Slowly but surely Japan is adopting tougher measures to combat smoking, with tobacco related bylaws restricting where people can or can’t smoke, plus also dealing with issues such as the throwing away of cigarette butts.
That said, the emphasis is still very much ‘manner’ related, with how (rather than if) you smoke being priority number one.
With this in mind, the district where the picture below was taken clearly points out that smoking is allowed; however doing so in an elaborate and/or aloof manner is strictly forbidden.
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Those No Smoking signs can be really funny. The best I’ve seen was this one in Asakusa, in April this year: http://www.haddock.f2s.com/albums/2006_Japan/images/japan_1001_warning_to_smokers.jpg
The sign on the right says “Don’t smoke – coats are expensive”. The character int he middle wearing a coat has just spotted a hole in his expensive coat and has a speech bubble by his side that reads *shock*. Who comes up with these things?
“…however doing so in an elaborate and/or aloof manner is strictly forbidden.”
In addition to the vice of snobby-smoking, I just wanted to point out that the sign clearly discriminates against one-armed smokers.
Well some people just like to make fun of smokers. Anyway enjoy life everyone and make sure you go with the flow.