Some 47 vacationers were killed in traffic accidents during the Golden Week holiday period, which fell between April 28 and May 6, police said Monday.
This was down 16 from last year, they said.
Bad weather during the nine-day stretch aided this decline by discouraging people from going on car or motorcycle excursions, according to National Police Agency officials.
The road accident death toll for the period -- including that of nonvacationers -- totaled 205, down three from last year.
In all, 21,336 people were injured in 16,787 traffic accidents. This was down 8.4 percent from last year, while the number of accidents itself dropped by 9.4 percent.
They also said 2,644 "bosozoku" hot-rodders were questioned and sent to prosecutors during Golden Week. Grouped in informal gangs, bosozoku typically ride around in souped-up cars or motorcycles and try to create as much noise as possible by revving their engines.