Showa Day

It’s a national holiday in Japan today. April 29 is the birthday of former Emperor Showa, who died in1989.

Japan’s longest-serving Emperor is better known as Hirohito. He occupied the Chrysanthemum Throne from 1926, through the war years.

No longer celebrated as much as in the past, it marks the start of a number of National holidays over the next week that’s collectively known as Golden Week.

Traditionally the most popular holiday period of the year it has been remarkably quiet today.