← 振替休日と国民の休日のしくみのページへ振替休日と国民の休日のしくみの英語ワークシート📄 PDF📝 Word基本アクティビティ🔑 解答
📅

How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · Worksheet 1

Where Does the Holiday Go?

Read the story. 英文を読もう。

ClassNo.Name
🔊 音声を聞こう
📅

1Japan has 16 national holidays. But what happens when a holiday falls on a Sunday? Sunday is already a day off, so people lose a holiday. To stop this, Japan made a new rule in 1973. If a holiday is on a Sunday, the next day that is not a holiday becomes a day off. In English, this day is called a substitute holiday.

2The first one came on April 30, 1973. That year, the Emperor's Birthday was on Sunday, April 29. So Monday became a holiday. At first, the substitute holiday was always the next day, a Monday. Many families got a long weekend.

3Golden Week made the rule tricky. Since 2007, May 3, 4, and 5 have all been holidays. So if May 4 is a Sunday, Monday is already Children's Day. Now the day off moves to the first day that is not a holiday. In 2025, it was Tuesday, May 6. In 2026, it was even a Wednesday.

4There is one more rule. A day between two holidays also becomes a day off. Some people call it an Othello holiday, like the board game. In Othello, a piece between two others changes color. On Tuesday, September 22, 2026, this rule gave people a day off. With the weekend, many people enjoyed five days off in a row. Before you plan a trip, check the calendar carefully!

Words 単語
  • national holiday 国民の祝日
  • fall on （日付が）〜に当たる
  • day off 休みの日
  • rule 決まり
  • substitute 代わりの
  • tricky ややこしい、むずかしい
  • between 〜の間に
  • in a row 連続して
© 原田英語 ｜ 世界の行事・祝日ナビ ｜ haradaeigo.com/holiday/How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · 1
📅

How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · Worksheet 2

Reading Check

Choose the best answer. 正しいものを選ぼう。

ClassNo.Name

  1. What is the main idea of this story?

    A How to plan a trip for Golden WeekB How Japan's rules for substitute holidays workC Why Japan has 16 holidaysD How to play Othello

  2. When was the first substitute holiday in Japan?

    A May 6, 2025B April 29, 1973C September 22, 2026D April 30, 1973

  3. Why was the substitute holiday in 2025 on a Tuesday?

    A Because Monday was already a holidayB Because Tuesday is always a holidayC Because the law changed in 2025D Because it rained on Monday

  4. In paragraph 3, "tricky" is closest in meaning to:

    A easyB difficultC funnyD short

  5. In the dialogue, what is the day off called in the U.K.?

    A An Othello dayB A Golden dayC A substitute dayD A long Monday

True or False? 正しければ T、ちがえば F に○

  1. Substitute holidays started in Japan in 1973.T   /   F
  2. A substitute holiday is always on a Monday.T   /   F
  3. A day between two holidays can become a day off.T   /   F
  4. In Japan, a Saturday holiday moves to Monday.T   /   F
© 原田英語 ｜ 世界の行事・祝日ナビ ｜ haradaeigo.com/holiday/How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · 2
📅

How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · Worksheet 3

Word Work

Words & phrases. 単語のれんしゅう。

ClassNo.Name

① Match the pictures and the words. 絵と単語を線で結ぼう。

📅suitcase
😴calendar
🧳school
🏫national flag
⚽sleep
🎌soccer

② Fill in the blanks. 語群から選んで（　）に入れよう。

happyholidaywintersoccersubstitutecalendartomorrowpencilSunday

A Surprise Day Off
On Sunday night, Taro looks at the (1) . "Oh no, I have a test (2) ," he says. His sister laughs. "No, you don't! Tomorrow is a (3) . The holiday was on (4) , so Monday is a (5) holiday." Taro is very (6) . He decides to study and play (7) on Monday.

© 原田英語 ｜ 世界の行事・祝日ナビ ｜ haradaeigo.com/holiday/How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · 3
📅

How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · Worksheet 4

Crossword Puzzle

Read the clues and fill in the puzzle. ヒントを読んで、クロスワードを完成させよう。

ClassNo.Name
12345678

Across →

  1. 2 A special day when school is closed. (7)
  2. 5 It shows all the days and months of the year. (8)
  3. 7 Something you must follow, like no running in the hall. (4)
  4. 8 The day before Monday. (6)

Down ↓

  1. 1 The first day of the school week. (6)
  2. 3 The fifth month of the year. (3)
  3. 4 Saturday and Sunday together. (7)
  4. 6 To relax and not work. (4)
© 原田英語 ｜ 世界の行事・祝日ナビ ｜ haradaeigo.com/holiday/How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · 4
📅

How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · Worksheet 5

Word Search

Find the hidden words. かくれた単語を探そう（→ ↓ ↘ ↗）。

ClassNo.Name
FRJDEIWSUELOWMEFDWEEKENDWHOSPSCALENDARONTKEFNNSNLRBEDSIPYUEJSARMNADUABOJUFWYGYYUMNWHOLIDAYCTUESDAYTCOUTSRYIISAFWYMNFFNPUJSUYECYPIFLDICTRVMDRIVCJGJGMKRPIGSTWJMHRRULEGUEGR

Find these words! 10

  • ☐ CALENDAR
  • ☐ HOLIDAY
  • ☐ LAW
  • ☐ MAY
  • ☐ MONDAY
  • ☐ REST
  • ☐ RULE
  • ☐ SUNDAY
  • ☐ TUESDAY
  • ☐ WEEKEND
© 原田英語 ｜ 世界の行事・祝日ナビ ｜ haradaeigo.com/holiday/How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · 5
📅

How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · Worksheet 6

Maze & Sentences

ClassNo.Name

Help the boy get to his day off!

Collect the letters on the right path. What is the secret word? 正しい道の文字を集めると、ひみつの言葉になるよ。

HOLIDAYSPWMGCAHIUH👦📅STARTGOAL

Secret word:

© 原田英語 ｜ 世界の行事・祝日ナビ ｜ haradaeigo.com/holiday/How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · 6
📅

How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · Worksheet 7

Class Activity & Writing

ClassNo.Name

Let's Write! 英語で書いてみよう。

On my next day off, I want to ______ because ______.

If I could make a new holiday, it would be on ______ because ______.

© 原田英語 ｜ 世界の行事・祝日ナビ ｜ haradaeigo.com/holiday/How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · 7
📅

How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · Worksheet 8

Trace & Color

Trace the words. Then color the picture! なぞって書こう。絵に色を塗ろう。

ClassNo.Name
📅
calendar
😴
sleep
🧳
suitcase
🏫
school
⚽
soccer

Draw your How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work! 振替休日と国民の休日のしくみの絵を描こう。

© 原田英語 ｜ 世界の行事・祝日ナビ ｜ haradaeigo.com/holiday/How Japan's Substitute Holidays Work · 8