Tokyo wants cherry blossom viewers to keep it moving during coronavirus outbreak

TOKYO — The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is cautioning visitors to city parks to set aside tradition to avoid the threat of coronavirus as they enjoy the iconic, seasonal Japanese cherry blossoms.

Nonetheless, throngs of visitors gathered beneath the cherry blossoms in Tokyo city parks over the weekend. Of those that turned up Sunday in Ueno Park, where more than 3 million took part in cherry blossom season last year, many came wearing surgical-style face masks.

The advent of sakura, or cherry blossoms, came early this year, on March 14, thanks to temperatures more like May than March, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The height of the bloom occurred Sunday.

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