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Typhoon Hagibis turns Tokyo into an eerie ghost town【Pics, Video】

Oona McGee Oct 13, 2019
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In Akihabara, giant screens blared happy tunes to deserted streets as a life-threatening typhoon approached Japan.

Typhoon Hagibis swept through Japan last night, bringing with it fierce winds and torrential rain. And as the large, powerful storm was set to pass through Tokyo, the Japanese capital took precautions to protect its residents by suspending trains, preparing evacuation centres, and urging people to stay indoors.

With a large number of trains suspended from 1:00 p.m. in Tokyo, stores and businesses also shut their doors early, essentially turning the city into a ghost town. One of the quietest places in the capital was Akihabara, the “electronics town” that’s usually heaving with otaku and anime fans. Today though, as this tweet from Twitter user @_Chestboy_shows, it looked like this:

https://twitter.com/_Chestboy_/status/1182861794232029184

It’s an eerie sight that feels like something straight out of a disaster movie, but this was actually real life, making the typhoon’s approach seem even more ominous. In the clip, the only movement on the street outside Akihabara Station is the digital signage on the side of the Sega building.

For comparison, this is what the same spot usually looks like on an ordinary day:

https://twitter.com/_Chestboy_/status/1182889476223193089

Akihabara wasn’t the only deserted area in Tokyo yesterday. Tokyo Station was also empty…

完全閉鎖された東京駅
鉄道は既に使えなくなりました。 pic.twitter.com/atpPqnNzON

— もつ@聖地巡礼中 (@ad_motsu) October 12, 2019

https://twitter.com/panorama007kita/status/1182890880102830080 https://twitter.com/mitsuki_film/status/1182885139740676097

▼ …as was Shibuya.

誰もいない渋谷。
台風19号尋常じゃないな。
東京はどうなるだろう。
何とも言えない心持ち。 pic.twitter.com/l2Vfp5btkM

— 鈴木　保 (@blow4u) October 12, 2019

渋谷誰もいない pic.twitter.com/lHBnE3ufyN

— 渋いさんぽ (@FlShibuya) October 12, 2019

▼ Scarcely anyone at the world’s busiest crossing in the afternoon.

渋谷のライブカメラ、
人誰もいないところに傘ひっくり返った人が1人現れて、まさか私に心配されていることなんて思ってもないんだろうな pic.twitter.com/cRvb4txdiy

— まいのすけ⸌⍤⃝⸍ほやほやエンジニア (@maikinugasa1023) October 12, 2019

▼ Nobody at the Hachiko Statue either.

誰もいない…。
どこも空いてない…。#渋谷 #ハチ公 pic.twitter.com/IZ1qlyb6vx

— いっし～🧸💚 (@t_i_derkaiser) October 12, 2019

▼ Harajuku was also strangely deserted.

原宿は台風でこのとおり誰もいない pic.twitter.com/MM7AT0MIIN

— Do-Re-Mi (@kokeshiboys) October 12, 2019

▼ And Shinjuku was unrecognisable without its crowds of people.

本格的に人いなくて草 pic.twitter.com/GOEjOBorDt

— 超ジュラルミンおじさん(24) (@ilovegrupan) October 12, 2019

台風で誰もいない新宿。
エモすぎる。 pic.twitter.com/fetjaSQw2s

— 超ジュラルミンおじさん(24) (@ilovegrupan) October 12, 2019

▼ This is what the busiest train station in the world looks like when a typhoon approaches.

誰もいない新宿構内 pic.twitter.com/ZjvhcP3eoZ

— 観心 (@kanshin333) October 12, 2019

台風だから新宿駅誰もいないの pic.twitter.com/lLHGZaV0zP

— まつもゆ (@nyamnyamneko28) October 11, 2019

With forecasters predicting Typhoon Hagibis could leave a large swath of destruction in its wake, it’s heartening to see the city and its residents taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of everyone in the area.

And with similar scenes in Osaka last year ahead of Typhoon Jebi, we’re hoping these precautions keep everybody safe as the typhoon passes through the country.

Source, featured image: Twitter/@_Chestboy_
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