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Hanami cherry blossom viewing season begins in Japan as cities around the world shut down

Oona McGee Mar 22, 2020
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Questions about complacency are being raised as people gather at popular sakura spots in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

As Japan shrugs off the cold days of winter, people around the country start thinking about the hanami cherry blossom viewing season, that long-awaited time of year when people gather together under the sakura trees to enjoy parties with friends and work colleagues while getting drunk on beers and the beauty of the blossoms

This year, however, things feel different as Japan — like many other countries around the world right now — struggles to contain the coronavirus outbreak. Unlike a number of countries elsewhere, however, Japan is taking a less drastic approach to containment, choosing to keep things running more or less as usual, with a few exceptions like: restricting arrivals from certain countries; asking schools, large tourist sites and events to close; making requests for foreign travellers to self-quarantine for 14 days; and advising locals to stay away from crowded, poorly ventilated areas.

Japan’s lenient stance may seem surprising, but it’s in response to the relatively slow rise of cases being recorded in Japan compared to the rest of the world (Japan is the line second from the bottom, in red). Pundits from overseas, however, are concerned that the low numbers being reported are due to the low number of people actually being tested for the virus.

新型コロナウイルスの各国での感染の広がりをみると、ほとんどの国で感染者が100人を超えた日から約2週間にわたって1日に33%以上感染者が増えている。日本とシンガポールは例外的に、そのレベルを下回っている。 https://t.co/uDMqOoMA0g

— graphstock (@graph_stock_com) March 19, 2020

Now that the cherry blossoms have started blooming in Tokyo, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is asking people to exercise self-restraint when it comes to holding sakura parties in municipally managed parks and riversides during hanami season.

With no penalties in place to ensure people are exercising this self-restraint, however, the sunny springtime weather and the call of the blossoms has been strong in some parts of the country, and photos from the weekend show a lot of people out and about ignoring signs asking people to refrain from hanami gatherings.

▼ Toyosu Park in Tokyo’s Koto Ward.

花見客が多すぎる不要不急の外出をひか宴会 (@ 豊洲公園 in Koto, 東京都) https://t.co/npA1LXVbf8 pic.twitter.com/qYfHijZS9n

— えすくろ (@escro__) March 21, 2020

Some of the top hanami sites in Tokyo were popular with visitors on the weekend, and Shinjuku Gyoen even held a Free Admission Day from Friday through to Sunday, which drew throngs of people to the park.

花見をしに新宿御苑に来てみた。
凄い人。(苦笑)
なんと無料開園日だった。そりゃ、人が多いはずだわ。 pic.twitter.com/Optseo4JNf

— お志乃（東雲） (@shinohal3) March 21, 2020

The free admission day was reportedly a coronavirus countermeasure designed to sidestep the problem of crowding, and therefore possible virus transmission, at the ticket windows.

今日（２０２０年３月２１日）近所の新宿御苑に少し寄ってみた。昨日同様無料開園していた（新宿御苑無料開園理由は、コロナウィルス影響で入園窓口の混雑で人が密集避けるため）・・・新宿駅南口から数分で着く新宿御苑、桜満開の今日　#新宿御苑　 #新宿駅南口　 #新宿御苑無料理由　 #公園　 #無料理由 pic.twitter.com/Lr4BLyUBjB

— オセロ名人 (@othellomeijin) March 21, 2020

However, the line for the new Starbucks inside the park — which opened on 20 March — was filled with people. While other countries are recommending people practice social distancing and keep a distance of six feet (two meters) between people, this recommendation is not being made by the Japanese government.

https://twitter.com/tqchlz1/status/1240883612716654594

Signs at the entrance to the park informed visitors that the consumption of alcohol on the grounds is prohibited, and the use of plastic sheets, like the ones usually used for hanami parties, were also prohibited, as part of the park’s coronavirus countermeasures.

千駄ヶ谷事務所での打ち合わせを終えて新宿御苑へ。なんと今日は無料開園してますよ。そして桜が見ごろを迎えてます。たくさんの人が花見をしてあちこちで小さな歓声が上がっていて。やっぱりいいね桜は。今からでも間に合うから近くにいる人はぜひ。 pic.twitter.com/LakGP80sDg

— 小林浩美（Summer Planet.） (@hiroumi163xxx73) March 22, 2020

▼ Still, some visitors couldn’t resist a hanami picnic under the trees.

