Beautiful No Parking Signs in Kichijoji

Never before have I been so compelled to obey a "No Parking" sign.  These lovely hand painted signs outside a gift store in Kichijoji, Tokyo, politely urge cyclists not to park their bicycles in the street.

Somehow the signs make you feel that your bike would really mess up the area and that you'd be better off parking somewhere else rather than disturb the scene.

The city of Yokohama recently began an experiment in which they replaced regular no parking signs with drawings by local schoolchildren.  I know not everyone is like me, but I just wouldn't feel comfortable parking my bicycle on top of a picture lovingly painted by a 6 year old child, just like I feel would feel uncomfortable ignoring these signs.  I think they may be on to something.