TOKYO -- Sundays in Akihabara just won't be the same, following word that the days of the "pedestrian paradise" are over.
Tokyo's Chiyoda ward, which encompasses otaku mecca Akihabara, issued a statement yesterday to announce that the district's main street, Chuo-doori, will no longer be closed to traffic and turned into a pedestrian walkway on Sundays. No word yet on whether this is only a temporary measure, or if it will be permanent.
The decision was made following this past Sunday's tragedy that saw seven dead following a series of random stabbings that started after the attacker drove his truck into the massive crowd, injuring three.
The portion of Chuo-doori that runs through Akihabara has been closed to traffic on Sundays since 1973, and over the years has turned into a spot where otaku-related performers and cosplayers gather.
Photo: mojo-chan/Flickr.com
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