May 30 (NHK) - Few tourists were seen around Kiyomizu Temple in Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto despite the sunny weather on Sunday. This follows the re-extension of the state of emergency in Kyoto Prefecture.
Many souvenir shops and restaurants along Ninei-zaka that leads to the temple were closed.
Kanda Tomohiro, who heads a local business association, says some shop owners decided to close down as the emergency declaration has continued since the weeklong spring holiday period that ended early this month.
He says people who got tired of staying home may be out in the city, but few seem to have come to tourist spots.
Kanda says the damage will become greater if the situation continues into the school tour season in autumn, and that he hopes vaccinations will progress and tourists can return.
