Urban areas in the Kanto and Kansai regions have been put under emergency-level priority measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, and more prefectures were added on Tuesday. The time frame in which the new measures are in effect includes the Golden Week holidays in late April to early May, making it difficult for people to travel. As a result, places where people can experience something new and unusual in their neighborhood, while at the same time avoiding crowds, are garnering a lot of attention.
-- Amsterdam in Shinagawa
Inspired by the houseboats in Amsterdam, four colorful houseboats can be seen floating on the Tennozu Canal in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo. The boats have been made into rooms for guests of Petals Tokyo, a floating hotel.
Warehouse Terrada, which operates the hotel, had initially planned to open the hotel around last summer in anticipation of the Tokyo Games. However, the opening was postponed because of the coronavirus crisis.
When the hotel eventually opened last November, the company realized there was more demand from Tokyo residents who wanted to feel like they were traveling abroad rather than from tourists coming to see the Games. The hotel also put measures in place to prevent the spread of infection, such as having a dedicated staff for each room.
The price for a room for two people, including breakfast, starts at 88,000 yen per night, which is not exactly cheap. However, many reservations have been made. On certain days during the Golden Week holidays, the hotel is almost fully booked. More than half the guests are from Tokyo.
"In some cases, people who usually go on international cruises during the long holidays chose to come to our hotel because they missed the unique floating feeling of being on a boat," the manager of the hotel said.
-- Completely booked
Only one group can stay at a time at Holy House in Nakano Ward, Tokyo. The house is full of playful touches including a slide, a suspension bridge, a hidden door and an attic.
It opened in December last year and was marketed as "Stay home at a karakuri-yashiki (a house of tricks)," attempting to turn the pandemic into a positive. As a result, many reservations were made, with many of them being families in Tokyo. Even in January and February, when Tokyo was under a state of emergency, the occupancy rate reached about 80%, and from March through the summer holidays, the facility is almost completely booked.
-- Solo camping
New Sunpia Hotel & Resort, a leisure facility in the town of Ogose, Saitama Prefecture, opened a campsite for solo campers on the mountain behind the hotel on March 20. As guests could relax without worrying about being near others, its popularity increased. Certain days during the Golden Week holidays are now completely booked.
The campsite's maximum capacity is 20 people, and each person has a 15-square-meter plot. The price for one night starts at 2,530 yen.
"Camping is a leisure activity that allows people to get away from crowds," said a hotel official. "We hope that this will help ease the difficult situation."
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