Tokyo's Akihabara district draws throngs not only with its hundreds of electronics shops but also because it is the mecca for "otaku" computer geeks, and fans of "manga" and "anime" pop culture.
Akihabara has a dark side, too. Last month, Tomohiro Kato, 25, allegedly drove a rented truck all the way from his Shizuoka home, plowed it into a Sunday crowd and then went on a stabbing rampage, killing seven people and wounding 10 others. During the leadup to the massacre, he reportedly posted warnings on the Internet of the impending mayhem at a district where he felt he needed to make a statement.
Some experts go as far as to blame Akihabara for attracting such a sinister event.