The dangers of Deer and other Warnings

It's no news to anyone, that the Japanese are suckers for all things cute. I mean that's just sooooo cute - like the doe and fawn in the above photo. However, before you go all gooey at the doe-eyed deer, here are a few facts. Deer, somewhat like selfie sticks, can be dangerous! And where there is potential for danger, there will be a sign warning you of it.

Now take the image below: in the left corner of this image is a cute deer, who clearly wouldn't hurt a fly. Or would she? On the right is a warning sign, telling just how bad-ass this creature can be, kicking at little children and knocking down grannies.

And if there is any place where this can be put to the test, it has to in Nara, where I'm currently holed up. Nara is renowned for its deer. Feeding them special deer crackers is a major passtime here and a major draw for tourists. There are thousands of the critters - deer not tourists that is - though in hindsight the same applies to tourists. And once they get scent of a deer cracker, they're onto you in a flash (just the deer this time). Below is an image of gormless school boys being mobbed by hungry deer.

But not only deer are dangerous. Dangers abound. There are signs asking you not to sit on steps and not to take group photos in front of monuments. Or this warning in my dinner menu tonight: "Because you are easy to burn, please be careful".

I even ran into a sign today warning of a bad smell if you step on some strange fruit.

Take a wild guess: did I squish the fruit?

Well of course I did. And the fruit does indeed smell exactly of dog turd.