Happy Signs

Inspired by Megan's chronicle of really weird Japanese stuff, I was all prepared to scout Japan for awesome signage.  But then I got distracted by the food.

Still, I collected a handful of signs that just made me happy:

Cigarettes with attitude not welcome here.

Is teletubbie confused because of the canoodling or  because he's inexplicably in a subway car?

Truth in advertising.

My favorite, however, was simply the byproduct of translating from one exceedingly difficult language into another exceedingly difficult language.  The mountain town of Takayama is known for its sake brewing; the sake distilleries are marked by giant cedar balls outside their doors.  One shop had a refrigerated case with rows of sake bottles and little clear plastic cups: a self-help sampling set up.  

Sake distilleries in Takayama.

Score! I thought.  I was oblivious to the middle-aged Japanese men staring at me as I worked my way methodically across the rows.  Somewhere in the middle of the second row I noticed there was a typewritten sign taped to the back of the refrigerated case:  "Please do not sample the minors or the drivers."

Fair enough.