Bizarre Vintage Tokyo Subway Poster of the Week, #2.
(click poster, circa 1980) Blasphemy! Hilarity! This is a reminder to subway patrons: Please remember to take your parasols with you upon exiting the train—because, CHRIST, we already got a ton of them in lost and found! I think this is my favorite of these vintage Japanese subway posters—compare to this insane Don't Run Into the Train one, and this insane Don't Be A Drunken Idiot one. Can someone please give me an exact translation? See four more umbrella-related ones here. update: see comments for translation.
posted by copyranter @ 12:00 PM
3 Comments:
Those of you who are not fishermen will probably never fully appreciate how hard it is to quit fishing. You are always attracted by the possibility of a really great catch.
This 'lost in translation' miraculous catch of umbrellas during the last supper illustrates Christ our Lord graciously providing his apostles a psychological release from the occupation of fishing.
Also the parasol (umbrella) is one of the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism.
In Oriental thought, the fact that it protected the bearer from the scorching heat of the sun was transferred into the religious sphere as a "protection against the heat of defilements." Thus the coolness of its shade symbolizes protection from the heat of suffering, desire, and other spiritually harmful forces.
The top line says "piles and piles of prayers to god", but the joke is that "piles" sounds exactly like "umbrella" in Japanese. Ah ha ha.
The bottom line says something like "Be careful not to leave your umbrella behind."
I had a completely different interpretation of the ad. I thought the two apostles facing toward the windows (rainy background)... I see the lost and found aspect, but it is also foreshadowing Jesus' grand crucificying act... raining when he's on the cross, Jesus (knows his fate) he is the ultimate person in terms of being prepared knows his exact fate- so it's it's 100% for certain he'll require one for the dark times he even wishes away during the temptation... powerful crazy stuff.
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