [Above reference from: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2282.html] During Golden Week 2007 in Tokyo, listen to "La Folle Journe au Japon," various classical music at the Tokyo International Forum (Wed. May 2 - Sun. May 6, 2007) and Marunochi and vacinity (Sun. April 29 - Sun. May 6, 2007) with the Artistic Director, Rene Martin. "This year's festival foucses on broad musical movements, interpreeted through the works of composers from Russia, Czech, Hugnary, Scandinavia, France and Spain. The works on the program are all firmly rooted in the stories of their respective regions and are sure to remind listeners of actual landsacapes or images of those places, somewhat like the feeling expereinced when listening to the background music in films." More info. http://www.t-i-forum.co.jp/english
