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Signs in Japan: The funny, strange or just unusual

Signs in JapanSigns in Japan

We spent 7 weeks in Japan and one of the things that never bored us were Japanese signs. Japanese signs are unique in their design, often using cartoon figures and sometimes incorporating elements of anime (the animation used in Japanese comic books). Theyโ€™re cute, colourful and often pretty funny. Theyโ€™re also a reflection of modern Japanese society and culture.

Here are a bunch of signs that we photographed during our time in Japan.

 

Various signs in train stations

 

sign for emergency button on trains in Japan

sign for bad shit on trains, japan

Oh my god, it’s total mayhem!

 


 

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shit that happens when walking while looking at phone, Japan

no selfie sticks sign Tokyo

 

I like the additional comment near the bottom “Other long objects, including fishing rods, skis, archery bows, and recording equipment, may be harzardous“. Well, I’m sorry, that’s a pretty thorough list but how about satellite dishes, tv antennas, large cellos, javelins, or my medieval jousting lance? I’m just saying they could be a lot more thorough…

 

Related: Going Hello Kitty Crazy at the Keio Plaza Hotel (Tokyo)

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hat sign japan

 


 

 

Signs on Good Manners

 

Good manners sign in Japan

 

Don’t shush me little hat man. Nobody likes a busybody, get a life and get rid of that bow tie, nobody likes pompous assholes who wear bow ties. I also don’t like people who wear fedoras or people that whistle loudly walking down the street. Pet peeves of mine.
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Good manners sign in Japan
In most places if you started a “Good Manner Project” you would be laughed at. Not in Japan.

 

 


 

 

Construction Signs

 

construction sign in Tokyo
Even the construction guys have cute little mascots.

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construction sign in Japan
I have no idea what the above sign means…

 

 


 

 

Signs in Temples

 

No Pokemon Go sign Japan
I never heard of Pokemon Go but apparently you’re not allowed to play it in a temple.

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no dog walking at temple sign Japan
You also can’t walk your dog in a temple, you have to carry it. Good luck if you have a 300 lb St. Bernard.

 

No scribling here sign in Japan
I was going to graffiti that whole damn wall. Then I saw the sign.

 

 

Related: How to see Tokyo with a Free Volunteer Guide

 


 

 

Dog Pee/Poo

 

no dog pee here sign Japan

no dog poo japan sign
Wow, that’s a big turd for a little dog.

 


 

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River safety

 

sign at river, kyoto
Maybe something to do with flooding?

 

sign at river, kyoto (2)
“Look, that’s our reflection”. Stupid kids.

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Toilet signs

 

multi purpose bathroom japan sign
Multi Purpose bathrooms. I used to think that bathroom options were limited to #1 and #2. Not so in Japan.

 

use toilet finely sign in Japan
Oops, sorry for destroying your toilet

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Other miscellaneous signs

 

mooth coffee Japan sign
I love that mooth coffee. The moother the better I say.

 

sexy cartoon girls japan
Drinking these energy drinks has transformed these ordinary girls into miniskirt-wearing supertramps. But their hearts are in the right place.

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romeo and juliet Japanese version
Not for me. Reminds me of a night in Bangkok a very, very long time ago with a ladyboy before I knew what a ladyboy is.

 


 

 

don't feed the pigeons sign Japan
Nobody likes a self-righteous pigeon.

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restaurant sign in Japan
I like the hot tofu but I prefer the cold tofu. Is there any way that can be done? Yes? Oh great!!

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vending machine selling umbrellas in Japan
Sign for an umbrella vending machine. They think of everything in Japan.
bad people crushing cans, Japan
I don’t know. The boy and girl look mean and maybe they like to crush soda cans ??

 

Hope you enjoyed the signs!.

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Related: Why โ€œFeel goodโ€ quotes represent everything thatโ€™s wrong with the world

Related: Postcards from Around the World

Related: Dogs weโ€™ve met on our travelsโ€ฆand the most dog-loving countries!

