People began to head to their hometowns and holiday destinations Saturday for the Obon holiday. The unusual summer this year has been marked by the unstoppable spread of the novel coronavirus, and the platforms of Shinkansen bullet trains heading from Tokyo and Osaka to other parts of Japan were deserted as many people refrained from returning home.
The Shinkansen platforms at Tokyo Station are usually packed with families with large bags, but few people were seen Saturday morning and there were many empty seats in the waiting rooms.
According to JR companies, the highest occupancy rate for unreserved seats by 10:30 a.m. Saturday was 70% on the Tokaido Shinkansen's Nozomi No. 1 train from Tokyo to Hakata.
According to the Japan Road Traffic Information Center, as of 10 a.m., there was a 17-kilometer traffic jam near the Hino bus stop on the Chuo Expressway and a 16-kilometer traffic jam near the Yamato Tunnel on the Tomei Expressway.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
