Golden Week under corona crisis: April 29-May 6, 2020

Japan had a series of holidays, or the golden week, from the end of April to the beginning of May.

People usually enjoy travelling and other fun times every year. The situation is quite different this year under the corona virus crisis.

The government issued a declaration of emergency in the beginning of April. Tokyo Metropolitan government Koike asked Tokyo people to stay in their homes as much as possible. She named the holiday season “the stay home week.”

Many people followed the governor’s requests. They refrained from having ling-distance travels and stayed long hours in their houses. They just went shopping of their necessities in the neighboring shops, had short-distance walks in for exercises, and visited parks nearby.

I had walks near my house almost every day.

There were various early-summer flowers in walking paths and parks.

It was the season of azalea flowers. 

The flowers were fully open in the Hanegi Park

I enjoyed the azalea at the Mishuku Shrine, which is at the side of the Karasuyamagawa walking path. (

I also found peony

Margaret flower (see also the 2nd photo from the top)

and dandelion (both flower and fluff)

It was the season of fresh green.

The flying carp swam elegantly in the Setagaya Shrine. (see the top photo)

The roads were less crowded. It is the scene of the Ring 7. (see also the 3re photo from the top)

It is Koshu-kaido road.

I found birds, fish and animals in the walking paths and parks.

Many carps were swimming in the Kanda River.

Little egrets, geese and other birds were in the creeks and ponds.

While the lives of the people are deeply hit by the virus, the seasons change as usual.