Information in the Wild Week 1: Practicing with Simple Signs around the Station

[ThousandJP]

Week one!! If you don’t know what’s happening, main post here.

We’ll be starting with some simple signs you may encounter around the train station. Train stations in Japan are often connected to shops, restaurants, various services, and even full-blown department stores.

Day 1:

What is the sign telling us?

Day 2:

You have Princess Pooch in her stroller with you today so you’re looking for an エレベーター and you come across this sign. Where is the エレベーター？

Day 3:

You were asked to buy a cake for the Christmas party on the 24th and you may or may not have forgotten about it. As you approach the requested cake shop, you notice this sign. Today is the 23rd, will it still be possible for you to buy a cake for tomorrow’s party? Why or why not?

Multiple Choice Option (Do not open if you want to post your own answer first)

• No, because it is too late
• Yes, because the sign is only about reservations. You will have to pay first but can pick up tomorrow.
• Yes, because the sign is only about reservations. You will have to pay now and take it with you today.

Day 4:

At Pompadour, a bakery with many locations around Japan, you see this sign. What are you being asked to do?

Day 5:

What is being changed in 2023?

Day 6:

You see this sign on a door, what is it advising us not to do?

Day 7:

You see this sign hanging on the door of a shop, what is the sign telling us?

New picture tomorrow in Week 2 thread by 9am JST

Check in if you’re participating this week

• Yes
• No

[ThousandJP]

Sample Answers (Updated the following day)

Day 1

No pets allowed in this area

I think you will see「ご遠慮ください」on many different signs. On signs, you can treat it as prohibition rather than a request for consideration. Another common example would be
「ここでタバコを吸うのはご遠慮ください。」= No Smoking

Day 2

The elevator is by the South Gate (南改札)

Day 3

The answer for me was the third one “Yes, because the sign is only about reservations. You will have to pay first but have to take it with you today.” (The first option seem to have been the overwhelming favourite, and admittedly that seems like it would have been the likelier outcome in reality. Full marks.)

Reasoning:
It was definitely too late to buy any special Christmas cakes that required a preorder since reservations were already closed. Ever the optimist though, my interpretation of the fine print regarding 12/23-12/25 was that they were not providing those other services but they were still operating normally otherwise.

Picturing a cake shop like this one at 赤羽駅, I was hopeful that I could still buy something ready-made today. The sign said they weren’t currently providing the option of leaving it there for pick up later so I would have to take it with me. More troublesome than I would have preferred but at least I wont be in trouble for forgetting to order the cake ahead of time.

Day 4

Please use tongs to pick up the bread, even the ones that are in a bag.

Day 5

In 2023, the shop will be closed on Mondays instead of Wednesdays.

Day 6

Since the door opens (towards this side), it is warning us to not stand by the door.

Day 7

The shop is closed for the day, please come again.

Suggested format for posting your answers
Will make it easier to distinguish from questions and discussions

[SteveB]

Weekly answers:

Day 1

Very politely asking you to have restraint and not bring dogs

Day 2

At the south ticket booth: go towards west exit, take a left, and left again to the south ticket gate

“North ticket gate.
There is no elevator at this ticket gate.
Customers who need to use it, please use the south gate.
Directions to the south ticket gate:”

Day 3

They are not accepting any more calls or payments so I guess its too late for you.

[Kioshen]

Well that sounds like a fun practical application. I’m guessing we will be adding our answers to our first post ? Thank you for taking the time of doing this.

Day 1

Well I didn’t have a good start on that one because i had to research both kanjis that I didn’t know yet. Still here’s my answer :

Please show restraint and do not enter this area if you are accompanied by a pet.

Day 2

The elevator we are at now is not for use for guests. The sign directs us to use the southern one.

[kroatoan]

Day 1

Please refrain from bringing pets into this area.

[chicharron]

Day 1

Please do not bring pets to this area.

Day 2

The elevator is at the southern gate

Day 3

Too late, no christmas cake for you. They only take reservations until 12/22, and I think the rest of the text says something like to make sure your reservation goes through you have to make sure to pay beforehand…? I think.

