TOKYO - A massive swarm of honeybees suddenly appeared in Tokyo’s popular tourist district of Asakusa on May 3rd, causing alarm among restaurant owners, customers, and sightseers as the insects gathered around a busy izakaya near the heart of the area.
Footage filmed around 2 p.m. showed countless honeybees buzzing around the front of a restaurant while customers continued eating nearby. One diner was seen placing a small towel over his head while bees landed on his shoulders and hair.
The bees swarmed around a popular charcoal-grilled yakitori izakaya known for its free-range chicken dishes.
Takahashi, the owner of Jidori Sumiyaki Okada, said the scene was frightening enough that he felt business for the day was effectively over.
People walking through the area stopped to watch as the bees filled the air around the storefront.
According to the restaurant owner, he later heard that a large number of bees had first been spotted dozens of meters away before suddenly flying toward the shop.
Takahashi explained that the queen bee apparently landed on the restaurant’s awning, prompting the rest of the swarm to follow and gather around the structure as if preparing to build a nest.
The phenomenon is known as “bunpo,” or swarming, a seasonal behavior commonly seen among honeybees during this time of year. When a new queen bee is born inside a hive, the old queen leaves with a large group of worker bees in search of a new nesting site.
A ramen restaurant located two doors away also temporarily suspended operations because of the swarm.
The owner of Asakusa Sanshokudo said the scene outside looked almost black from inside the restaurant because of the sheer number of bees. Some customers were reportedly too frightened to leave through the front entrance and were guided out through a rear exit instead.
Similar honeybee swarms have been witnessed several times in central Tokyo in recent years.
Experts say large clusters of bees like this are usually resting temporarily while relocating to a new hive. Because honeybees are generally docile unless provoked, specialists are urging people not to spray insecticides or otherwise agitate the insects, but instead to leave them alone until they move on naturally.
Source: フジテレビ 報道【公式】
