As the area covered by the state of emergency has expanded to the first weekend, shops and accommodations have been forced to close in tourist areas.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple in Kyoto
On the first weekend after the state of emergency was declared in the three prefectures of Kansai, the shops around Kiyomizu-dera, a tourist attraction in Kyoto, were conspicuous and the traffic was sparse.
The area around Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto's leading tourist destinations with restaurants and souvenir shops, and is usually crowded with tourists.
However, due to the state of emergency, some stores were closing the shutters with a sticker to inform them that they would be closed until the 7th of next month, and the traffic was sparse.
Under these circumstances, there are souvenir shops that sell key chains, etc., which are usually open from around 10 am on the 16th, but the number of visitors is decreasing by about 80%.
A man who runs a souvenir shop said, "I'm worried about what will happen in the future because the number of people is decreasing like last year's state of emergency. We support stores like us as well as restaurants that responded to shortened business hours. I want you to do it. "
The downtown area of Kobe is halved
About half of the shoppers are usually in the downtown area of Kobe, and people in the shopping district have expressed anxiety about the future.
In response to the declaration of emergency, Hyogo Prefecture is requesting the citizens of the prefecture to refrain from going out unnecessarily, especially after 8:00 pm.
The shopping district in the downtown area of Kobe Sannomiya was visited by families, and the situation was not as quiet as it was when it was declared last year.
Even so, the number of shoppers has decreased considerably, and a 34-year-old female store manager of a women's shoe store said, "The number of people in the shopping district is less than last week. The number of customers in the store has decreased by half, and the operation is operating. It's tough. I'm trying my best not to lose to Corona, "he said.
In addition, a 23-year-old female clerk at a men's clothing store said, "Today's number of people seems to be on weekdays, and I think it has decreased compared to the usual weekend. I will. "
A 28-year-old man from Kobe who visited the shopping district said, "I came for shopping. Since the corona infection is spreading, I finish my errands as soon as possible and go home and do not go out at night. I was talking.
In addition, a man in his 50s in Kobe who came to shop with his wife said, "I came to buy for that because it will be a" stay home "in the state of emergency. I want Corona to converge quickly." It was.
Tochigi Kinugawa Onsen Accommodation is closed
At Kinugawa Onsen in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, hotels and inns are forced to close.
Of these, at "Kinugawa Grand Hotel Yume no Ki" last month, reservations for about 2000 people were canceled due to the suspension of "Go To Travel" in the country, and reservations were almost gone after the declaration of emergency, so next month I decided to take a lot of holidays.
It is said that the suspension of business has a wide range of effects not only on hotel employees but also on traders involved in managing foodstuffs and facilities, but the hotel side is seeking understanding by contacting them individually. is.
President Emi Hagi said, "I am taking a leave of absence voluntarily, but the situation is even more difficult because there is no compensation for the leave. If this happens once or twice, I have to think about whether I can open the business from next year onwards." I was talking.
According to the local tourism association, during the state of emergency until the 7th of next month, there are many weekdays, and about 80% of the hotels and inns that are members of the union are scheduled to be closed.
Kinugawa / Kawaji Branch Manager of Nikko City Tourism Association said, "It is very painful for customers in the metropolitan area to not come to this area. I hope the infection will end soon." I was talking.