Tokyo on the alert for the coronavirus, Feb 28, 2020

With a spread of the coronavirus diseases, the lives of people in Tokyo have significantly changed.

There are fewer people walking in the towns. Trains are less crowded.

Many companies have asked their employees to work from home.

People have rushed to buy masks and other necessities. We do not find masks in the drugstores.

There were fewer people walking in the underground shopping centers and passways around Tokyo Station, I found.

This is a photo taken at an underground passway in Marunouchi, in the west of Tokyo Station. (See also the 2nd photo from the top)

The Character street in the Yaesu underground shopping area, which locates in the east side of Tokyo station, is usually crowded with Chinese and other foreign tourists. Today, I found only a few tourists.

The passways in Yaes underground shopping area were also quiet.

The situation on the ground was same. Only limited number of people were walking in the business streets in Otemachi close to Tokyo Station.

Most people were masks in Tokyo today. The photo shows a scene at Tokyo station. (See also the top photo)

Ume Festival @ Hanegi Park: Feb. 8, 2020

The Ume (Japanese apricot) blossom began.

They started Ume Festival at Hanegi Park in Setagaya City, Western Tokyo.

It is still cold -- we had the chilliest day yesterday in this winter in Tokyo. Still, the days are getting longer and the sun light is getting brighter.

I enjoyed red, white and pink flowers of Ume with blue sky behind.

There were many people enjoying Ume blossom in the park

I found many of them wore masks to keep them out of infection of corona virus and other diseases.

Masks are out of stock in drugstores in Tokyo at the moment.

This is a photo taken a week ago in the Hanegi Park. I found the moon and Venus over the ume trees. 

Impressive!