Akihabara To Open To Pedestrians

I have read from many sources on the net that Akihabara will be closing of Chuo dori to auto traffic and let the masses wonder the streets. In many areas like Ginza and Shinjuku, they will do this on Sundays and holidays to give pedestrians unfettered access to the wider spaces. A while back, this was true of Akiba as well. But, an incident where an unstable person began stabbing folks at an intersection in the area changed everything. They did away with the closures and the cars were given back their domain.

In Akiba, during these closures, cosplayers would walk the streets. Girls hawking photobooks and video games would draw large crowds around them. More than your average number of citizens would peruse the area with camera in hand, and Im not talking about tourists. It was a joyouse festive atmosphere. The area did feel a bit depressed this year when I visited on a Sunday. Gone were the mobs of people, the lively energy, and some of the fun that was Akiba that has been missing since the gentrification of the area began a few years ago.