Showa Day (Golden Week), Japan

29 April was originally celebrated as the birthday of Emperor Showa (Hirohito). After his death in 1989, it became known as Greenery Day or Nature Day (the emperor was a keen marine biologist) until 2006. But in 2007, it returned to its original name of Showa Day and Greenery Day is now celebrated as a separate event on 4 May as part of the Golden Week celebrations. This week is one of the three biggest holiday seasons in Japan (together with New Year and the summer O-Bon Festival) and a time when travel and accommodation services are under tremendous pressure. As Golden Week provides all the trauma of mass travel without any particularly spectacular festivals, it is probably best avoided.