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I was the first person in the bank this morning. The shutter had hardly finished it's opening and there I was. First time I had been so early, so I wasn't ready for the greeting I got from about 40 bank staff all stood there, bowing and welcoming me to their bank. It was quite embarrasing, but funny.

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A place across the street from my Sendai shop used to crack me up. They did the typical excercises in any kind of weather together out by the street and shouted inspirational things for about 30 minutes before going inside to work every morning. They would unfailingly humiliate the newcomers to the company.

 

Another thing that crack me up: BOSOZOKU (annoying but hillarious)

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I remember when I frist came to Japan and visited a department store just before opening time, I could see all the staff through window practicing their bowing with their boss, it was like sycronised bowing all in perfect sinc. I thought it was highly amusing at the time as until that point had never seen anything like it.

Actually they have bowing schools here where newbies got to learn their bowing techniques and degree in which to bow.

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The stuff that cracks me up the most is the "state the completely obvious" stuff. Your photo of the clock was a brilliant example! Another common one is the bloke with a flag telling the traffic to go when the traffic light next to him is green. I don't know if they still do, but banks in the big cities used to have an old bloke to tell you which of the cashpoints you could see in front of you was unoccupied. Nice one granddad!

 

I also like the way every bag of crisps has a photo of crisps on it but still says "potato chips" in massive letters. What could people mistake them for? Hoover bags?

 

f0070440_9513733.jpg

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can't find a photo, but the flavour of crisps called â€ã‚³ã‚¯ã€€ãƒã‚¤ã‚ºâ€

Yep, just can't see COCK CHEESE flavoured crisps being a big seller in the UK!! lol

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There once was a chocolate wafer-like treat test-marketed as Snatch. It got renamed Snitch in romaji in the Tokyo region (although the katakana remained ``sunatchu'' but I'm told you could still find Snatch in Hokkaido for quite some time afterward.

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Hmm, I think there needs to be another sign next to it saying 'SIGN INDICATING "HERE IS THE CLOCK" -->'

 

...and then one on the right of the clock: "THIS IS NOT THE CLOCK"

 

Yes that stating the obvious thing is really prevalent and absurd here.

 

It is often audio, not visual. For example, you filter it out after a few months here, but there are pointless announcements over tannoy for everything. e.g. on the bus 'bus is stopping now, take care...bus doors are closing, we are going to depart, take care...bus is about to turn right, take care... etc' its like having Rain Man as your driver. The other one is on JR trains, the announcements are so long winded and loud.

 

Considering how concerned people are about the 'wa' somehow it seems totally OK to pump out noise pollution anywhere you like.

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Originally Posted By: Mr Wiggles
I also like the way every bag of crisps has a photo of crisps on it but still says "potato chips" in massive letters. What could people mistake them for? Hoover bags?

f0070440_9513733.jpg



What is it with the MASSIVE LETTERS in general. Like on the TV when, so many subtitles and gigantic letters on the screen so often.
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Originally Posted By: Creek Boy
Old grannies with their purple, green, red, orange, blue, and rainbow colored hair really makes me lol


So does the otherwise pretty girls with the badly-dyed orange/brown hair.
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