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800,000 Tulips Were Cut Down In This Japanese City After Its Residents Failed To Follow Quarantine Rules
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800,000 Tulips Were Cut Down In This Japanese City After Its Residents Failed To Follow Quarantine Rules

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Many have already said that there are things they fear more than COVID-19, and that is people. Specifically, it is those who succumb to chaos and start hoarding, or those who think that the pandemic is a lie. These types of people subsequently add to the problem and make things worse while everyone else is trying to fix it. Alas, this is a story about why we can’t have nice things because of these people.

The Japanese city of Sakura hosts an annual festival called the Sakura Tulip Festa. It is a festival dedicated to the blooming of tulips. Every year, dozens upon dozens of people gather at the Sakura Furusato Square and feast their eyes on the marvelous, colorful sea of tulips surrounding an authentic Dutch windmill that was built to commemorate the 400-year-long friendship between Japan and the Netherlands.

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People couldn’t stop gathering at the Sakura Furusato Square despite COVID-19 lockdown restrictions

Image credits: JW

The coronavirus hasn’t stopped the flowers from blooming—for them, the festival went on—but it did stop the city of Sakura from celebrating the festival.

However, despite the cancellation of the festival and the closing of the square, some decided that it was a good idea to still attend the blooming of the tulips and to make a festival for themselves.

According to Sakura city officials, roughly 400 people were seen in Furusato Square on April 11th admiring the blooming and risking getting infected and thus spreading the virus. This was the first weekend after PM Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency in Chiba prefecture (where Sakura is located).

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Despite the Sakura Tulip Festa being cancelled, people were still planning to come see the blooming of the tulips

Image credits: TripAdvisor

In response to this, the local authorities mowed down the main attraction to prevent people from gathering

Image credits: YokohamaNoHito

Unfortunately, it was not possible to physically close off the area and this way ward off any people who would try to take a close and personal sneak peek at the blooming tulips.

So, a few days later, the authorities decided it was time for plan B—to mow down the entire square before they bloomed. This meant that approximately 800,000 tulips of around 100 different varieties were destroyed.

Officials explained that it wasn’t an easy decision, but it was one that had to be made for the greater good. Keeping them there would have been dangerous as there would always be the risk of people gathering and thus perpetuating the coronavirus.

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It was reported that around 800,000 tulips of 100 varieties were destroyed

Image credits: YokohamaNoHito

The difficult decision was made because there were no other practical ways to close off the square

Image credits: can2arakawa

A Facebook user shared this photo of what the square looks like at the moment, after the tulips were removed

Image credits: 篠原秋也

Some came to criticize this decision, saying that the government could have, at the very least, donated the flowers to people and institutions. However, most are of the opinion that it was the most effective thing to do as there was no other practical way to ensure the closure of the square.

Besides, people can always return once the lockdown is over and the flowers will certainly grow back. After all, this was done to save people’s lives, and it’s a cause worth the temporary sacrifice.

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Watch a video of the cancelled Sakura Tulip Festival showing what these days it would have looked like if not for COVID-19

Image credits: さくら動画配信(佐倉市公式チャンネル)

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What are your thoughts on this? Would you have done it differently? Let us know in the comments below.

Here’s what other people online had to say about it

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Robertas Lisickis

Robertas Lisickis

Author, BoredPanda staff

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Some time ago, Robertas used to spend his days watching how deep the imprint in his chair will become as he wrote for Bored Panda. Wrote about pretty much everything under and beyond the sun. Not anymore, though. He's now probably playing Gwent or hosting Dungeons and Dragons adventures for those with an inclination for chaos.

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Robertas Lisickis

Robertas Lisickis

Author, BoredPanda staff

Some time ago, Robertas used to spend his days watching how deep the imprint in his chair will become as he wrote for Bored Panda. Wrote about pretty much everything under and beyond the sun. Not anymore, though. He's now probably playing Gwent or hosting Dungeons and Dragons adventures for those with an inclination for chaos.

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Brenda Harrington
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's saddens me that destruction was the means to keep stupid people out. Distance world. Distance.

Naoko Yamaguchi
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a sad view, but I hear the drastic measures are necessary for bulbs... I really hope we enjoy the beautiful square with full of tulips next year!

Ottmar Straub
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

waku pu and do not be so very superficial - it is your mindset which is the problem

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Carol Emory
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What it takes is one police car with a megaphone telling them "Turn around and go home. You are in violation of the stay at home order. If you do not return home now, you will be arrested and heavily fined. Leave now." Most Covidiots like these will follow the rules if you loudly point out they're being selfish. Stores around here have put and X or an Arrow at the end of aisles to keep everything flowing in one direction to limit the chances of people violating the 6 foot rule. I caught a guy coming down the aisle at me the wrong way. I asked him to please follow the direction of the arrows. He said angrily "What..are you going to sit here an police everybody?" I said "I dunno..are you gonna continue to act like you're 5 years old?" Then a manager who was standing behind the guy cleared his throat. When the jerk turned around and saw him, the manager pointed to the next aisle over. "You can go down that one." The jerk complained all the way down the aisle....

WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the Netherlands you are fined 390 Euros per person for breaking rules on social distancing. A lot of people still went to see the tulips during Easter days. They just didn't care. So the farmers had to cut the flowers to keep them from coming. I've learned form this intelligent lockdown the Netherlands has, that people are too stupid to make an appeal on their common sense.

Load More Replies...
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Brenda Harrington
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's saddens me that destruction was the means to keep stupid people out. Distance world. Distance.

Naoko Yamaguchi
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a sad view, but I hear the drastic measures are necessary for bulbs... I really hope we enjoy the beautiful square with full of tulips next year!

Ottmar Straub
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

waku pu and do not be so very superficial - it is your mindset which is the problem

Load More Replies...
Carol Emory
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What it takes is one police car with a megaphone telling them "Turn around and go home. You are in violation of the stay at home order. If you do not return home now, you will be arrested and heavily fined. Leave now." Most Covidiots like these will follow the rules if you loudly point out they're being selfish. Stores around here have put and X or an Arrow at the end of aisles to keep everything flowing in one direction to limit the chances of people violating the 6 foot rule. I caught a guy coming down the aisle at me the wrong way. I asked him to please follow the direction of the arrows. He said angrily "What..are you going to sit here an police everybody?" I said "I dunno..are you gonna continue to act like you're 5 years old?" Then a manager who was standing behind the guy cleared his throat. When the jerk turned around and saw him, the manager pointed to the next aisle over. "You can go down that one." The jerk complained all the way down the aisle....

WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the Netherlands you are fined 390 Euros per person for breaking rules on social distancing. A lot of people still went to see the tulips during Easter days. They just didn't care. So the farmers had to cut the flowers to keep them from coming. I've learned form this intelligent lockdown the Netherlands has, that people are too stupid to make an appeal on their common sense.

Load More Replies...
Load More Comments
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