Japan has some of the best signs ever. If they're not written in some mangled form of English, they usually contain notices that we often find nonsensical or outright strange. I still remember how Xtine and I would love buying Japanese candies at MCS because of the blurbs often found on the pack. I remember buying a green apple candy with this text written in front.
"Green is freshing. Like the sun out in the bright blue sky is freshing."
Try and figure that out.
That's why it was no surprise that yesterday, I found a lot of these weird signs on our way to the ski resort in Urasa. From the waiting station to the train itself, there was a mother lode of beautifully written reminders that got me guffawing from Urasa to the Joetsu Kokusai Ski Resort.
This one is a romanticized version of "Beware of Pickpockets" or that often seen "Mag-ingat sa mandurukot" sign in Manila. The idea is the same, but the execution is much more eloquent:
Another sign is about wearing earphones while on the train. Strangely, I couldn't tell whether they're encouraging or discouraging the use of earphones. Visually, it feels like they're encouraging you. But the text on the sign itself feels like it's saying otherwise:
Now this is one sign that won't work in HK. The train actually discourages ladies from doing their make-up while riding on the train. I have no idea why they discourage it, though. Heck, I see more than a dozen ladies expertly painting and beautifying their faces on the MTR in HK every single day. I'm sure they wouldn't want to visit or migrate in Japan because of this:
Gosh, I'd love to meet the copywriters who do these signs. They have the funkiest and most fun job in the world.
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