Every time I travel to Japan, I discover yet more reasons to love the country and its culture.
Among the many things I enjoy seeing in Japan: warning signs.
While Japan has its share of simple signs that merely warn of dangers, Japanese sign designers also have a delightful flair for the creative. Case in point: this warning sign in Tokushima Castle Park, which sits at the base of the hill where the castle once stood, and warns of falling rocks:
The hillside around the sign makes the meaning clear, even without a functional grasp of Japanese – but it’s the image that truly makes the sign:
“Beware of Falling Rocks” alone would have done the job, but the angry god-or-demon (or possibly dungeon master, depending on your experience tabletop gaming…) adds a whole new dimension to the idea of falling rocks–and elevates the sign from warning to “worth a mention on the blog.”
Do you notice entertaining warning signs?