One thing I will *not* miss about Japan is its cuteness.
Kawaii (the word for cute) is up at the top of the list for one of the most overused words in the Japanese language. Everything---from company advertisements, billboards, to clothing, accessories and cell phones, have to catch one's eye. And the way to do that in this country is to make everything
cute. Boy, am I sick of it...Here are a few examples I've actually taken pictures of:
This was outside a travel agency office at
Hirakata Station. Look, doesn't this make you want to make a reservation for your next vacation? Oh, yes. You know it does :-) Need I say more about Japanese women being small, cute, pigeon-toed and stylish? :-)
"Travel to America! Fly to Europe!"
I actually
like this one. It says "Stay out of here!" as the English translation, but the Japanese version is a bit softer---something along the lines of "Please don't go in here. OK? (Thanks)".
Incorrectly displaying their store as being closed. This was a Mexican place, if I remember correctly.
I don't know why I chose to post this, but I should note that it is a child's sweatshirt. It creeps me out. I don't know exactly why. Perhaps because I hate
McDonald's and the shirt is saying it's wonderful...
This is in the train station I walk through every day. It's an advertisement for a clinic. (Can't you tell? See, the elephant's a doctor! You wanna go see your elephant doctor? )
A sign warning about taking your dog into the temple/shrine.
Halloween advertised with a ginormous Cookie Monster.
Thomas The Tank Engine Train. This is pretty cool, I have to admit---because, it's an actual train.
Kitty-
chan. Sold everywhere in every form humanly thinkable. Yeah, she's cute, but, ugh! Enough already!!! You
know this mouthless cat is never going away when you see nicely dressed business women toting their Hello Kitty shoulder bag to and from work on the train...Pretty much EVERYONE loves her. I don't get it.
This was outside a travel agency office at Hirakata Station. Look, doesn't this make you want to make a reservation for your next vacation? Oh, yes. You know it does :-) Need I say more about Japanese women being small, cute, pigeon-toed and stylish? :-) "Travel to America! Fly to Europe!"
I actually like this one. It says "Stay out of here!" as the English translation, but the Japanese version is a bit softer---something along the lines of "Please don't go in here. OK? (Thanks)".
Incorrectly displaying their store as being closed. This was a Mexican place, if I remember correctly.
I don't know why I chose to post this, but I should note that it is a child's sweatshirt. It creeps me out. I don't know exactly why. Perhaps because I hate McDonald's and the shirt is saying it's wonderful...
This is in the train station I walk through every day. It's an advertisement for a clinic. (Can't you tell? See, the elephant's a doctor! You wanna go see your elephant doctor? )
A sign warning about taking your dog into the temple/shrine.
Halloween advertised with a ginormous Cookie Monster.
Thomas The Tank Engine Train. This is pretty cool, I have to admit---because, it's an actual train.
Kitty-chan. Sold everywhere in every form humanly thinkable. Yeah, she's cute, but, ugh! Enough already!!! You know this mouthless cat is never going away when you see nicely dressed business women toting their Hello Kitty shoulder bag to and from work on the train...Pretty much EVERYONE loves her. I don't get it.
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