the third way
The faultlines of our society
Metaphors and memes abound in the world created by the coronavirus. They’re our way of responding to the defining moments of lockdown. But they’re telling, too — highlighting the faultlines of our society
In Sakura, a town just outside Tokyo, Japanese officials have had to cut down 100,000 tulips. In Yono Park, also close to Tokyo, they’ve had to sever the buds of about 3,000 rosebushes. As The Guardian newspaper so eloquently puts it, they’re "sacrificing tens of thousands of flowers". And they’re doing this because, if they don’t, extremely stupid humans will come and look at the flowers, in defiance of social distancing guidelines.
According to the report, local tourism official Sakiho Kusano told news agency Reuters: "Many visitors came at the weekend when the flowers were in full bloom. It became a mass gathering, so we had no choice but to make the decision to cut the flowers."..
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.