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Filed Under: ASIA, JAPAN

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Richard Bent

    May 28, 2022 at 8:29 am

    Interesting post, but you missed the mark on a number of them, as is to be expected if you can’t read the language. I’ve been fortunate enough to live in Japan for a while, so I’ll point out a couple of the ones you didn’t get due to the lack of English.

    “โ€œLook, thatโ€™s our reflectionโ€. Stupid kids.” Actually, this is a sign asking people not to throw empty cans or garbage bags into the river so as to keep it clean for the kids. Not so stupid after all. This is similar to the last picture of the two children you assumed liked crushing cans, which again is asking people not go throw away empty cans and dispose of them correctly. Children are often used to emotionally blackmail people here, I suppose.

    The one which made me laugh was the “ladyboys” theatre production of Romeo and Juliet. You were actually completely backwards about this, as it is a famous Osaka-based acting troupe called Takarazuka which is comprised of only female actors who play all the parts, male and female (hey, it used to be all male in Shakespeare’s day, so why not?). They are insanely popular with many women, actually, and very highly regarded.

    Hope this helps!

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      May 28, 2022 at 10:23 am

      I didn’t actually miss the mark, I was just having fun with the post. They weren’t meant to be accurate descriptions of the meaning of the signs ๐Ÿ˜‰ But I appreciate you shedding light on them, always interesting to receive helpful feedback. And that’s particularly interesting about the female-only Takarazuka troupe, never heard of that anywhere.

      Reply
  2. architectural lighting surrey

    July 15, 2021 at 10:37 pm

    Japanese are very smart people, there is no doubt in that and by making such kinds of signs they want to keep the signs interesting for the people so they don’t always see the usual boring signs.

    Reply
  3. Chicago Wedding best bands

    June 26, 2021 at 10:51 pm

    These signs are definitely funny. My partner and I want to visit Japan at least once to see all the beautiful places there. And after watching these clips we are dying to visit it!

    Reply
  4. Signs Company NJ

    October 19, 2017 at 4:50 pm

    I’m glad you have shared this lovely collection of signs. after seeing the Japanese sign, it amazes me how perfectly they are crafted with care & love and make them little funny too.

    Reply
  5. mikal shone

    October 16, 2017 at 8:05 pm

    japanese have diverse and beautiful culture along with this their culture is so rich…. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
  6. Archer

    April 5, 2017 at 7:57 am

    Japan is fun to visit because of the culture and the unusual stuff they have.

    Reply
  7. Mark

    March 25, 2017 at 12:26 pm

    I like these style of posters and signs. If I lived in one place I would photograph some of them and frame them – I think they would make great wall art and much more interesting than dogs playing snooker or James Dean, Humphrey Bogart, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe in a bar art work, although they are so beyond bad these days that they would look rather good on a wall as well ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 25, 2017 at 3:33 pm

      Interesting thought.
      What, you don’t like dogs playing snooker? (who the hell did that and how did it catch on? One of life’s mysteries..)

      Reply
  8. Anita

    March 20, 2017 at 8:48 am

    I had to go through your post twice as the signs were so fun to read and try to figure out WTH some of them meant! Still laughing at the sign with the guy falling to his death on the train tracks (I know, I’m kind of sick) with the thought cloud over his head and the train all bug-eyed. Do you think that that was his wife tripping him? In an expensive country like Japan, it seems to me you figured out a great way to get some free entertainment!

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 21, 2017 at 7:30 am

      Very true Anita! That one is one of my favorites as well.
      I think you could set up a website dedicated to just the signs in Japan.

      Reply
  9. Gilda Baxter

    March 13, 2017 at 5:38 pm

    Interesting signs and very funny commentary by you ๐Ÿ™‚ the toilet one’s are hilarious.

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 13, 2017 at 7:49 pm

      Thanks Gilda. Who said toilet humor was dead ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  10. Natasha von Geldern

    March 13, 2017 at 10:03 am

    Wow these are really… er… expressive aren’t they?! I particularly like the selfie-stick one and the umbrella vending poster where you’re told you will need help LOL.

