A road lined with stop signs in Oizumi, Gunma Prefecture. (©Sankei by Masamichi Kirihara)
このページを 日本語 で読む
In a quiet residential area of Gunma Prefecture, there's a curious stretch of road that takes surprisingly long to get through — even when traffic is light. Local residents all say the same thing: "We try not to use it if we can." To find out why, we visited the area.
The neighborhood is near Oizumi Town Hall, close to the border with Saitama Prefecture. On just 400 meters (about 1,312 feet) of road, there are 13 intersections with stop signs.
Stop for Safety
In total, the road has 14 stop signs. Stopping every 20–30 meters naturally slows traffic, and the constant starting and stopping can be frustrating.
According to a resident who has lived there for over 70 years, the signs were installed 30–40 years ago. She said, "Because there are so many stop signs, not many cars use this road." While it might be annoying for drivers, for residents the signs make the area safer — and in that sense, they have helped create a secure neighborhood.
RELATED:
- A Tokyo Park Made Almost Entirely from Tires
- Why Did the Jizo Statue Block the Road?
- A 150-Year-Old Bridge Stands Strong in Tokyo
- Strange Guardrails in Tokyo's Nerima Ward
Author: Masamichi Kirihara, The Sankei Shimbun
このページを 日本語 で読む
