Japanese Traffic signs in Aichi Pref r-439 Toyooka

In Japan, are standardized by the "" established in 1968 with origins from the

Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department The serves as the prefectural police department of Tokyo Metropolis. Founded in 1874, it is headed by a Superintendent-General, who is appointed by the National Public Safety Commission, and approved by the Prime Minister. The Tokyo Met ...

's "Order on Standardization of Road Sign" of 1934 and the

Home Ministry An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs. Lists of current ministries of internal affairs Named "ministry" * Ministr ...

of Japan's "Order on Road Signs" of 1942. The previous designs have been used since 1986 after several amendments of order. They are divided into and .

Principal signs

are categorized into 4 types; guide, warning, regulatory and instruction signs.

Guide signs

indicates directions or distances of the road. Guide signs have dark green backgrounds and white text for expressways. In urban areas and on

national highways National Highways, formerly the Highways Agency and later Highways England, is a government-owned company charged with operating, maintaining and improving motorways and major A roads in England. It also sets highways standards used by all f ...

, direction signs have dark blue backgrounds. The signs are normally written in Japanese and English. Since 2014, Vialog is used as the typeface for English words and Place name Transcriptions. File:Japanese Road sign 103-B.svg, Expressway ramp ahead File:Japanese Road sign (Exit A).svg, Expressway exit ahead File:Japanese Road sign (Area and Distance B).svg, Exits and distance (expressway) File:Japanese Road sign 108-2-C.svg, Junction (expressway) File:E1 Expressway (Japan).png, Expressway number (E1; Tomei) File:TOHOKU EXP(E4).svg, Expressway shield (E4; Tōhoku) File:Shuto Urban Expwy Sign C1.svg, Urban Expressway shield (C1;

Shuto Shuto or variants may refer to: *A knifehand strike, known in Japanese as ''shutō-uchi'' *Shutō (seafood), Japanese tuna liver seafood pickle *Shuto Expressway (首都高速道路, Shuto Kōsoku-dōro) network of toll expressways *Šuto Orizari M ...

C1) File:Japanese Road sign 108-2-A.svg, Intersection File:Japanese Road sign 108-3.svg, Intersection File:Japanese Road sign 105-A.svg, Distance of cities and areas File:Japanese National Route Sign 0020.svg, National highway shield (Route 20) File:Japanese Road sign 118-B 0142.svg, National highway shield File:Japanese Road sign 118-C 0142.svg, National highway shield File:Fukuoka Pref Route Sign 0758.svg, Prefectural highway shield (Fukuoka Route 758) File:Japanese Road sign 118-2-B 0142.svg, Prefectural highway shield File:Japanese Road sign 118-2-B principal 0014.svg, Prefectural highway shield (inter-city route) File:Japanese Road sign 118-2-C 0142.svg, Prefectural highway shield File:Japanese Road sign 118-2-C principal 0014.svg, Prefectural highway shield (inter-city route) File:Japanese Road sign 119-B.svg, Street name File:Japanese Road sign 120-A.svg, Detour File:Japanese Road sign 120-B.svg, Detour File:Japanese Road sign 118-5-D.svg, Mitigated limitation of height (expressway) File:Japanese Road sign 118-3-A.svg, Mitigated limitation of weight

Warning signs

warn drivers of dangers or situations that they must pay attention to. Their design, black pattern and border on yellow diamond (usually with 45 cm per a side), is based on the U.S. MUTCD (due to this nation being part of

Major non-NATO ally Major non-NATO ally (MNNA) is a designation given by the United States government to close allies that have strategic working relationships with the US Armed Forces but are not members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). While the ...

