A new hot spring facility for soaking your feet (ashiyu) has opened in the scenic Matsushima area of Amakusa. You can find a Google map and pictures of the ashiyu on the following page:
http://kumamoto.pics/2014/07/松島温泉-龍の足湯/
The next page shows a sign pointing to the new facility:
https://www.facebook.com/amakusafan/posts/888858374491964
The sign reads “龍の足湯” in Japanese and “Foots Hot Spring of a Dragon” in English. However, “Ryu no Ashiyu” (that is, Romaji showing the reading of the Japanese name) is nowhere to be found. As many of you have noticed, many signs in Japan have Romaji (Roman lettering indication the Japanese pronunciation). Recently, however, the powers that be have come to the conclusion that Romaji is useless and what is needed for internationalization is English. This “Foots Hot Spring of a Dragon” sign reminded me of that trend. For a discussion of it, go to
http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/signs-in-government-district-get-english-makeover
I agree with a comment posted there by Ambrosia:
“Why not keep both? Why not have the sign say Kokkai in Roman letters and then National Diet under it or in parentheses?”
The same issue has been discussed (with similar conclusions in the comments section) on the Japanese version of the Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.jp/2013/09/11/olympic-road-sign-english-_n_3910790.html “オリンピック見据え 意味不明なローマ字道路標識、英訳へ”
Unfortunately, it seems that the truism that “English can be quite helpful to foreigners” has morphed into the “Foreigners only need English” stereotype. If, however, you need to ask an ordinary Japanese person how to get to the hot spring, “Ryu no Ashiyu” will be much more useful to you than “Foots Hot Spring of a Dragon,” which is likely to be met with a good deal of head tilting and sucking of air. Also, the elimination of the Romaji makes any problems in the English (which are pretty egregious in this case) stand out all the more.
My two yen for today. :)
Posted by Kirk
