Japan used the lunisolar calendar up until the Meiji Restoration when it adopted the Gregorian calendar. The year 1872 finished on December 2nd. The following day became January 1st 1873, so all the holidays shifted by 29 days.

There were five numerology based special days that were based on the lunisolar calendar: the 1st day of the 1st month (New Year's Day), 3rd day of the 3rd month (Doll's Festival), 5th day of the 5th month (Children's Day), 7th day of the 7th month (Star Festival), and 9th day of the 9th month (Chrysanthemum Festival).