Come spring, flower viewing is one of the most popular activities in Japan, and the Sakura Tulip Festa – Kanto region’s largest tulip festival – proves that people will flock to photograph all kinds of beautiful blooms, not just cherry blossoms. Held annually at the Sakura Furusato Square in Tokyo’s neighbouring prefecture, Chiba, the tulip festival boasts 800,000 blooms of 100 different tulip varieties. There's even a Dutch-style windmill in the background to amp up the festival's photogenic factor.
While the event was cancelled even before Japan declared a nationwide state of emergency to curb the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, it seems people just couldn’t help themselves and still ventured out to get a glimpse of these colourful bulbs.
Despite car park closures, Sakura city officials still counted around 400 visitors on April 11, the first weekend after the state of emergency was announced for Chiba prefecture.
虚しいねーー
— 横浜の人(愛称エル) (@YokohamaNoHito) April 19, 2020
千葉県佐倉市が管理する佐倉ふるさと広場（佐倉市臼井田）で市が新型コロナウイルス感染拡大防止対策として約100種類、約80万本のチューリップを全て刈り取った。
恒例の「チューリップフェスタ」は中止となったものの、チューリップを見物しに次々と人が集まったためで密集を避けるため pic.twitter.com/j1Fpuaagzc
To stop unwanted visitors from flocking to the tulip fields, Sakura city and the local tourism association made the sad and extreme decision to cut down all 800,000 tulips between April 14 and 15.
以前住んでいた千葉県佐倉市。
— ふ れ ん ち@通信制限中 (@Frenchtoast01) April 21, 2020
愛知のローカルテレビに映ってた！
人が集まらないように、
チューリップを刈り取るというもの。
せっかく育てたのにね😭 pic.twitter.com/vokfYYmYTw
The tulip fields look awfully bare now, but let’s hope these measures are successful in making people realise how important social distancing is as we battle this global pandemic.
Enjoy staying home
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