30 Hilarious English Translations People Came Across While Traveling In Japan
Traveling in Japan often means being surrounded by thoughtful signs meant to help visitors feel welcome, but sometimes those good intentions lead to delightfully unexpected results. From instructions that sound far more intense than necessary to phrases that take on a whole new meaning in English, these translations can turn a simple walk down the street into a moment of laughter.
In this collection, we’ve rounded up some hilarious English translations people came across while traveling in Japan. While the messages are usually clear enough to get the point across, the wording often adds an unintentional dose of humor.
#1 Memory Lane, Tokyo
Image source: Adrian Tischler
#2 “No Move Because Lazy” Is My Life Motto
Image source: Jordan
#3 At A Guest House In Yufuin
Image source: Ma J Go
#4 I Took This Pic When I Was In Japan In 2010, And It Makes Me Smile To This Day
Image source: PhasedPlasmaPainting
#5 Taken In A Donki In Osaka
Image source: Lucy Onigiri
#6 Don’t Order A Buffet
Image source: reddit.com, I Love Japan (日本大好き）
#7 Translation Of The Week
Image source: Todd Wilbur
#8 Still Trying To Determine If This Is A List Of Available Amenities Or The Names Of Alternative Rock Bands That Have Stayed Here
Image source: Todd Fong
#9 On The Top Of Yambiko, Nozawa Onsen
Image source: Bree Fraser
#10 Gentlemen Only Floors In A Manga Store In Akihabara
Image source: Sean Bushmills
#11 When You Decide To Go To Japan After A Breakup
Image source: chr15c, Susan Westhafer
#12 Never Teach Your Garbage To Swim Kids. Found In Niseko Japan
Image source: slizeguy
#13 Or What? Feeling Threatened In Sapporo Station
Image source: Emmy Yamaguchi
#14 The Best Sign I Have Encountered In Japan
Image source: PVPmainbtw
#15 Where Do I Sign Up? Found In Takayama
Image source: Christian Brandt Thomassen
#16 Maybe A Bit Harsh?
Image source: Dean Stephens
#17 Signage That Is Definitely Out Of Control
Image source: Josef Kotrly
#18 Alright, I Get It! No Parsons With Tattos! At The Springs Hiyoshi Onsen In Kyoto
Image source: Elsa Bz
#19 This Sign My Roommate Found In Japan
Image source: bluelazurite
#20 That’s So Kind Of You. Thanks For Your Offer. Anytime Fitness, Tokyo
Image source: Masaki Mizutani
#21 No Touching… Except
Image source: プロスキル
#22 Hoping To Buy A Fragrance In Japan
Image source: Akki8888
#23 Would I Hesitate? Outside Hakone Checkpoint
Image source: Jannicke Hummelvoll Krogh
#24 Spotted On The Way Home Last Night By Daily Yamazaki In Front Of Toyocho Station
Image source: Aaron Tokunaga
#25 In Hotel Elevator, Shizuoka. It’s A Double Whammy, But I Have Been Stiff Lately. Maybe I Should Get A Deep Knee Bend
Image source: Michelle Armstrong
#26 I Mean, I Don’t Know Where I’ll Put It, But… Seen In A Grocery Store In Kanagawa
Image source: Susan Lucier
#27 Hostel In Sapporo
Image source: Charlotte De Oliveira
#28 Fair Enough. Setagaya, Tokyo
Image source: Cesar Golindano
#29 I Saw This In Nara, Japan
Image source: Koelpimo
#30 Brought To You By The Makers Of “Story Is Words”
#31 Farmer’s Market In Fujiyoshida
Image source: Agata Zielezińska
#32 Stay Hydrated In Ginza, Tokyo
Image source: Pipe_down_sherlock
#33 Yep They Are! Nishinariku, Osaka
Image source: Trish Phie
#34 Found In Hamone, Japan
Image source: pikay93
#35 Stop The Floor! Animate Akihabara, Tokyo
Image source: Yasmin Roelofs
#36 Someone Was Having A Bad Day At The 7-11
Image source: Sarah Nelkin
#37 Adults Should Not Wear Hats… Taken In Odaiba, Tokyo
Image source: Bonnie Kakinuma
#38 Got It… In A Vintage Kimono Shop, Kyoto
Image source: Vegard B. Torgersen
#39 Please Do Not Enter The Women
Image source: therico
#40 In A Furniture Store In Misawa, Japan
Image source: Elle Redel
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