The first working day of 2026

January 4th marks “Goyō‑hajime” or “Shigoto‑hajime,” the first working day of the year for government offices and many companies in Japan. This tradition dates back to 1873, when the New Year holiday period was legally set from December 29th to January 3rd.

However, as January 4th fell on a Sunday in 2026, January 5th became the first day of the 2026 work year. Many government offices and even private companies had their first work day of the year today. I happened to be in two government offices today. Both were very busy. 

In the past, many offices and companies had opening ceremonies on the first day of work of the New Year. But in recent years, as part of work‑style reform, some organizations have stopped holding these ceremonies. One of the reasons for that is to make it easier for employees to take extra days off, that is annual leave, for a longer New Year holiday.