). File:Japan road sign 201-A.svg, Crossroads File:Japan road sign 201-B-R.svg, T-intersection with road on the right File:Japan road sign 201-C.svg, T-junction File:Japan road sign 201-B-L.svg, T-intersection with road on the left File:Japan road sign 201-D.svg, Y-junction File:Japan road sign 201-2.svg, Traffic circle File:Japan road sign 202-R.svg, Curve to the right File:Japan road sign 202-L.svg, Curve to the left File:Japan road sign 203-R.svg, Sharp curve to the right File:Japan road sign 203-L.svg, Sharp curve to the left File:Japan road sign 204-R.svg, Double curve, first to the right File:Japan road sign 204-L.svg, Double curve, first to the left File:Japan road sign 205-R.svg, Double sharp, first to the right File:Japan road sign 205-L.svg, Double sharp, first to the left File:Japan road sign 206-R.svg, Winding road first curve to the right File:Japan road sign 206-L.svg, Winding road first curve to the left File:Japan road sign 207-A.svg, Railroad crossing ahead
Option 1: steam locomotive File:Japan road sign 207-B.svg, Railroad crossing ahead
Option 2: electric train File:Japan road sign 208.svg, School ahead File:Japan road sign 208-2.svg, Traffic light ahead File:Japan road sign 209.svg, Slippery road File:Japan road sign 209-2.svg, Fallen rocks File:Japan road sign 209-3.svg, Bumpy road File:Japan road sign 210.svg, Traffic merges from the left File:Japan road sign 211.svg, Left lane ends File:Japan road sign 212.svg, Road narrows on both sides File:Japan road sign 212-2.svg, Two-way traffic ahead File:Japan road sign 212-4.svg, Steep descent (10%, 1:10) File:Japan road sign 212-3.svg, Steep ascent (10%, 1:10) File:Japan road sign 213.svg, Men at works File:Japan road sign 214.svg, Crosswind File:Japan road sign 214-2.svg, Watch for large animals (deer) File:Japan road sign 214-2 Hare.svg, Watch for large animals (rabbit) File:Japan road sign 214-2 Monkey.svg, Watch for large animals (monkey) File:Japan road sign 214-2 Raccoon-dog.svg, Watch for large animals (raccoon dogs) File:Japan road sign 215.svg, Other danger
The danger is written on the supplementary sign

Regulatory signs

show the regulations of each roads in order to keep road condition and prevent dangers of traffic. The stop sign is a red, downward-pointing triangle, with the text (''tomare'') & "stop" (in English, for the pre-1963 and current designs only) in white. Prohibition signs are round with white backgrounds, red borders, and blue pictograms. Mandatory instruction signs are round with blue backgrounds and white pictograms. File:Japan road sign 329-A.svg, Slow down (In Japanese and English, current design from 2017) File:Japan road sign 329-B.svg, Slow down (In Japanese Only, phased out in 2017) File:Japan road sign 329-2.svg, Yield (abolished in 2017) File:Japan road sign 330-A.svg,

Stop Stop may refer to: Places * Stop, Kentucky, an unincorporated community in the United States * Stop (Rogatica), a village in Rogatica, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina Facilities * Bus stop * Truck stop, a type of rest stop for truck d ...

(In Japanese and English, current design from 2017) File:Japan road sign 330-B.svg,

(In Japanese Only, used from 1963 to 2017) File:Japan road sign 330 (English).svg,

(In English Only, used in United States Armed Forces Bases in Japan.) File:Japanese stop sign (1950-1960).svg, Stop sign, used from 1950 to 1960 File:Japanese stop sign (1960-1963).svg, Stop sign, used from 1960 to 1963 File:Japan road sign 301.svg, Road closed to all File:Japan road sign 302.svg, Road closed to vehicles File:Japan road sign 303.svg, No entry File:Japan road sign 304.svg, No motor vehicles except motorcycles and mopeds File:Japan road sign 305.svg, No trucks File:Japan road sign 306.svg, No bus File:Japan road sign 307.svg, No motorbike or mopeds File:Japan road sign 308.svg, No non-motorized vehicles except bicycles File:Japan road sign 309.svg, No bicycles File:Japan road sign 310.svg, No motor vehicles File:Japan road sign 310-2.svg, No two-person motorbike or mopeds File:Japan road sign 319.svg, No vehicles carrying dangerous goods File:Japan road sign 320.svg, Weight limit File:Japan road sign 321.svg, Height limit File:Japan road sign 322.svg, Width limit File:Japan road sign 325.svg, Motor vehicles only File:Japan road sign 325-2.svg, Bicycles only File:Japan road sign 325-3.svg, Bicycles and pedestrians only File:Japan road sign 325-4.svg, Pedestrians only File:Japan road sign 331.svg, Road closed to pedestrians File:Japan road sign 311-A-L.svg, Straight ahead or left turn permitted File:Japan road sign 311-A-R.svg, Straight ahead or right turn permitted File:Japan road sign 311-B-L.svg, Turn left File:Japan road sign 311-B-R.svg, Turn right File:Japan road sign 311-C.svg, No turns File:Japan road sign 311-D.svg, Turn left or right File:Japan road sign 311-E.svg, Directions permitted File:Japan road sign 327-10.svg, Roundabout File:Japan road sign 311-F-L.svg, Keep left File:Japan road sign 311-F-R.svg, Keep right File:Japan road sign 312.svg, No right turn crossing ahead File:Japan road sign 313.svg, No U-turn File:Japan road sign 327-8.svg, Two-stage right turn for mopeds File:Japan road sign 327-9.svg, No two-stage right turn for mopeds File:Japan road sign 314.svg, No overtaking File:Japan road sign 323 (90).svg, Speed limit File:Japan road sign 323 (40) and 507-C.svg, End of special speed limit
The statutory speed limit applies File:Japan road sign 323 (40) and 507-A.svg, End of speed restriction limit File:Japan road sign 324 (50).svg, Minimum speed limit File:Japan road sign 326-A-L.svg, One-way street to the left File:Japan road sign 326-A-R.svg, One way street to the right File:Japan road sign 326-B.svg, One-way street ahead File:Japan road sign 326-2-A-L.svg, One way (bike) File:Japanese road sign 327-2.svg, Trucks use left lane File:Japanese road sign 327-4.svg, Buses-only lane File:Japanese road sign 327-4-2.svg, Bike lane File:Japanese road sign 327-5.svg, Buses-priority lane File:Japanese road sign 327-7-A.svg, Lane usage File:Japanese road sign 327-7-B.svg, Lane usage File:Japanese road sign 327-7-C.svg, Lane usage File:Japanese road sign 327-7-D.svg, Lane usage File:Japan road sign 328.svg, Use car horns File:Japan road sign 332.svg, No

