If you travel to racecourses, you should remember the periods that are uniquely seen in Japan. Learn how regular Japanese people spend a year to avoid heavy traffic and save money for tickets and accommodations. The following are the periods for which you need to deliberate when planning.
1. Avoid Golden Week (from the end of April to the beginning of May)
This period is likely to be long days off for most workers in Japan because four national holidays during the period and weekends around them make it easier for people to have straight days off. Some workers even take paid days off in addition to the national holidays and weekends to make days off much longer.
This period, called “Golden Week,” is best for visiting their hometown with family members, taking a domestic trip, or going overseas. People rush into trains, airports, highways, and accommodations, leading to higher prices than usual and reservation difficulties.
2. Avoid Obon (the middle of August)
The Obon mostly begins from August 13 to August 15, depending on the region. It is a festival time for people to return to their hometowns to pray for their ancestors, whose souls are believed to come down to the existing world during that period. Many workers take additional days off before and after Obon so that they are combined with Obon to take a week off.
Traffic between big cities and suburban areas will likely become congested during Obon. But since most people spend those days calmly at home in their hometowns, hotels, and even popular tourist destinations, they are sometimes less busy than on regular days. It’s worth checking vacancies and accommodation prices. You would rather have difficulties reserving tickets for transportation.
3. Avoid Nenmatsu-Nenshi (Nenmatsu=the end of the year, Nenshi=New year’s days)
In Japan, most offices close from December 29 through January 3. Like Obon, many people go to their hometowns to enjoy reunions with their family members and relatives. You’ll see congestion in public transportation and roads, but you might get a great deal on hotels, particularly in large cities. Downtowns of large cities usually become the calmest in a year during Nenmatsu-Nenshi.
Note that none of the race gambling organizers suspend their races during the above periods. They even pack racing days in these periods to expect more sales. Ironically, you’ll have more choices for racing days and racecourses during these periods while struggling with heavier congestion and financial burdens.
Lastly, let me remind you that Japanese people don’t take days off on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. Please tell me how turkey tastes since I have never eaten before :-).