Weird, Wild, Wonderful Japan

 --Susan, every other Sunday

I've taken tens of thousands of photos on my travels in Japan. Most of them serve as research for blog posts, articles, or books on various topics. 

But every once in a while (read: fairly regularly, and with notable frequency), I run across something that begs for documentation but doesn't fit neatly into any pigeonhole except the (admittedly large) one labeled "Because Japan."

Today's post contains a smattering of images from that file. I love these pictures, and to be clear: I'm  sharing them not to poke fun at Japanese life (or English--more on that below) but because they bring me joy.

And with so much tragedy and strife running rampant in the world right now, I think all of us could use a smile.

The Japanese reads "yeast bread."
The English part appears to be explaining why there are so many of them in the box.

Quick quiz. This is:
A. Non-dairy creamer
B. Truth in advertising
C. All of the above.

This monument stands at Sensoji, Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple
Yes, those are pigeons; below them are the words and music to a popular Japanese children's song called "Po-po the Pigeon" (Hato po-po)
For the record: I have never seen a pigeon poop on this monument.

Seen in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, aka "Apple Town"
Where I must admit, they do make a mean handheld apple pie.

This is a partial view of a traditional latrine outside a historic house at Nihon Minka-En,
an open-air architectural museum south of Tokyo.
The sign reads "This is an exhibit. You can't use it."
Which compels the lawyer in me to remind you:
If there's a sign saying not to, it generally means that someone did.

"Know your poop" - trailside sign on Odaigahara, a mountain in Nara Prefecture, south of Kyoto.

Speaking of getting a s**tty deal...
If you've ever wondered how if feels to be a night soil collector
(and who hasn't?), you can get your chance at the Edo-Tokyo Museum

Takamaru-kun, the mascot of Hirosaki Castle in Aomori Prefecture
I love imagining the planning meeting in which someone
 managed to persuade an entire team of professionals that 
 "Peregrine Falcon Wearing Samurai Helm With a Castle On His Head"
was the way to go. Well played, sir. Well played indeed.

Yes, we have "beware of crow" signs.
Yes, we need them.

Seen in a cafe bathroom in Karuizawa, northwest of Tokyo.
Yes, the fish are alive.
And they've seen some things they won't talk about. 

And while we're on the topic of bathroom humor, 
submitted for your consideration:
A sign taped to the wall of the ladies' room at a cafe in central Tokyo.

With that, I'll leave you to go about your lives--hopefully a little more lightheartedly than before, if just for a moment. But don't worry . . . there's plenty more where this came from, and I'll drop another load on you some time soon.