jaywalking Jaywalking is the act of pedestrians walking in or crossing a roadway that has traffic, other than at a designated crossing point, or otherwise, in disregard of traffic rules. The term originated in the United States as a derivation of the phras ...

File:Japan road sign 315.svg, No stopping File:Japan road sign 316.svg, No parking File:Japan road sign 318.svg, Restricted parking File:Japanese Road sign 327-10.svg, Parallel parking File:Japanese Road sign 327-11.svg, Right-angle parking File:Japanese Road sign 327-12.svg, Slanting parking

Instruction signs

show points and devices on the road that drivers should pay attention. File:Japanese road sign 406-2.svg, Stop line File:Japan road sign 406.svg, Center line File:Japan road sign 402.svg, Driving on train rail permitted File:Japan road sign 408.svg,

Tram stop A tram stop, tram station, streetcar stop, or light rail station is a place designated for a tram, streetcar, or light rail vehicle to stop so passengers can board or alight it. Generally, tram stops share most characteristics of bus stops, ...

File:Japanese Road sign (Parking lot A, Parking permitted).svg, Parking zone File:Japan road sign 404.svg, Stopping permissive File:Japan road sign 407-A.svg, Crosswalk
Alt. A File:Japan road sign 407-B.svg, Crosswalk
Alt. B: school zone File:Japan road sign 407-2.svg, Bike crossing File:Japan road sign 407-3.svg, Bike and crosswalk File:Japanese road sign 409-A.svg, Controls ahead

