Good thing he had a backpack, because where else was he going to stick his change?

Each neighborhood of Tokyo is a window to the tastes and passions of the people who frequent it, and that’s represented in the fashions you’ll see on the subdivisions of the capital’s streets. For example, in a few minutes of people-watching in trendy Daikanyama you’ll undoubtedly spot a number of young men wearing pricy loafers without socks, while Ikebukuro has a higher concentration of feminine skirts than just about anywhere else in the city.

In Akihabara, though, it’s all about backpacks. As the world’s most bustling mecca of anime and video game retailers, visiting fans know that they’re going to find things they want to buy there, and dual-strapped backpacks provide more carrying capacity than messenger bags (and are usually cheaper to boot, which means more money left over for otaku goodies).

So on last Sunday, the man in the following photos, taken outside Akihabara Station, probably didn’t attract much attention by wearing a backpack, but he certainly got people looking by wearing absolutely nothing else.

https://twitter.com/HapEator_AKeOMi/status/744514984214827008

Seriously, the man’s commitment to nudity was so strong that he didn’t even bother with a pair of shoes, as he padded up to the ticket machine with no covering for his feet…or his butthole, for that matter (thank you for that bit of digital editing, by the way, @HapEator_AKeOMi).

While it’s unlikely “naked dude” is a scenario that’s covered in the Japan Railways employee handbook, the station staff and security team quickly sprang into action by surrounding the man and obscuring the view from passersby.

Many rail stations keep a stock of blankets and other disaster relief supplies on hand, in the event that service is suspended and stranded passengers have to spend the night in the building. We don’t imagine the employees ever thought they’d have to use one of the coverings for this, though.

Eventually, the man was convinced to put on some clothes, and the police were summoned to question him about what inspired this startling bit of exhibitionism. We applaud the Akihabara Station staff for their quick response, as do, no doubt, all of the passengers who were spared from having to share a packed Tokyo train with a naked stranger.

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he’s always, at the very least, got some pants on.

Source: Jin, Twitter/@HapEator_AKeOMi