Day 4

Use the tongs to pick up bread, and put them in the bag without touching them (?)

Day 5

On 2023 the day off will change. On 2022 the day off was wednesday and it will change to monday on 2023.

Day 6

To be careful if you stand here because its where the door opens.

Day 7

It says its closed and to come back another day.

[Stormblessed]

Day 1

No pets in this area please

This will be fun. Thanks for organizing this @ThousandJP

Day 2

Princess Pooch and I will have to go to the South Gate!

Day 3

Assuming that you need a reservation to order the cake, then it doesn’t look like you can buy one on the 23rd.

I believe it says that no reservations or phone orders will be accept from the 23rd through 25th, and that to ensure the right amount will be available, payment needs to be done ahead of time. So that also makes me think that you can’t just order something on the day of.

Day 4

It’s asking us to use the tongs. Don’t grab the pastries directly with your hands you filthy animal!

Day 5

They will be closed on Monday instead of TuesdayWednesday starting January 2023
(Thanks for the correction @Marcus )

Day 6

The door opens, so don’t loiter in front of it. Please and thank you.

Day 7

Reception is closed for the day. We look forward to your next visit.

[Asher]

Day 1

Please refrain from having a pet with you in this area.

Think 同伴 here refers not just to walking, as there are tons of people in Japan that also carry their dogs around in bags or strollers. Can be interpreted either way though!

Day 2

南改札にございます。 It is located at the south gate.

Day 3

残念ですが締切は22日のため、クリスマスには予約することができません。スーパーで買えるケーキを買って、同僚の許しを祈りましょう。アルコールにも払えば助かるはずです。

Unfortunately the deadline is the 22nd, so we can’t order a cake for Christmas. Let’s just buy cake we can get at the supermarket and pray for our colleagues forgiveness. If we also pay for the alcohol it is sure to help.

Day 4

トングの使用を求められているので、直接に商品を触らないようにしましょう。勝手に素手で触る場合は、パンに設置されている人間のDNAを感じることのできるセンサーが爆発の原因になることもあります。ご注意ください。

Since we are being requested to use tongs, let’s make sure not touch the products directly. In the event that you are freely touching things with your bare hands, it can occasionally result in a sensor capable of detecting human DNA installed in the bread causing a detonation. Please be careful.

Day 5

店舗の営業時間が来年の1月から変わる知らせなので、覚えなきゃいけない。

Since it is a notification about the operation hours of this store changing from January next year, we should remember it.

[EdBunpro]

Thanks for doing this! If you ever need any additional images or anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and I can take some whenever I’m out and about.

Here’s today’s sign written out if anyone wants to yomichan it or something~

このエリアのペットの同伴はご遠慮ください

[HotAirGun]

Day 1

Please don’t bring your pets here

[theburgergod]

Literal translation:

Summary

Please refrain from having pet accompaniment in this area.

My translation:

Summary

Please do not bring pets into this area.

[matt_in_mito]

Day 1

Don’t bring your stinky little mutt in here! Love Beans x

Day 2

There’s no lift at this ticket entrance. If you wanna use the lift then you’re gonna have to get yourself down to the south entrance!

Day 3

Well I suppose if someone hadn’t paid for their cake and it was just sitting there ready to be chucked away, you might be in with a chance, but otherwise, I don’t think you’re getting your cake.

Day 4

Take the bread with the tongs! Don’t put your grubby little hands in a bag and take it directly, you dirty little scoundrel.

Day 5

They’re changing their closed day from Wednesday to Monday from 2023.

Day 6

Mate, if you stand outside this door, it’s gonna open on you so don’t come crying to us with your bust nose if you decide to hang around in front yoroshiku.

Day 7

We’re done for today so go away and we’re waiting for your next visit!

[Marcus]

What great fun!

Day one

このエリアのペットの同伴はご遠慮ください

Before I look anything up:
I know everything except the kanji (this area’s pet’s xx topic marker xx please) so, looking at the picture, my best guess is “no pets in this area”

And now to hit the dictionary:
同伴 - どうはん - accompanying; being accompanied by; going with
遠慮 - えんりょ - reserve; constraint; restraint;

Please refrain from bringing pets into this area.