Supplemental signs

are usually put just below the principal signs, and shows their valid range like time, day and category of vehicle. They are equivalent to the "plaque" of the American MUTCD. The width of the plates is usually 60 cm, and the sentences should be less than 7 characters per a line or 3 lines. When the sentences can not be shortened less than the limitation, they should apply changeable signs. File:Japan road sign 501 100m.svg, 100 meters ahead File:Japan road sign 501 50m.svg, Next 50 meters File:Japan road sign 502 exc Sunday and Holiday.svg, Except Sundays and Holidays File:Japan road sign 502 8-20.svg, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. File:Japan road sign 503-A exc Mopeds.svg, Except mopeds File:Japan road sign 503-A Large Tracks 2.svg, Large trucks File:Japan road sign 503-B Bicycles.svg, Bicycles (symbol) File:Japan road sign 503-B Tracks.svg, Trucks (symbol) File:Japan road sign 503-C.svg, Trucks carrying over 3 tonnes (symbol) File:Japan road sign 503-D.svg, Only for permitted vehicles File:Japan road sign 504.svg, Make room more than 6 meters when you park File:Japan road sign 504-2 Parking Meter.svg, Permitted until the time the parking meter shows File:Japan road sign 505-A.svg, Restriction begins (symbol) File:Japan road sign 505-B.svg, Restriction begins File:Japan road sign 505-C.svg, Restriction begins File:Japan road sign 506.svg, Restricted zone (symbol) File:Japan road sign 506-2.svg, Restricted zone File:Japan road sign 507-A.svg, End of restriction (symbol) File:Japan road sign 507-B.svg, End of restriction File:Japan road sign 507-C.svg, End of restriction File:Japan road sign 507-D.svg, End of restriction File:Japan road sign 508.svg, School zone File:Japan road sign 508-2.svg, No passing or overtaking File:Japan road sign 509.svg, Yield File:Japan road sign 509-2.svg, Train crossing caution File:Japan road sign 509-3.svg, Caution crosswind File:Japan road sign 509-4.svg, Caution wild animals File:Japan road sign 509-5.svg, Caution File:Japan road sign 510 Safety Speed.svg, Safety speed: 30 km/h File:Japan road sign 510 Weekly Shoulder.svg, Caution soft shoulder File:Japan road sign 510-2 Noise Control Zone.svg, Be quiet File:Japan road sign 511.svg, direction File:Japan road sign 512.svg, Control zone: Honmachi, Komoro File:Japan road sign 513.svg, Starts File:Japan road sign 514.svg, Ends

Other signs

File:Tomei Expwy Route Sign.svg, Expressway name (Tomei) File:AH1-JPN.png,

Asian Highway The Asian Highway Network (AH), also known as the Great Asian Highway, is a cooperative project among countries in Asia and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) to improve their connectivity via h ...

route shield (AH1) File:Japanese road sign (Ferry).svg, Ferry (

pictogram A pictogram, also called a pictogramme, pictograph, or simply picto, and in computer usage an icon, is a graphic symbol that conveys its meaning through its pictorial resemblance to a physical object. Pictographs are often used in writing and ...

established in

Japanese Industrial Standards are the standards used for industrial activities in Japan, coordinated by the Japanese Industrial Standards Committee (JISC) and published by the Japanese Standards Association (JSA). The JISC is composed of many nationwide committees and pla ...

)

"Stop" sign changes

In 2016, it was announced that the Japanese National Police Agency was considering changing the design of the "Stop" sign used on Japanese roads since 1963 from the inverted red triangle sign to an octagonal design more closely conforming to the recommendations of the 1968

Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals The Convention on Road Signs and Signals, commonly known as the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals, is a multilateral treaty designed to increase road safety and aid international road traffic by standardising the signing system for roa ...

. The inverted red triangle sign was introduced in 1963 ahead of the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, and replaced the earlier red octagonal sign used from 1960, which in turn had replaced the yellow octagonal sign used from 1950. It was later decided to make the stop sign bilingual in both Japanese and English, but to maintain the inverted triangular shape.

Photographs

File:Road sign of Chiba-Kaido.jpg, Street name and highway shields (

Chiba Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Chiba Prefecture has a population of 6,278,060 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of . Chiba Prefecture borders Ibaraki Prefecture to the north, Saitama Prefecture to t ...

) File:Engaru-Setose.IC2.jpg, Expressway exit sign File:Kappazaka intersection_road_sign.JPG, Intersection guide sign File:Japanese Road Sign 118-3 and 118-4 (Ease the Limit of GVW and Height).jpg, Height and weight restrictions apply (to streets pointed to by arrows) File:Japanese road sign lanes guide installed overhead.jpg, Lane usage signs File:Switchable lane guide sign Iwaidabashi intersection Chiyoda Tokyo Japan.jpg, Changeable lane usage signs File:Japanese road sign directions permitted 031116.jpg, Directions permitted File:Higashi-Kohama-Station.jpg, Tram stop File:Road sign prohibit crossing the road.JPG, Right turn prohibition (7-9 a.m.) ends File:Road sign prohibit vacant taxi.JPG, Taxis without any passengers can not enter from 9 p.m. unit 2 a.m. File:Notice road signs.JPG, Restrictions 200 m ahead File:The starting point of Asian highway Route 1, Chuo-city, Tokyo, Japan.jpg, Asian highway sign and symbol of Nihonbashi (

Shuto Expressway is a network of toll expressways in the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is operated and maintained by the . Most routes are grade-separated (elevated roads or tunnels) and central routes have many sharp curves and multi-lane merges that requi ...

)

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Road Signs In Japan Signs Japan