Life in a semi-lockdown scenario ~three~

Time is ... merely a concept

A week has gone by and I've opened the blog, to write a post about...this week. And yet, it feels like, it will be a lot like last week. 

Restrictions in Tokyo (and the greater Tokyo region) have become a bit stricter; the Governor, Koike, has asked people to limit grocery shopping to once every three days, to ensure (where possible) that just one family member goes and, as we approach the tradition 'Golden Week' holiday period, she has asked that we 'Stay Home' rather than, as usually happens, people go on holiday. 

I sense we are entering a critical two-week period with the virus, a little on the edge as we wait to see whether or not the 'semi-lockdown' is too little, or is too late. 

An isolation still life

After the beaches were overrun with out of town visitors last week (including my two surfing spots, Ichinomiya in Chiba and Shonan/Kamakura in Kanagawa) the professional surfing association, many surf shop owners and even my surf club in Zaimokuza, have called on all surfers to observe the rules and 'stay home'. By the looks of news footage tonight (compared with last week) it seems the call has been heeded.My first 'breakout', when it is allowed, will be the beach I think.

Of course, news coverage during the week has mostly been on the virus. A lot of footage of 'last week' vs 'this week' scenes of Tokyo in semi-lockdown, streets and streetscapes almost empty. The photographer in me wants to go out and record some of it. But I can't. Lots of workers still struggling with requests to stay home versus 'need' to go to work. he Abe Government is pleading with people to cooperate in getting the day-to-day contact down by 80%, just 20% of people out on the streets for work, shopping, and other activities. It has been mostly around 60%. Those of us who can work at home do, and recognise it for the privilege it is compared with many who do not have that option. 

preparations for a class, online

Some reporting this week too, in the media of people leaving notes of appreciation to the garbage collectors. With so many more at home for longer hours, daily household rubbish volume has increased quite substantially, I note that they are collecting the rubbish a little bit later each day in my neighbourhood. 

My work from home experience continues with its challenges. Although the communication with students remains fairly low-key technologically-speaking, I am now rethinking of ways to engage with them since I'm not getting the responses I expected. My University has also made the decision to extend online teaching to into term 2. I don't know if that means academics will still be unable to go to campus or continue to work from home. I also had to make the very difficult decision to cancel all study abroad programs for the remainder of the year. Unfortunately, the extensive paperwork required means an application deadline in early May, and with no end to the restrictions in sight, we couldn't proceed on the 'what if...may be...' uncertainty. It will be hard for some students who dreamed of the opportunity to live and study away from home, but such is the way of things at present.

Flower play 

I haven't been on a train since returning home from work on 7 April. That's a strange feeling for life in Tokyo. My excursions outside are limited to the convenience store (still) and every so often, an extended walk to the larger supermarket for grocery items I can't get at the local shop. I keep to myself and my books and writing mostly; social media is an interesting source of engagement, the historian in me would like to marvel at the documenting of this period in fifty years time. Or perhaps one hundred years time, in the same way we seek out the historical record of the Spanish Flu of c. 1918. I have taken to dancing, #isodancing, as a way to keep up some exercise and movement, and when the coast is clear, a perimeter walk around the neighbourhood park. Some of us on socmed have taken to sharing pics of our isolives, a couple of examples are included here. I guess there is time to be a bit more creative in these times of not rushing to catch trains on our daily commutes.

The outlook for this week is...more of the same.

The Asahi Shimbun reports that, at 10.30pm, 25 April 2020, Japan had recorded 13,229 cases and 360 deaths. Tokyo is currently seeing an average daily increase in cases identified hovering around the 110 mark. The 'curve' isn't yet flattening, yet the growth isn't in the order of the United States either. Hence, my anticipation for the next couple of weeks...it will tell us much. 

Until next week--stay safe.