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 13, 2017 at 7:46 pm

      The selfie stick seems like everyone’s favorite…I couldn’t figure out what the umbrella vending machine sign meant until Lissette explained it. I think women are more patient and better able to understand stuff like that then men…

      Reply
  11. Rebecca

    March 11, 2017 at 4:32 am

    Haha, great collection Frank! Gotta say those loud talkers on the metro look pretty anglicized to me…we’re a noisy bunch, darn it! I haven’t been to Japan but the Japanese people I’ve run across in my travels have always been polite and considerate…I love that!

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 11, 2017 at 8:34 am

      Actually you’re right Rebecca – quite a lot of the culprits we saw in Japanese ads looked like foreigners. This wasn’t the only one. I guess we weren’t born with the Good Manners gene…

      Reply
  12. Andrew Boland

    March 10, 2017 at 12:14 pm

    lol. What can I say? All very Japanese. The Romeo and Juliet one is interesting, Romeo is a boy being a girl pretending to be a boy. I think.

    The good manners project? I would LOVE them to try that in Australia. I can only imagine the abuse they’d cop. on second thoughts….

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 10, 2017 at 5:06 pm

      Yes, I can only imagine what the Aussies would do to them….

      Reply
  13. Jack

    March 10, 2017 at 8:36 am

    Very funny, I enjoyed this post. I like the first one with the emergency button, typical Japanese cartoon style. They do that well.

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 10, 2017 at 4:55 pm

      That’s one of my favorites as well!

      Reply
  14. Paula Wheeler

    March 9, 2017 at 5:01 pm

    Holy cow! Applying makeup is okay in the restroom…. who would have guessed… though, germs from the toliets flushing and landing on my lipstick isn’t a souvenir I want to take home lol.

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 9, 2017 at 6:28 pm

      Thanks for the visual Paula. I really needed that ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Reply
  15. Ted

    March 8, 2017 at 1:03 am

    The construction sign reading: “TOKYO, the world’s safest place giving you the greatest relief” …. That building wasn’t a toilet was it?

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 8, 2017 at 8:15 am

      Ha! You never know!

      Reply
  16. Heather Cole

    March 7, 2017 at 9:17 pm

    Hilarious! In any other country these signs would receive a raised eyebrow and ridicule. But in Japan, they just seem totally right. Love that it’s advisable not to extend your archery bows on platforms, must remember that next time I’m there. And just love the “Are your manners in good shape”. It obviously works, Japan has to be one of the politest societies. It does however say something rather sad about society in general that signs have to be put up banning selfie sticks and pokemon go (yes, you’re far better off not having heard of that one!). I have yet to succumb to either, and proud of it ๐Ÿ™‚ Great post, great laugh, thanks!

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 8, 2017 at 8:22 am

      Japan is definitely polite and they work very hard at it…sometimes I wondered if it was genuine or state sponsored (if you know what I mean). For sure though that there politeness is also a reflection on themselves and they very much pride themselves on being polite and helpful.
      Pokemon Go must be a big thing, saw that sign it quite a lot of temples. Selfie sticks – the bane of our existance! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  17. Kemkem

    March 7, 2017 at 7:57 pm

    Funny signs! I especially love the selfie stick one. I have to admit l sometime wish something horrible on people that insist on shoving it in my eye :-). Did you notice the umbrella depository on the side walk in Shibuya? I guess it’s because they’re so cheap :-). I also love the pigeon one..haha

    Reply
    • Frank (bbqboy)

      March 8, 2017 at 8:27 am

      Kemkem, I didn’t know you had so much violence in that heart of yours! ๐Ÿ™‚
      No, didn’t notice the umbrella depository, there were so many people I probably just couldn’t see it.
      Yes, the pigeon sign. I remember one morning walking to work and seeing some pigeons peeking at some vomit on the ground. Ugg. I’ve never been able to look at them the same way again.

      Reply

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Hi! We are Frank & Lissette from Canada. We sold our home in 2014 and have been travelling the world ever since.

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