Source: Hajime Yamauchi 山内創 (@suymuc) - image used with permission

Unusual button says a lot about Japanese aquarium’s friendly and approachable attitude

Hajime Yamauchi 山内創 (@suymuc), director of the 北の大地の水族館（山の水族館）kita no daichi no suizokukan (yama no suizokukan) (Northern Land aquarium [mountain aquarium]) in Hokkaido, regularly shares information about his aquarium and its various events on his Twitter account.

On January 9th, 2022, he posted an anecdote about a rather unusual button installed in the aquarium, lamenting the fact that nobody was pressing it anymore.

The reason lies in the button's purpose...

Reproduced with permission from Hajime Yamauchi 山内創 (@suymuc)

"I was thinking that people don't push the button that often these days...and then I realized that the batteries had died! Sorry ???"

The button is named: "Button That Makes The Director Come Out"!

Moreover, the sign says that if you press the button, the director will come out within three minutes and talk to you and, moreover, that you don't even need to have a question in mind. In smaller font at the bottom, it says "the button doesn't work when the director is away."

Yamauchi was probably waiting for the button to be pressed so that he could interact with visitors.

The straightforward name for the button and the friendly, approachable tone of the sign quickly became a hot topic on Twitter, with many people saying: "I want to push this button!"

Some of the other comments were:

  • "If I went there, I'd excitedly push that button without fail."
  • "I didn't notice it when I was there before! I'll push it next time I go."
  • "I like the fact that it's not a 'button to call someone' but rather a 'button that makes someone come out'...The humor creeps up on you."

Yamauchi also revealed that when the button was installed in July 2020, it said, "Please feel free to push the button even if you don't have any business to talk about. We can talk about fish, exhibits, aquariums, hamburgers, etc.! Let's talk!"

What a friendly and approachable director. It sure makes the aquarium sound like a place you'd want to visit!

If you have a chance to stop by the Yama no Aquarium, why don't you use this button to make the director come out? It might make your experience at the aquarium even more memorable.

By - grape Japan editorial staff.

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