typical day in Tokyo? A. People working in companies typically work from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays. There are many cases where Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays are days off, but some people in the service and real estate industries are off on weekdays and work on weekends.
For starters, what you need to know is that the regular work week is six days in Japan. So, legally, you're entitled to at least one day off weekly. However, while this is the legal minimum, most companies give two vacation days (usually Saturday and Sunday) to their full-time employees.
Opening hours of most shops are typically 10:00-20:00, though most shops are open on weekends and public holidays except New Year, and close on one day a week.
In response to Japan's increasing demographic crisis, Tokyo has introduced a four-day workweek for government employees to improve work-life balance and address the country's declining birth rate, with effect from April 2025.
Some countries have adopted a six-day workweek and one-day weekend (6×1), which can be Friday only (in Djibouti, Iran, Somalia and Libya), Saturday only (in Nepal), or Sunday only (in Mexico, Colombia, Uganda, Eritrea, India, Philippines, and Equatorial Guinea).
My Day Off in Japan as a Tired Salaryman (Nothing Special Happens) 😪
What country has quiet Sundays?
In Germany Sunday is also called “Ruhetag”, which translates to “day of rest” (literally meaning “quiet day”). This means that all chores, particularly noisy ones like mowing the lawn or vacuum cleaning the house will have to wait until the next week.
According to data released by Pokemon Sleep, a popular sleep-tracking app that was released in 2023, users in Japan on average get 7 hours, 1 minute of sleep on weekdays and 7 hours, 28 minutes on weekends.
All citizens and residents of Japan are eligible to use the public system, including foreigners who intend to stay in the country for over three months. However, treatment is not completely free, and many expats choose to buy supplemental health insurance to ensure they are covered while living in the country.
Did you know that Tonga is the only country in the world to be "officially" CLOSED on Sunday? It is actually illegal to work, and could be punishable by a large fine or imprisonment.
The median salary in Japan is about $3470, i.e., 471000 Yen per month. This indicates that 50% of the working population in Japan earns less than $3470, and the other 50% get higher wages than this amount.
A. People working in companies typically work from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays. There are many cases where Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays are days off, but some people in the service and real estate industries are off on weekdays and work on weekends.
New Year's Day marks the beginning of Japan's most important holiday season, the New Year season (正月, Shōgatsu), which generally refers to the first one, three or seven days of the year.
Starting April 2025, Japan's capital, Tokyo, will introduce a 4-day work week for government employees. Announced in December 2024, the initiative aims to combat the nation's declining fertility rates, which stood at 1.2 in 2023, and prevent "karoshi,” death by overwork.
Shichi-Go-San (七五三, lit. 'seven-five-three') is a traditional Japanese rite of passage and festival day for three- and seven-year-old girls, and five-year-old and sometimes three-year-old boys. It is held annually on November 15 and celebrates the growth and well-being of young children.
And I want you to give Japan the time and effort it deserves. Most experienced travelers and Japan enthusiasts would agree that a week is barely enough time to scratch the surface of Japan or any destination. And anything less than that really doesn't do Japan travel justice.
Cultural Practices. In Japan, it's customary for new mothers and their babies to sleep in the same bed. As children grow older, they transition to sleeping alone, which can create a cultural acceptance of sleeping separately. This practice often continues into adulthood and old age.
The results of our survey suggests that this happens around 38 minutes after midnight. Men (12.43 am) indicated to go to bed about 10 minutes later than women (12.33 am); and male students stay awake the longest, and in average indicated not to go to bed until 1:01 am.
Sleeping at work, known as Inemuri, is generally accepted in Japan within reason. It's seen as a sign that someone is working hard and not necessarily that they're not doing their job. But, there's an understanding that you should still be professional and not overdo it.
Iceland remains the most peaceful country in 2022, a position it has held since 2008. It is joined at the top of the index by New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark and Austria.
The concept of Ruhezeit originates from the Grundgesetz, or basic laws, of Germany, intertwined with the country's religious traditions. Historically, Germany was a deeply religious nation, and to facilitate church attendance, the government minimized work on Sundays.
Zurich, Switzerland, stands out as one of the quietest cities in the world. The city's dedication to creating and maintaining quiet zones ensures everyone can enjoy peace and quiet. This peace is no accident but the result of thoughtful urban planning and strict regulations.
