Nationwide, people in Japan enjoyed a three-day weekend (March 20th to 22nd) and welcomed in spring with a national holiday (Vernal Equinox Day) on Friday.
Below we share amateur photos taken in metro Tokyo, for a street-level view of what the city looked like this weekend.
On Thursday, March 19th, an expert panel had recommended that people avoid large gatherings and enclosed areas in order to help control the spread of the novel coronavirus. For the same reason, officials have also been urging people not to do hanami (cherry blossom viewing picnics), one of Japan’s most important and beloved annual rituals. The photos below only provide a little anecdotal evidence, but it seems that many people around the Tokyo metro region chose not to follow these recommendations (except perhaps near Tokyo Tower?).
Asakusa
China Town, Yokohama
Nakano Central Park, Nakano, Tokyo
Oshiage Station – SkyTree
Tokyo Tower
Lead photo: Sensoji (Temple) in Asakusa, around 1PM by Real Estate Japan staff