Shinjuku under the corona outbreak: July 20, 2020

 

About six months have passed since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Japan in late January.

The numbers of the confirmed cases as well as victims are relatively low, like some other Asian countries, if we compare the numbers with ones in the U.S. and European countries. The confirmed cases as of July 20 are 25276 while the number of victims is about 1000 (The numbers are about 3.8 million and 140 thousand, respectively, in the U.S.)

Still, the infection is increasing again especially in Tokyo. The daily report of new infection reached 200 in April, decreased to 2-30 level in late May, increased again in the beginning of July and reached 293 on July 17.

Wearing masks and keeping social distances have become common among people.

Shinjuku is one of the busiest shopping areas in Japan.

It is reported that more than total 3.5 million people used Shinjuku Station (JR, Odakyu, Keio and subway) every day before the corona outbreak. It became almost empty in April, when the country declared emergency and asked people not to go out.

The station was not empty today. However, there were not many people. (See also the top, second and 4th photos)

 

The bus terminal near the railroad station was almost empty.

 

I found few people walking in the Shinjuku Street, one of the main streets in the area.

 

Many corona infection cases are found among the guests as well as the hosts and hostess of drinking bars, cabaret clubs (Japanese style hostess bar) and Karaoke bars.

 

There are many such places in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho area. (See also the 3rd photo)

 

I carefully walked the streets in the area in the daytime. I found many Karaoke bars and other bars, restaurants were open. Still there were few people walking in the streets.

 

 

 

Hydrangea’s season: June 15-21, 2020

 

Tokyo is now in the rainy season.

 The season’s flowers change as time goes. It was Japanese apricot (Ume) in March; cherry in April; azalea in May; and hydrangea in June.

 We can find various kinds of hydrangea flowers in the towns.

 

Many hydrangea flowers are planted at the sides of the Setagaya Line. 

The train cars are in various designs.

 

The hydrangea flowers are fully open in the walkways, including the Karasuyama-gawa walkway.

 

They have many kinds of hydrangea flowers in the Roka Park in western Tokyo.

Some have white flowers.

 

Others are blue.

 

It is said that there are about 2000 kinds of hydrangea flowers in the world. The shapes of the flowers as well as the colors are different.

 

 

Dog park reopens: @Roka Park June 17, 2020

The restrictions on activities have been gradually eased in Tokyo. 

The dog park in the Roka koshun-en Park reopened in June. It was closed in the late March.

Dogs run in the field happily.

 

The owners of the dogs talked each other.

 

Tokyo Metropolitan government took initiative in requesting people self-restraint of their activities in the late March. The dog park was closed then.

The Japanese government followed the actions of Tokyo and other local government when it declared emergency on April 7.

The declaration was lifted in all prefectures on May 25.

 

The ratio of the Covid-19 infection as well as death is far lower than the ratios in the U.S. and European countries. The ration stays at the similar level with major Asian countries. (The reason of the difference between Asia and U.S. and Europe is not answered)

 

The lives and activities in Tokyo is gradually reopening, but the “New reality” must be different from old reality. We are not free from the risk of the 2nd wave of the infection.

 

 

 

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.

Tokyo Station under emergency declaration: April 7, 2020

Japan issued a declaration of emergency on April 7 on the outbreak of coronavirus in seven prefectures –- Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, Osaka, Hyogo, and Fukuoka.

The residents were requested stay home. Event centers and other facilities were asked to close.

Still, there is no compulsory power in the declaration. The situation is different from many countries in the point.

I visited Tokyo station.

The space in front of the station was almost empty. (See also the top photo)

The underground spaces and walkways were almost empty in the afternoon at around 3 o’clock.

Security-guard people were standing here and there.

Some of them were walking around. (See the second photo from the top)

There were few people walking in the business streets near the station.

The trains which run through Tokyo Station district are uncrowded. The 3rd photo is taken in a subway train of the Chiyoda Line.

Spring flowers and flesh green: April 4-8, 2020

It is April.

The world is shaken with the spread of the corona virus, but the season is changing.

It is getting warmer and days are getting longer.

The peak of the cherry blossom season has already over. The pink petals are falling on the ground.

Still, the trees still held flowers in the first week of April.

The new leaves began to grow in various trees.

The photo at the top shows a combination of cherry flower and ginkgo trees' flesh green. 

The second photo also shows cherry and flesh green. 

The left photo is the tulip trees at the Kitazawa walking path.

It is flesh green of the ginkgo trees in the Hanegi Park.

Now, violet and other spring flowers are open.