Japan Rememberances

Cleaning out the office today, I found a random index card with notes scribbled all over it.  On the back, I had written;
"Things I don't want to forget: Restaur. have kid stuff, poles have pics, happy construc signs."

Good thing I found this, because I already don't remember what "poles have pics" means.
BUT, I do remember items 1 and 3.

1.  When we ate out, 97.3% of the time the servers/owners/chefs brought out special
dishes, cups and occasionally silverware for the boys.  Usually kid sized melamine stuff.
Winnie the Pooh was a favorite theme.  Also, Anpanman--a Japanese character.  Most places were very sweet and accommodating to the boys.  I just loved it that they kept separate cute dishes around for kids.

3.  Never before have I seen such happy construction signs.  They want you to know they are working on the road, but they're very sorry for the inconvenience it may cause and just want you to know they are happily and efficiently carrying on with their work.
I may be reading in to things a bit, but that's what I got!  I remember always being astounded to pass road workers.  Not only did they ALWAYS bow at passing cars, but they also always had a man with a straw broom trailing along behind them cleaning up the mess.  Unbelievably awesome.

{When Doug and I were driving home from Utah a few weeks ago, we went through some construction.  As we passed a large man holding a flag, we both automatically bowed to him.
He did not bow back.}

HEY, I just remembered what 2 means!
2.  Poles have pics.  As you drive along the road, the guard rails/fence posts, are painted so that as you drive by you see a picture.  Does that make any sense?  Individually, each post doesn't look like anything, but as you drive by, they form a large picture collectively.  Birds in flight or something.  Just another example of how the Japanese try to make every day things (even ugly utilitarian things) better and more beautiful.

Japan, you're so kawaii!!!!