The above images let travelers know that there are fire-breathing thugs in the area and there is a good chance a small pig may be in your bowl.
Or, if we read between the black-and-white lines of these awesome signs, they mean the food you are about to eat is extremely spicy and contains pork.
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The Japan Times quotes Takefumi Shimomukai, director of the Iwate Prefectural Government's Morioka Regional Development Bureau, who explains the move to make signage more captivating: "Many foreign tourists visit Hokkaido, Tokyo and Kyoto but only about 500,000 visit the Tohoku region yearly. But I believe that we can show off our hospitality and convince tourists that Morioka or Iwate are good places (to visit). Even taxi drivers - initially reluctant to serve foreign visitors for fear of communication troubles - noticed there are more and more overseas visitors coming in the spring to enjoy the cherry blossoms. It's better to be prepared in advance."
The hope is that local businesses will grab foreign dollars that are already meandering about the area.
Unfortunately, tourists might not frequent a local watering hole or restaurant if they feel like there is a tremendous language barrier the moment they walk through the door.
We always encourage travelers to learn some of the language before they leave. But it's nice to hear this town is also bridging the gap.
Shimomukai continues: "Until recently some owners believed their profits from serving only locals were sufficient, and due to the language barrier, they may have left foreign visitors with a feeling that they were not welcome."
That all changes even in the form of some signs that have gone up that state, "we welcome tourists."
There is simply no replacement for learning a few phrases in the local language. It will pay off tremendously.
However, we are smitten with Iwate and its policy of opening its arms a bit wider for tourists around the world.
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