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:

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:

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

▼ …as was Shibuya.

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

▼ Nobody at the Hachiko Statue either.

▼ Harajuku was also strangely deserted.

▼ And Shinjuku was unrecognisable without its crowds of people.

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

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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