Day two

When I see things like this, all this kanji, my eyes glaze over and my brain goes foggy! But luckily the map is easy to read, and even easier when I can decipher these two:

北改札 - きたかいさつ - north ticket gate
南改札 - みなみかいさつ - south ticket gate

So, with the answer in hand (to use the lift you need to enter through the south ticket gate), and a few minutes spare before my train leaves, I can try deciphering a bit more, just for fun:

こちらの改札はエレベーターがございません
There is no lift past this ticket gate

ご利用のお客さまは, 南改札をご利用ください
Passengers using (the lift), please use the south gate

I then decide I’ll never manage to figure out that final kanji on the poster (南改札へのごxxx) so just leave it and leg it to my train!

Edit: once on the train I pull out my smartphone and find that final kanji! 案内

Day three

So, having a job to do (buying a cake) I have little choice but to decipher this sign. At first glance all I can see it this:

Christmas xxx
Xxx 12/22
12/23~25はxxxxxx
Telephone reception xxxx go - don’t have
All xxxx xxxx xxxx don’t have
Xxx please

Can I buy a cake for tomorrow,? Not a chance!

But my actual understanding is awful. You wouldn’t believe I’ve lived in Japan for over ten years, would you? Normally I’d just ask the staff to explain, there’s always someone who can speak English, or just use the camera function in Google translate.

But I’m determined to finally crack this. But where to start? I look in Google Translate and find (for the first time today, can you believe this?) that it has a function in which you can draw an unknown kanji and look it up. It instantly recognises my first attempt, which is cool, and gives me the meaning “reserve”, but not the reading. Till I click on it, and there it is! Amazing! I now know that the first line is クリスマスよやく and says “Christmas reservations”. I now painstakingly work my way through the next line:

クリスマス予約 - クリスマスよやく - Christmas reservations
ご予約締切は12/22 - ごよやくしめきりは12/22 - The deadline for reservations is 12/22

That seems clear enough? Is it worth reading more? There might be some wriggle room here, though I doubt it…

12/23~25は購入後の取り置きや - 12/23~25はこうにゅうごの取り置きや

Something or other about sales or something? I don’t know!

At this stage I’m getting a headache, there are a load of people getting pissed of with me standing in front of the cakes fiddling on my phone, and my dog looks ready to pounce on another equally bored pooch further back in the line. No Christmas cake for the party again this year! Not my fault, they ought to have known to reserve before the 22nd!

Day four

Walk into many bakeries and you’ll see a pile of trays and a rack of tongs, and you’ll see people using the tongs to pick up the food they want and put it on their trays. It’s pretty obvious that you don’t use your fingers!

But Japan loves signs, especially ones telling you what not to do, so as soon as I saw this I knew the answer right away, just from those two katakana words that stick out in the first line:

パン - bread
トング - tong/s

But, let’s see if I can figure out the rest:

パンはトングを使用してお取りください
直接, 袋には手を触れないよう
お願いたします

Please use the tongs to take the bread
Please don’t touch the bags directly

使用 - しよう - use
取る - とる - take
直接 - ちょくせつ - directly
袋 - ふくろ - bag/s
手 - て - hand
触れない - 触れない - don’t touch
お願いたします - おねがいたします - please

The bags thing is because some of the food will be in wrappers.

Incidentally, I lived in Korea for some years before I came to Japan and once I arrived here I was very uncomfortable in Japanese bakeries. You have to put your food directly on the tray, trusting that it will be clean. It felt really dirty. In Korea you have no such worries as you also pick up a sheet of special paper to put on the tray first, making sure everything is kept perfect!

Day five

I’m really enjoying this project. These are the kind of signs I usually just ignore in my everyday life. Having to slow down and figure them out is very useful! Thank you!

And thank goodness for the write function on Google Translate! I never knew how useful it could be until this week!

