Show QUEER STREET SIGNS how itow the merchant of japan indicate intricate their block stock la in trade tho the merchants of japan aro are fully as ingenious as those of other countries in devising modes to attract attention t to 0 their chops shops or wares ivare tho the barbers sign Is tho the spirally epi rally pointed pole in rod and whito or blue red and white as with us tho the pottery and porcelain stores uso use tho the chandise diso they sell 11 as u a sign thoro there arc aro signs and signs ono of tho the moat most common forms is a hanging tablet of wood sometimes plain at nt other times white or in color and very olton finely 1 lacquered with tho the loitering lettering incised and glided gilded cheso tablets hang from tho the projecting caves eaves and parallel to tho street except in the caso of tho the drug shops which generally display a great number of tablets very nicely made with glided gilded lettering and as tho the number is so largo these aro are stood alongside of each other flat tho the front of a buildings bull dinga above tho the narrow projecting porch roof sometimes they aro are hung in a row at right angles anglos to tho the street so as ou stand in front 5 ou only soo see tho edges but as you approach from loft left or right ot ou can read tho inscriptions ino boatly I 1 Y relating to native quack nostrums in summer weather or when tho the sun shines directly into tho shop curtains of blue cloth aro are hung from tho the eaves entirely conce concealing conceding ding tho the interiors on those curtains in white lett lettering erinc is tho the name of tho the storekeeper or of f the bustnes busi sometimes Some timon this sun sunshade shado is of wide rico rice straw matting particularly in the poorer side streets every shop and dwelling is required by municipal pal law to have a tablet on the side of the entrance giving the street number of the house and the names of all toe tao occupants occupant a in addition to tablet formed signa which bang hang signs are displayed at night on lighted paper or cloth lan lanterna terni litins bung over tho the entrances or square ones on one side of tho the entrance or in front supported on a p pyramidal wooden support tho the shoji or sliding paper panels or screens which shut in the front of houses and shops at night and in stormy weather form excellent signs with the big Japa neso letters in black on a white background and show equally aa as well by day as by ni night hl |