A man walking across Taiwan in a samurai costume was yesterday questioned by police near New Taipei City’s Jioufen (九份) due to concerns about his sword, days after Friday’s mass stabbing in Taipei.
The New Taipei Police Department received a call about the 22-year-old man, surnamed Chen (陳), after he was seen walking on a mountain road near Jioufen, a popular tourist town.
The man was dressed in “kendo lantern pants” and a straw hat, holding a gourd-shaped water bottle, and had what appeared to be a samurai sword slung across his back, police said.
Photo copied by Wu Sheng-ju, Taipei Times
Seven officers dispatched to the scene surrounded and approached Chen, who readily submitted to questioning. He was found to be carrying a 60cm sword, which had an unsharpened blade, but was pointy at the tip, police said.
Police took Chen to Rueifang Police Station, where he said he was interested in the Japanese samurai culture, and did not intend to hurt anyone.
Chen said that he set out from Tainan last month on a walk around Taiwan, and had already passed through Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Taitung, Hualien and Yilan without any trouble, before arriving in Jioufen on Friday.
Chen said that at 11am yesterday he had checked out from his Jioufen hotel to continue his journey, only to be taken in soon after by the police.
Chen said he had purchased his sword — which was sent to be examined as evidence — for ￥26,000 (US$165) on a trip to Kyoto, Japan, last year.
Police said that Chen’s actions were enough to cause public panic, as he was openly carrying a dangerous item.
After questioning, he was referred to the Keelung District Prosecutors’ Office to be investigated for offenses against public safety, police said.
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