お客様各位 - おきゃくさまかくい - To all our customers

2023年１月より - from January 2023

毎週月曜日を定休日
まいしゅうげつようびをていきゅうび
= every week / Mondays / day off

とさせていただきます
= grammar which is, to me, ridiculously indecipherable. Something to do with する in a super polite form. Basically, “we’re going to have Mondays as our closing day each week from next year”.

2022年 - 水曜定休 - 2022 - Wednesdays off
2023年 - 月曜定休 - 2023 - Mondays off
となります - will become

よろしくお願いいたします - super polite ending.

Someone’s going to be getting a regular three-day weekend. Let’s hope it’s everyone. Though I doubt it will be somehow!

Day six

Oh my goodness, today’s is a tough one. Just looking at it, I can see it is a warning of some kind, and in the first line I can make out something along the lines of the door being a thing that is open. To be honest, I’m totally stumped, so I’m going to get the dictionary out and break everything down:

注意 - ちゅうい - notice

ドアが開く事があります
ドア - door
が - identifier particle
開く - ひらく - to open
事 - こと - thing
があります - there is
Edit: Thank you so much to @Stormblessed for the following:
事があります is a set expression that has the meaning of “to be possible” or “happens sometimes”
So… This door sometimes opens

この付近に立ち止まらない様ご注意下さい
この - this
付近 - ふきん - vicinity
に - particle
立ち止まらない - たちとまらない - not come to a stop
様 - よう - appearing / way to (not Mr - さま!)
ご注意下さい - ごちゅういください - please take care
Please take care to not stop in this area.

宜しくお願い致します
よろしくおねがいいたします
Pretty please

Warning:
This door is in constant use and may open suddenly
Please don’t stand around in front of it
Thank you

Day seven

Okay, at first glance, it looked to me like this:

Japan’s reception is finished
Xxxwas done
Xxxxshopを
Waitxxx

Of course I realised that can’t be Japan and must mean “today”, so I look it up and lo-and-behold so it does! Okay, so reception is closed for the day, but let’s see what else is going on:

本日の受付は終了
ほんじつのうけつけはしゅうりょう
The reception desk is now closed

致しました
いたしました
Super polite past tense (the reception desk has now closed)

またのご来店を待しております
またのごらいてんをまちしております
Again + visit our store + wait
I was struggling a bit with this, but DeepL to the rescue:
We look forward to seeing you again!

The reception desk has now closed
We look forward to seeing you again
Now, sling your hook

[Marcus]

Oh yes, @matt_in_mito gets my vote for best translation on day one!

[ThisIsntTheWay]

Day 1

I felt like cheating using yomichan, but I couldn’t identify the kanji properly

Anyway, the sign says “Please don’t bring pets into this area.”

Day 2

I did take some time to decipher all of this, but it felt like a fun puzzle haha.

The top says that this ticket gate has no elevator.
Underneath is text that says “Guests who want to use it (the elevator), should head to the south ticket gate”.

At the bottom is a guide that tells you how to get to the south ticket gate, aptly named “Guide to the south ticket gate”.

Now I wonder what the actual function of the ご in all these sentences is…

Day 3

Upfront, the sign says that the deadline for reservations is 12/22.

The green text I am honestly not too sure about.
Although, I think it says that neither purchases or phone calls during 23~25 will be accepted.
(Not sure about this word: 購入後…)

The black text says that, as goods are only available in limited quantity, pre-payment is required.
Finally, the store thanks for our cooperation.

In short, we’re one day too late to purchase a cake.

Day 4

This one’s more easier than the last sign.
“Please use tongs when picking up bread.”

The second sentence:
“Please don’t touch the bag directly.”

Day 5

It’s nice seeing grammar that was recently learned here pop up!
The sign indicates that, beginning January 2023, every monday will be a (regular) closing day.
(Previously, it was wednesday.)

Day 6

The font made it somewhat hard to read, but I believe the sign says:
The doors may open, so please don’t stop in the “vicinity”/area.

Maybe this is directed to vehicles?

Day 7

At first I misinterpreted 本日 as japan
To be fair, both words look quite similar…

Anyhow, the sign states:
Today, reception is closed.
We’re looking forward to seeing you again.