新宿御苑桜
咲いてるところは9分咲#無料開放日 pic.twitter.com/xFukaBMIs5

— back number好き。 (@017bnlov) March 21, 2020

At Meguro River, another famous hanami hotspot, the usual riverside stalls were open and ready for business.

都内桜🌸巡り最後は目黒川🎶
まだ全体的には2分咲程度💦
でも食べ歩き、飲み歩き最高だった😆💖

羽生君、去年のたまアリセセン後も直ぐにトロントに戻り、最近日本の春は楽しめてないね
でも確実に時間は流れ季節は移ろう
早くコロナが終息して日本でゆっくり出来ますように😌✨✨ pic.twitter.com/e1WEJ94t4b

— モグモグ (@atsuryou) March 21, 2020

The area beneath the trees, however, was cordoned off with signs prohibiting parties and sitting in the area.

桜の名所「目黒川」今日の開花状況です。
花見宴会禁止の表示が見受けられました。 pic.twitter.com/CFZINEGjrA

— 芦野雄一 (@LuYe1950) March 17, 2020

▼ This sign by the river asks that people mind their “cough ettiquette“.

渋谷から中目黒に移動。目黒川沿いに花見をしながら歩く。新型コロナウイルス感染症の影響もあるのか人も多くない。最終目的地は入管問題調査会というオチです。 pic.twitter.com/dTgJs4VqPm

— HARA Bunjiro 原文次郎 (@harabun) March 19, 2020

The Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo, which is located right by the river, has closed temporarily from 20-29 March to avoid attracting crowds .

目黒川の花見混雑に拍車をかけるであろうと予想された中目黒のスターバックスローズタリーは、今日から3月29日まで暫定営業休止。 pic.twitter.com/OkDMh0t4rV

— Naco (@MCNaco) March 20, 2020

▼ “Not as many people as usual, but there are still quite a few people about. The sakura are about one-third in bloom.”

例年ほどではないにしても結構人いる... 桜は3分咲きくらい　#中目黒　 #目黒川 pic.twitter.com/O056xmk9RZ

— Brasilia(ブラジリア) 中目黒 (@nakame_brasilia) March 20, 2020

Pink-and-white lanterns are usually strung beneath the sakura trees at Meguro River and lit up at night during the blossoming period. This year, however, in an effort to discourage crowds from gathering, there are no lanterns.

246側の方が開いてるかな。#目黒川 #目黒川の桜 pic.twitter.com/jPwCHykic8

— 結婚してくれ (@sammymorgan100) March 21, 2020

At Ueno Park, the city’s premier hanami spot, netting is being used to keep people from conducting hanami parties under the trees, with signs saying “No Parties” in Japanese and English.

上野公園　宴会禁止で夜桜見学快適すぎワラタ pic.twitter.com/0aoGBPhZ4X

— AKB428 (@n428dev) March 21, 2020

上野公園に花見に来ました pic.twitter.com/BNYCPVzfo3

— mishizaki (@mishi_cs) March 21, 2020

▼ However, photos reveal people are crossing over into the prohibited area to sit under the trees.

上野公園。コロナとかどこ吹く風か人がものすごい来てる。ただ、やはりメイン通りは大人しくみな横一列に並んで座って花見していた。今まで見たことない風景。 pic.twitter.com/hZH2evPRtj

— citydance (@countrydance) March 21, 2020

▼ The usual stalls are still doing business here too.

上野公園で花見した pic.twitter.com/LMu9ra7tKb

— イチノドン(壱乃曇) (@ichinodon) March 21, 2020

This sign asks people, in bright red writing, to refrain from laying sheets out and partying in groups with food and drinks, but the scene behind the sign hints at a different story.

みんな花見しとって草＠上野公園 pic.twitter.com/iMkw2tqE8u

— あやぱんつ (@aya6302) March 21, 2020

There are areas in the park where people can be seen enjoying hanami picnics, but they’re not the large drunken party gatherings that are usually seen at this time of year.

