Akihabara's Vehicle-free Street Will… Comes Back!? (AkibaBlog)

Akihabara's Vehicle-free Street Will… Comes Back!?

July 27th is the 49th day since Akihabara Stabbing Spree happened (in Buddhism, it is believed that when a person dies, his/her soul stays between the world of live and dead for 49 days and then goes to the heaven). After 49 days from the accident, Akihabara' vehicle-free street may come back. A vehicle-free street was closed since June 15th, the weekend after the deadly accident happened. There was an announcement of "closing a vehicle-free street" at the intersection in front of Sofmap Main Branch. However, the announcement was gone on July 20th.

An Announcement of "Closing a Vehicle-free Street" was Gone
By Chance? Telling Us a Vehicle-free Street'll Come Back?

The Announcement is Gone Now
Used to Be Like This

July 27th is the 49th day since Akihabara Stabbing Spree happened (in Buddhism, it is believed that when a person dies, his/her soul stays between the world of live and dead for 49 days and then goes to the heaven). After 49 days from the accident, Akihabara's vehicle-free street may come back.

A vehicle-free street was closed since June 15th, the weekend after the deadly accident happened. There was an announcement of "closing a vehicle-free street" at the intersection in front of Sofmap Main Branch. However, the announcement was gone on July 20th. It could be gone by chance, but it also could be a message that a vehicle-free street will come back.

A public safety commission of Tokyo announced on the 13th that for a while, a vehicle-free street in Akihabara, where the deadly accident happened, will be closed. It is the first time to close Akihabara's vehicle-free street since it started in 1973. The commission will consider about opening the street again or not.

Nikkei Net (June 13th)

Chiyoda-ward (the area where the accident happened) has not decided if a vehicle-free street will open again or not. Masami Ishikawa, the chief of a ward, said "it'll be difficult to open the street until the period of mourning is over for sure (49 days after the deaths of victims). From there, police, the ward, stores in Akihabara, etc get together and talk about it.

Asahi News Paper (July 7th)

About a vehicle-free street, police, community of Akihabara, etc will talk about it to re-open after 49 days or not, but there is no knowing so far.

Sponichi Annex (July 8th)

Chuo Street in Akihabara on July 20th was like this as pictures below show (No vehicle-free street). Police were standing here and there on Chuo Street before, but on the 20th, I saw only one police car and 3 police officers in front of Messe Main Branch. At some moments, there was no police officer.