Many thanks for hosting this activity!
I feel like it gave me a glimpse of “everyday japanese” and helped cement grammar/words.

[ThousandJP]

Wouldn’t say it’s cheating or anything since you’re free to use any tools at your disposal but I think you may feel you are getting more out of the activity if you simulate actually encountering the sign in the wild and stick to the tools available to you in that scenario first.

For example, you had a problem with identifying the kanji. If you have a smartphone with you, dictionary apps that allow for handwriting input or have OCR functions if you don’t want to write may be one available tool you could use. I don’t know how yomichan works exactly but if you think you would be able to use it in the simulated situation, then it may be an option also.

Imo having a process for figuring out Japanese you don’t know, especially in the wild, is as beneficial as having a routine for studying.

[ahewgill]

Day 1

Soft Japanese expression of: No pets allowed.

Day 2

The north elevator is not working so you must proceed to the south elevator. After reading everyone’s answers I learned that 改札 refers to a ticket gate, thanks!

Day 3

Unfortunately we missed the opportunity since orders had to be placed by the 22nd. They won’t be receiving customers or answering the phone on the 23rd - 25th.

Day 4

Use tongs to pick items to buy. Second part I can’t interpret, something about a bag and don’t touch please?

Day 5

They are changing the day the store is closed from Wednesday to Monday.

Day 6

Don’t stand in this area as the door frequently opens.

Day 7

Japan reception is now closed. Please wait for the new store? I’m definitely not getting this one. What is a “Japan reception”? Context would certainly be helpful with this one.

[josh]

Day 2

Answer to the question:
The elevator is located at the south ticket gate.

Rough translation (localization):
There is no elevator at this ticket gate. Customers who wish to use the elevator, please use the south ticket gate.
__

A guide to the south ticket gate for those using the elevator.

[theburgergod]

Day 2

北改札

こちらの改札は、エレベーターがございません。ご利用のお客様は、南改札をご利用ください。

エレベータをご利用のお客様へ南改札へのご案内

Summary

North ticket booth.

There is no elevator at this ticket booth. For guests that want to use the elevator, please use the one at the south ticket booth.

Guide to the south ticket booth for customers that will use the elevator:

[eclipse77x]

Day 1

Literally “Please refrain from being accompanied by pets in this area.”

The sign is telling us this is a pet-free zone.

Day 2

Literally “There is no elevator at this turnstile/ticket gate. Customers who use the elevator should use the south turnstile/ticket gate. Guide/map to South Ticket Gate for customers who use an elevator.”

The elevator is at the south exit/ticket gate.

Day 3

This one was very tough.

Literally “Christmas Reservations, Reservation Deadline is 12/22. 12/23-25 after purchase layaway.
No telephone reception. Quantities are limited, pay in advance, thank you for your cooperation”

No because the deadline has passed and quantities are limited.

Day 4

Literally “Use the tongs to take bread. Directly, don’t touch the bag with your hands.”

You should use tongs to take the bread and not touch the bag with your hands.

Day 5

Literally:
お客各位
All Customers

2023年一月より
After January 1, 2023

毎週月曜日を定休日とさせていただきます
every week Monday will be made the regular closing day

2022年->水曜日
2022 → Wednesday regular closing day

2023年->月曜日
2023 → Monday regular closing day

となります
will become

よろしくお願いいたします
Thank you.

店主
Shopkeeper

In 2023, the day that the store will be closed each week will change from Wednesdays to Mondays.

Day 6

Literal:
注意
Caution

ドアが開く事があります。
There is an opening door.

この付近に立ち止まらない様ご注意ください。
Please do not stand in this area.

よろしくお願いします。
Thank you!

The sign is advising people not to stand in the area so they don’t get hit when the door opens.

Day 7

Literal:

本日の受付は終了致しました
Today’s reception is finished.

またのご来店をお待ちしております
We are waiting for you to come again.

The store is closed for the day. (And they look forward to seeing us again.)

(I don’t know why I kept seeing 日本 instead of 本日. Was tough to get the meaning of the sign until I realized… what is a Japanese reception counter?)