(the) Road to the Deep East

According to some news, on April 20th , in Akihabara, a 31 year-old woman was arrested on obscenity charges after she showed her lingerie off the crowd on the street.

Seeing this title, some might think it's a tale of Hoshino Aki, but of course, it's not. But this woman was a kind of famous people in Akihabara. This woman, Sawaki Asuka often posed in lingeries on the street for amateur photographers in Akihabara. And whenever she held this 'street photo shooting event, lot of idol otakus who visit there for other idols gathered around her with bazooka cameras in their hands.

The police had warned her over year because it interferes the traffic so terribly, but she didn't obey, and it finally arrested her last Sunday.

( tbs news)
http://news.tbs.co.jp/newseye/tbs_newseye3837192.html
(her blog & pictures from there)
http://blog.livedoor.jp/asukasawamoto/archives/2008-04.html


.. it seems it is no wonder that she was arrested.

But the most interesting point of this news is, her age. When she was active as an amateur gravure idol, she had said she is 22 years old. Certainly, she looks as such. However, thanks to this arrest, it turned out she was actually 31 years old. Just as old as Hoshino Aki. Were those amateur camera guys interested in this woman if they had known this fact? I'm not sure, but it's certain even she is freed from the police and holds the same event in Akihabara again, exactly the same audience won't gather again there.

I remember this kind of unnecessary coverage happened to an actress who won at trial. It's sure the police is always an enemy to idols, or people in show business in Japan. Yakuzas are always their friends.

Anyway, it looks finally the hammer was fallen on this corrupted computer city, The police is now going to control all the excessive otaku performances in Akihabara. As a sane people, I'm happy for that, but if you are a tourist, you'd better be hurry before all the bizarreness and exoticism disappears from Akihabara. (AKB theater will remain, and you can go and feel the similar one for 2000 yens, though.)

[Updated]
After she stayed at police station for one night, she was freed, and updated her blog. After she complains about the lack of fruits at the lockup, she denied the police reported she is actually 30 years old. But will the Police tell a lie in a public document?? I don't think so.
http://blog.livedoor.jp/asukasawamoto/archives/51334564.html
It seems she wasn't charged with anything actually, and she is willing to continue her activity , so you may be able to see this scenery again in Akihabara again.