Road signs in Japan

Guide signs (案内標識, an'nai-hyōshiki) indicates directions or distances of the road. Guide signs have dark green backgrounds and white text for expressways. In urban areas and on national highways, direction signs have dark blue backgrounds. The signs are normally written in Japanese and English. Since 2014 Vialog is used as the typeface for English words and Place name Transcriptions.

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  Expressway ramp ahead
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  Expressway exit ahead
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  Exits and distance (expressway)
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  Junction (expressway)
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  Expressway number (E1; Tomei)
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  Expressway shield (E4; Tōhoku)
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  Urban Expressway shield (Shuto C1)
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  Intersection
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  Intersection
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  Distance of cities and areas
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  National highway shield (Route 20)
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  National highway shield
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  National highway shield
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  Prefectural highway shield (Fukuoka Route 758)
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  Prefectural highway shield
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  Prefectural highway shield (inter-city route)
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  Prefectural highway shield
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  Prefectural highway shield (inter-city route)
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  Street name
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  Detour
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  Detour
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  Mitigated limitation of height (expressway)
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  Mitigated limitation of weight

Warning signs (警戒標識, keikai-hyōshiki) warn drivers of dangers or situations that they must pay attention to. Their design, black pattern and border on yellow diamond (usually with 45 cm per a side), is based on the U.S. MUTCD.[4]

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  Crossroads
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  Traffic Circle
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  Succession of more than two curves to the right
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  Railroad crossing ahead (old)
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  Railroad crossing ahead
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  School area
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  Traffic lights ahead
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  Slippery surface
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  Falling rocks
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  Bumpy road
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  Traffic merges from the left
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  Left lane ends
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  Road narrows on both sides
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  Two-way traffic ahead
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  Steep descent (10%)
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  Steep ascent (10%)
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  Roadworks
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  Dangerous wind gusts
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  Wild animals crossing (deer)
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  Other dangers

Regulatory signs (規制標識, kisei-hyōshiki) show the regulations of each roads in order to keep road condition and prevent dangers of traffic.

The stop sign is a red, downward-pointing triangle, with the text 止まれ (tomare) & "stop" (in English, for the pre-1963 and current designs only) in white. Prohibition signs are round with white backgrounds, red borders, and blue pictograms. Mandatory instruction signs are round with blue backgrounds and white pictograms.

• Stop and slow down
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  Slow down (In Japanese and English, current design from 2017)
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  Slow down (In Japanese Only, phased out in 2017)
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  Yield (abolished in 2017)
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  Stop (In Japanese and English, current design from 2017)
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  Stop (In Japanese Only, used from 1963 to 2017)
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  Stop sign, used from 1950 to 1960
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  Stop sign, used from 1960 to 1963

• Exclusions
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  Road closed to all
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  Road closed to vehicles
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  No entry
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  No motor vehicles except motorcycles and mopeds
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  No trucks
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  No buses
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  No motorcycles or mopeds
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  No nonmotorized vehicle
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  No bicycles
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  No motor vehicles
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  No two-person motorcycles
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  No vehicles carrying dangerous goods
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  No vehicles weighing over 5.5 tonnes
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  No vehicles higher than 3.3 metres
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  No vehicles wider than 2.2 metres
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  Motor vehicles only
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  Bicycles only
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  Pedestrians only
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  Road closed to pedestrians

• Turns
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  Straight ahead or left turn permitted
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  Straight ahead or right turn permitted
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  Turn left
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  Turn right
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  No turns
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  Turn left or right
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  Directions permitted
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  Roundabout
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  Keep left
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  Keep right
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  No right turn crossing ahead
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  No U-turn
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  Two-stage right turn for mopeds
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  No two-stage right turn for mopeds

• Restrictions
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  No crossing centre line when overtaking
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  Speed limit (90 km/h)
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  End of speed restriction limit
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  End of speed restriction limit[5]
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  Minimum speed limit (50 km/h)
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  One-way street to the left
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  One way street to the right
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  One-way street ahead
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  One way (bicycle)
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  Trucks use left lane[6]
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  Buses-only lane
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  Bicycle lane
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  Buses-priority lane
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  Lane usage
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  Lane usage
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  Lane usage
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  Lane usage
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  Use car horns
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  No pedestrian crossing

• Parking and Stopping
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  No stopping
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  No parking
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  Restricted parking
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  Parallel parking
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  Right-angle parking
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  Slanting parking

Instruction signs (指示標識, shiji-hyōshiki) show points and devices on the road that drivers should pay attention.

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  Stop line
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  Centre line
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  Driving on tram rail permitted
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  Tram stop
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  Parking permissive
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  Stopping permissive
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  Pedestrian crossing
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  School crossing
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  Bicycle crossing
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  Bicycle and pedestrian crossing
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  Controls ahead