Hold the Handrails

I like almost everything about Japan but one aspect that drives me crazy is the pervasive minding of everyone's safety and the many unnecessary rules. Here you see a small contingent of the ten Roppongi Hills staff deployed today to remind everyone to hold the handrails on the escalator. What you don't hear in the photo are the shrill shouted directions to hold the handrails. Earlier in the day I had been asked to take my little backpack off and carry it in a museum, put my hat in a locker least it blow off my head while on a scenic viewpoint, and put my camera in my backpack least I fail to resist the temptation to take a photo of some art. And then there are the nonstop announcements in the subways to mind the doors, stand behind the yellow line, turn your phone off, etc etc. Honestly, the Japanese go overboard in this respect.