Barricades are placed around construction sites and other areas to keep people out, but when they’re shaped like animals, don’t you find yourself looking at them? Here are a few barricades we found around Nishinomiya City.
Raccoon Dog
A raccoon dog-shaped barricade found along the Yamate Kansen road. Its orange color makes it extra visible!
Penguin
A penguin-shaped barricade, also found along the Yamate Kansen road. It has a water-fill tank design and can hold 4.8 liters of water.
Frog
This is the entrance to Miyobiraki Park, located south of Koshienguchi. Kaeru pyoko pyoko, mi pyoko pyoko. Awasete pyoko pyoko, mu pyoko pyoko.
Rabbit
We found these along the Koyo Line in Kamizonocho. Quite a lot of them had been set up over a stretch of nearly 100 meters.
Ganbaro
This yellow barricade, also a symbol of happiness, carries the message of “ganbaro” (“let’s keep going”) in hopes of recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. It is made with at least 50% recycled materials.
Finally
Barricades have become a common sight around town, and it seems that animal and other illustrated designs were first made in 2006 by Sendai Meiban. These barricades are called “Animal Guards,” and if you do an Google image search, you’ll find that there are all kinds of them.
