Marine Day (Umi no Hi)2026 · Date · History
Cabinet Office, Government of Japan
About Marine Day (Umi no Hi)
Marine Day, or Umi no Hi, is a Japanese national holiday normally observed on the third Monday in July.
Japan’s Cabinet Office describes its purpose as giving thanks for the benefits of the sea and wishing for the prosperity of Japan as a maritime nation.
Why Marine Day (Umi no Hi) matters
The holiday connects Japan’s national calendar with the country’s long relationship with the sea, including maritime transport, fisheries, coastal life and marine environments.
It is a statutory national holiday, so its date history is governed by Japanese holiday law rather than by an informal annual campaign.
History of Marine Day (Umi no Hi)
A 1995 amendment to Japan’s Act on National Holidays created Marine Day as a national holiday on July 20, effective from 1996. The first Marine Day national holiday was July 20, 1996.
The fixed July 20 date had a historical link to Marine Memorial Day, which had been observed on July 20 from 1941 and commemorated Emperor Meiji’s 1876 return to Yokohama aboard the Meiji Maru.
A 2001 holiday-law amendment moved Marine Day to the third Monday in July beginning in 2003 as part of reforms intended to create more consecutive days off.
Special legislation shifted Marine Day to July 23 in 2020 and July 22 in 2021 for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic schedule. Those were exceptions; the normal third-Monday rule resumed afterward.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Marine Memorial Day (Umi no Kinenbi)
The 1995 national-holiday amendment created Marine Day effective in 1996, drawing on the established July 20 maritime commemoration.
National Diet of Japan
Act Partially Amending the Act on National Holidays (Act No. 22 of 1995)
First documented observance
Government transport-ministry material identifies 20 July 1996 as the first Marine Day national holiday.
Moved Marine Day from the fixed date of 20 July to the third Monday in July beginning in 2003.
National Diet of Japan · Act Partially Amending the Act on National Holidays (Act No. 59 of 2001)
Temporarily shifted Marine Day to 23 July 2020 and 22 July 2021 for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic schedule.
Government of Japan · Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic special holiday provisions
Government of Japan
The Cabinet Office maintains the statutory holiday definition and annual calendar.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
2 fields not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Later institutional actions
Later recognition, renaming, mergers or date changes are kept separate from original establishment.
Also known as
Marine Day in Japan
How to Observe Marine Day (Umi no Hi)
Check Japan’s Cabinet Office holiday calendar for the exact date in a particular year, especially when planning travel or business schedules.
Learn about Japan’s maritime history, ports, marine science or coastal conservation through museums and public institutions.
Visit coastal events or aquariums that publish Marine Day programming, following local safety and environmental rules.
If creating historical material, distinguish the statutory Marine Day holiday from its Marine Memorial Day precursor.
Marine Day (Umi no Hi) Facts
Marine Day is a Japanese national holiday normally held on the third Monday in July.
The national holiday was created by a 1995 legal amendment and first observed in 1996.
Marine Day originally fell on July 20 and moved to the third Monday in July from 2003.
Marine Memorial Day, observed from 1941, is a historical precursor rather than the same statutory holiday.
The 2020 and 2021 Olympic-related dates were temporary legal exceptions to the normal annual rule.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
Cabinet Office Japan — Marine Day background (opens in a new tab)
National Government Dedicated Page
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism — 1995 White Paper (opens in a new tab)
Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism — 1996 White Paper (opens in a new tab)
Cabinet Office Japan — National holidays (opens in a new tab)
National Government Holiday Law Guidance
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is Marine Day (Umi no Hi)?
Third Monday in July; 20 July 2026 The documented recurrence rule is: Third Monday in July.
Does Marine Day (Umi no Hi) fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is Marine Day (Umi no Hi) an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: Japanese national holiday. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes Marine Day (Umi no Hi)?
The reviewed sources identify National Diet of Japan as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as Government of Japan.
Is Marine Day (Umi no Hi) international or country-specific?
No single country is assigned to this observance. Its documented scope is: Japanese national holiday. Use that scope rather than assuming worldwide or country-specific status.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-06.
When is Marine Day in Japan?
Under the normal rule, Marine Day is the third Monday in July.
When did Marine Day become a national holiday?
A 1995 amendment created the holiday effective in 1996, and the first national-holiday observance was July 20, 1996.
Why did Marine Day move from July 20?
A 2001 holiday-law amendment moved it to the third Monday in July from 2003 as part of a reform intended to create more consecutive days off.
Why were the 2020 and 2021 dates different?
Special legislation temporarily moved several Japanese holidays for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic schedule. Marine Day was July 23 in 2020 and July 22 in 2021 before the normal rule resumed.
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