In 1946 Indonesia declared 21 April, the day Kartini was born, as a national holiday in her honour. President Sukarno saw Kartini as a symbol of Idonesia's nationalist struggle. The day had to remind people of her advocacy of women's rights and should inspire others to follow in het footsteps. 

While still living at her parents’ place, Kartini opened a school for young girls within the palace's premises. To commemorate Kartini's advocacy of girls' education, many schools were named after her. Among them schools in Samarinda, Jepara and Wonosobo.

After her death, Kartini was buried in a monumental tomb, later joined by her husband, his first wife and other members of the family. The tombs are located in the Rembang Regency, in the city of Bulu, slightly to the east of Jepara. Kartini’s grave has become a place of importance and worship, that is frequently visited by admirers, especially but not exclusively by women. Many people spend time at her grave, leaving flowers as a sign of respect. Kartini’s position as a hero has resulted in a Kartini Museum, a statue in front of the location of her tomb, schools named in her honour and many publications,

studies and conferences devoted to her and her legacy. The UNESCO Memory of the World status, recently awarded to Kartini’s letters and archives, underlines her importance as one of the early pioneers for gender equality. 

Every year around International Women’s Day (8 March), the City of The Hague organizes the Kartini Prize. The Prize intends to promote the emancipation of women and their social position in society. As the city states, everyone counts, man or woman. In 2025 the prize was awarded to ‘Femmes for Freedom’, an organization that aims to increase independence for women, in line with Kartini’s views on marriage and women’s rights. 

Many people, including artists, are still inspired by her writings and opinions. Like the artist Trianto who takes some of Kartini's photo’s as a starting point to create new works. In the photo series "What am I going to be when I grow up? Raden Ayu of course", Indonesian photographer Abednego Trianto gives insight into the historical gender inequality in studio portraits of the Javanese nobility during the period of colonial rule in the Dutch East Indies.