Reading signs around Japan

[casual]

As it happens, I’m in Japan for the first time, and can’t help but read every sign that I see.

In this thread, I’m thinking about posting pictures of some of those signs. Perhaps some of the forum dwellers also find it fun or educational to read them.

Please feel free to comment, discuss, ask questions, or go on wild unrelated tangents.

I cannot commit to a specific posting schedule, especially while still traveling, but will hopefully keep this topic alive once every few days.

Please feel free to contribute any signs of your own as well! But please wait 2 days since the last sign was posted to give all time zones a chance to catch up and chime in.

an aside on travel plans

Tokyo, Kyoto
a little Fukuoka
a lot of riding trains around Tohoku including Hirosaki festival and Omagari fireworks
Okinawa
It’s a bit haphazard and under-planned, and I’m not really going to blog about the travel itself, at least here.

[casual]

A road sign near Tokyo Akasaka Biz Tower, as snapped from a cafe upstairs. There’s an accompanying P sign next to it that I didn’t take a picture of, but google street view has it.

I’m planning to drive in a couple of weeks, so starting to get used to these might be useful.

[ThousandJP]

Looking forward to more signs

Just curious, did you feel that the JR pass was a worthwhile option for you? Since it looks from your loose travel plans that youre travelling all over Japan

[polevata]

With the new pricing it rarely is. I had a three week trip all over 本州/九州 basically taking Shinkansen every other day, and it still didn’t make sense. You’ve basically gotta be making day trips from Tokyo to all over the country for it to be worth

[polevata]

Also not Japanese, but I was in China and found this sign hilarious: “Caution, safe”

[nminer]

I laugh every time I see this sign in the subway. Poor snake!

[casual]

Haha yes I love this sign too.
I make sure to keep my tail neatly tucked in when boarding.

@ThousandJP

Just curious, did you feel that the JR pass was a worthwhile option for you?

@ThousandJP I got a feeling that even the JR East Touhoku pass is priced assuming a long shinkansen round trip. I’m planning a lot of stops and mostly local trains, so making it pay off in 5 days is difficult.

[casual]

Here’s one I snapped yesterday on the grounds of this shrine 冨士山下宮小室浅間神社

Zoomed in

another angle

Let’s figure out what sort of water this is and if it’s safe.

[casual]

Today we have one from a parking lot.

These seem to be semi-standard, with the general idea being the same and exact wording changing between different shops.
I’m also surprised it’s not translated into English for us tourists.

Tomorrow driving a car in Japan for the first time.

[xaiviax]

Was in Japan last month.

[NectaLeVelo]

Nice sign, I suppose.

[Noxsora]

Digging makez telephone sad

[Noxsora]

Trash makes サーラちゃん cry

[sushimonster]

I can see how you reach that conclusion but it’s actually closer to “mind your safety.”

[casual]

Usually I post something that I understand myself, but this one got me scratching my head:

It’s on the bank of Kitakami river in Kitakami (street view).

First of all, I haven’t learned 堤, but after looking that up it became clearer what 破堤（はてい） is.
Then, I guess 出水（しゅっすい） could refer either to the general state of the river from upstream, or to the output from these white pipes?
And in which direction is ポンプ pumping?
And finally, what can a simple pedestrian like me do with all this information?

[asii_k]

I think the idea is if the water level reaches that white line the pumps should stop discharging water into the river

As for what you’re supposed to do with that info I’m not sure lol
maybe they hope someone will call the number and let them know the water level is too high or they just want to provide a general warning it could be dangerous when the water level is that high

[xaiviax]

[davebp]

@nihongosigns on YouTube will let you practice (simpler signs than illustrated here)

[nminer]

Here’s an easier one seen during Golden Week travels.

[Fuga]

According to the sign on the opposite side of this, it seems like water from another smaller river in this area gets released into the bigger river when it reaches a certain limit (to prevent flooding), but if the big river reaches the white line, they will stop pumping water into the bigger river.