芝生エリアは花見ができる上野公園 pic.twitter.com/dyO91bwCMU

— ぐれっく (@Greg_Eagle) March 21, 2020

上野公園は地味に花見中です pic.twitter.com/efldGWnHlH

— 加藤浩@次はしぞーか合同展 (@jot29qQHPrHE9Gh) March 21, 2020

While there were fewer people around the park, it certainly wasn’t empty, and the dip in numbers was due in part to the dramatic decrease in foreign tourists due to restrictions placed on travel by governments abroad.

上野、それなりに人がいる。が、花見できないからか、例年よりはいない pic.twitter.com/qcMJV1BR3Z

— 志摩@寧々ちゃん (@shima_RE) March 20, 2020

上野公園みんな花見来てる🌸 pic.twitter.com/MsDJR56GpO

— キラキラ三十路@陰キャ〜＾ (@kira2ouji) March 21, 2020

Yoyogi Park, another well-known hanami destination, also has similar signs asking people to refrain from spreading out sheets and having parties.

代々木公園の立て看板。ひっそりと家族連れでの花見はオーケーだよと書かれています。空が青い。 pic.twitter.com/rSzoOMJ7A6

— 佐倉萌 (@moesakuran0202) March 21, 2020

▼ However, there’s no stopping the hanami get-togethers here.

https://twitter.com/DebunekoLime/status/1241239841896951808

代々木公園、普通に花見の宴会している。
これじゃ、新型コロナウィルスの収束は、時間がかかりそうかな。#新型コロナウィルス #代々木公園 pic.twitter.com/l4B6k3dnPS

— スチームボート (@roku6318) March 21, 2020

https://twitter.com/okamomasayoshi/status/1241214332211326978

Some people reported seeing patrols breaking up more rambunctious groups and gatherings of people who’d laid out large plastic sheets.

🌸ソメイヨシノ桜開花情報
パトロール隊。
大声で騒いでいる人たちや大きなレジャーシートを広げているグループには自粛喚起😊#代々木公園　 #桜　 #花見 pic.twitter.com/J6E93hR5HT

— 代々木公園イベント大好き (@iloveyoyogipark) March 21, 2020

These patrol workers didn’t ask all partygoers to disband their picnics, but they did make announcements at the entrance reminding visitors to follow the government’s request to refrain from holding large enkai parties.

https://twitter.com/sparkviolet/status/1241600865623887872

It should be noted that the message from the government regarding hanami, which is reflected in the signs displayed in a lot of parks right now, is asking people to refrain from holding “enkai” in particular. Enkai literally translates to “banquet meeting”, but generally refers to large gatherings with food and alcohol that go for a number of hours, often into the night.

For Japanese people, an “enkai” is a party usually attended by a large number of work colleagues, university alumni, or members of a club or group like a sporting association. Having a picnic with your family or a few friends doesn’t really constitute an “enkai” here in Japan, which explains why the patrols at Ueno Park didn’t ask smaller groups to comply with the government’s request.

While a number of people will no doubt be surprised to see so many people enjoying hanami in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the messaging from the government here is very different to that being used in the West. In the West, the words “social distancing” and “self-isolation” are being widely used to describe the actions people should be taking right now to protect themselves against the virus, but here in Japan officials are using the word “自粛” (“jishuku“), which translates to “self-restraint” or “self-discipline“, to appeal for more cautionary behaviour when going out.

People are also being cautioned to stay away from congested places that aren’t well-ventilated, so for many, a short, restrained hanami picnic with a few friends in a well-ventilated area doesn’t appear to be breaching any governmental guidelines.

Just so the world knows that this is not about Japanese complacency, but us following advice from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. We’re being encouraged to go out as long as we avoid the *combo* of bad ventilation, crowds and proximal conversation. pic.twitter.com/irdu8RCKLx

— Naofumi Kagami - 🇵🇸 lives matter (@naofumi) March 21, 2020

However, given that people are already out and about, enjoying picnics under the blossoms when the sakura have just started to bloom, visitor numbers look set to rise during the peak blossoming period.

Here’s hoping the number of coronavirus cases don’t rise exponentially as well, because if people aren’t able to exercise self-restraint by themselves, the government may have to step in and do it for them.

Sources: Twitter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Featured image: Twitter/@roku6318
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