Praying at Akihabara › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

Wednesday 11th June, 02:54 PM JST

A young man prays Wednesday at the memorial site in Akihabara where seven people were killed on Sunday. The site has been attracting a lot of media and visitors who place flowers and drinks for the dead.
PHOTO BY ERIKA ARAGON

Latest 15 of 17 Total Comments Show All

some14some at 03:12 PM JST - 11th June

Since this news got International coverage now all they are trying to do is to project good image (damage control) by such displays. A peaceful country.
Fair dinkum! at 03:44 PM JST - 11th June

Brainiac, The drinks are there for the victims to drink in heaven cos people like to drink after death.
Zen_Builder at 03:53 PM JST - 11th June

When you visit a Haka/Grave here you usually bring some sweets and Tea for the departed. Longer procedures as it also involves washing the stone, etc.

When you leave you normally take the sweets home with you but the tea/drink remains.
SushiSake3 at 04:05 PM JST - 11th June

Some lucky homeless person is going to have a feast tonight!
Seiharinokaze at 04:24 PM JST - 11th June

some14some

It's not a display to project any good image. But true it's sort of a damage control by soothing the victims' souls. Perhaps drinks are easy and handy to get in the neighborhood. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with thirst of the newly dead people.
SushiSake3 at 04:37 PM JST - 11th June

It has. Dead people drink sake and beer in the afterlife.
SushiSake3 at 04:38 PM JST - 11th June

Sorry, I shold have prefixed my above quote with

"According to alcoholic homeless people, [Dead people drink sake and beer in the afterlife]."....
roughneck at 04:57 PM JST - 11th June

Enough of Akihabara already! How about some cute kittens or Best Stockingist 2008.

Since this news got International coverage now all they are trying to do is to project good image (damage control) by such displays. A peaceful country.

Some lucky homeless person is going to have a feast tonight!

Sorry, I shold have prefixed my above quote with

"According to alcoholic homeless people, [Dead people drink sake and beer in the afterlife]."....

Sadly enough, none of you actually respect the fact that people are showing respect and remorse to those innocents who were murdered for no reason.
regev at 06:28 PM JST - 11th June

roughneck is right. I have nothing but respect for these good people.
NICOLE77 at 06:53 PM JST - 11th June

Roughneck and regev are both right.

These people are making offerings to the dead. Many in Australia would take flowers or place a cross at the site of a death.

Some of you need to be respectful.

I will say a prayer tonight for the victims and their families.
KitsuneYoukai at 11:08 PM JST - 11th June

It's nice to see people who care; that something good is shown after this tragic incident.
usaexpat at 11:28 PM JST - 11th June

I agree with roughneck, regev, nicole,and Kitsune it's good that people have come to remember the victims. This is the way it should be, showing respect for those taken by this act of senseless violence. Those cracking jokes should pause a minute to consider that it could have been one of your friends or fanily lost that day.
timorborder at 11:53 PM JST - 11th June

It is good to remember the victims of this senseless act of violence while at the same time forgetting the SOB who carried out this act. For all his "I want to die" claims, at the end of the day he is just another mentally-unbalanced attention-seeking a-hole. While rembering the victims, don't give the perp the attention he so badly craves. RIP to the victims, GFY to the perp.
usaexpat at 12:19 AM JST - 12th June

timorborder right on, I wish the media would follow and let the killer fade away. It would seem he craves fame so let's deny him that.
Seiharinokaze at 01:15 AM JST - 12th June

Soothing the dead who died a very tragic death seems to have a dual meaning here. To sympathize heartily the dead souls for their cruel suffering. And at the same time we may be praying though perhaps unconsciously that they will not haunt or cast an evil influence over the place. That's what crosses my mind whenever I see a memorial site is set up for some dire tragedy.