Littering, loitering, smoking in the street outside of designated areas... You've probably seen signs on the street prohibiting unacceptable behavior, and Japan is no exception.

Twitter user Yade Ogata saw a sign like that, but it was different than most signs in one important way: it was not addressed to humans!

Used with permission from Yade Ogata

Honorable Dog*.
Hello.
Going to the bathroom here is
not allowed

Yes, it was a sign that was addressed to dogs!

*In Japanese, store customers are addressed as お客様 o-kyaku-sama. kyaku means customer, but it is preceded by the honorific o and followed by the suffix sama indicating a high level of respect. However, this sign says お犬様 o-inu-sama, 犬 inu, meaning dog.

This warning sign elicited responses such as "That's too good to be true" and "I want to read it out loud."

You may have seen humorous dog poop signs such as "No deposits here. This is not a bank." or "Your Dog. Your Poop" and the like but the signs in Japan are usually straightforward.

Therefore, it's no wonder that Yade Ogata mentioned it as "the best sign I saw all day" when they posted the photo it on Twitter.

Dogs who were thinking of relieving themselves here might think twice when they see the sign.

And maybe even their owners will think about minding their (and their dogs') manners too...


By - grape Japan editorial staff.