Despite it being a weekday afternoon, Shibuya's scramble crossing is seen packed with young people on March 3, 2020, in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo. (Mainichi/Kimi Takeuchi)

TOKYO -- Shibuya's scramble crossing was packed with young people on March 3, despite it being a weekday afternoon. With schools temporarily closed from March 2 as part of measures to halt the spread of the new coronavirus, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of high schoolers milling about in the capital.

One second-year private high school student told the Mainichi Shimbun, "Our school told us to try not to make unnecessary trips out, but there's nothing to do at home and it's getting on my nerves. I took some alcohol handwash my parents gave me and came here with my friends," she said.

(Japanese original by Kimi Takeuchi, Photo Group)