Oze National Park, which straddles the four prefectures of Gunma, Fukushima, Niigata and Tochigi, was opened to the public Saturday, but there were few visitors as the public continues to refrain from going out over the coronavirus.
Mizubasho (Asian skunk cabbage) flowers are in full bloom around the Ozegahara Plateau where the snow is melting in the 37,200-hectare park of mountains and wetlands. However, the Oze Preservation Foundation, the Environment Ministry and other related bodies have asked visitors to refrain from entering the mountain for the time being to prevent the spread of the virus.
As of 11 a.m. on Saturday, only seven people had entered the trail to Ozegahara from the entrance at Hatomachi Pass in the village of Katashina in Gunma Prefecture. Police officers dispatched to the entrance from early morning to offer guidance to visitors seemed to have nothing to do.
An official of a company in charge of the management and preservation of the boardwalk and rest areas said, "It's better if people don't come here right now, but I'm really surprised the request to refrain from going out has worked so well."
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