Bagpipe

Happy Man, can not read Japanese ! keep playing till they put notice in English !

Little bit of civil disobedience... Good to see in this overly regulated, ordinance-gone-silly place. Keep up the good work. (but bagpipes? well, not after 8:00 pm thank you. not too early either)

This article is misleading. The notice reads ‘it is banned performing musical instruments with an amplifier etc. and using audio-machines without a permission in the park ‘.

This performer is not performing with musical instruments with an amplifier etc. and using audio-machines as a mere bagpipe should not be classified as musical instruments with an amplifier etc., or audio-machines. Furthermore, in any case he might have got the permission in which case he is so free to perform.

It's also stretching it a bit to classify bagpipes as a musical instrument...

"They can NEVER take my freedom!"

(to play irritating regional British musical instruments...)

Good man

This cheapskate should just put up the bill for a soundproof room like most others. Especially this cheapskate. The sound of bagpipes is the most offensive sound in the world. And this guy doesn't even have the balls to wear a skirt while playing.

I'm trying to work out if this guy is Japanese or not. Being able to read the sign often makes little difference. I've seen Japanese parking in places or taking pictures in places where it's clearly prohibited. And if he is a foreigner, he may be able to read it but this could be another convenient time to pretend he doesn't. Or, more likely, he's been in Japan for a number of years now but lives in an English bubble.

Kemiko, acoustic instruments might be a better choice for 音響機器.

If he really sucks at the bagpipes, would that be considered a loophole? Can you really consider bad piping to be music?

Taka

eastokyo

"acoustic instruments might be a better choice for 音響機器"

Uh, no. Do a search for 音響機器 in google images and tell me how many accoustic instruments you see.

from wiki: 音響機器（おんきょうきき）とは、音を録音再生したり変換したりするための機器のことをいう。

I love the skirl o'the pipes. Well done that man. Pity about the kilt, though.

Sarcasm,

音響機器 is accoustic equipment isnt it?

eastokyo: hope you don't translate for a living.

Bagpipes are cool - nothing stirs the blood and emotions like a piper at dawn - strikes terror into your enemies!

front and centre:

giggling out loud:)

sarcasm, my dictionaries came up with acoustic all over the place but those google images and the definition you gave there look a bit broader. I'd apologise but let's not get too excited.

So at any rate the sign prohibits what he's doing unless he has permission. Do you think he has it? We could speculate until the cows come home. More likely than not however, he's a cheapskate who has few qualms in disrupting the peace with his amateur antics.

"So at any rate the sign prohibits what he’s doing unless he has permission."

I think he wasn't.

"More likely than not however, he’s a cheapskate who has few qualms in disrupting the peace with his amateur antics."

The Japanese spend their day in the office => the JT complains. The Japanese spend their day playing music => the JT complains.

I am sure you are right, eastokyo.

Although you may find "acoustic" as one of the definitions of 音響機器, it generally refers to "audio equipment." This sign can be interpreted in many ways but it really means don't use any "powered" equipment/instruments.

green tea, I don't - allay your concerns! Also note I said acoustic instruments may be a better choice. I wasn't sure.

What I am sure of is he is a cheapskate who thinks it's fine to do this outside where he can enjoy the nature, and too bad for anyone else within earshot who may not appreciate it. Given the particularly offensive nature of the bagpipes, I reckon he'd be shut down pretty quickly, or punched in the face.

East, "Given the particularly offensive nature of the bagpipes, I reckon he’d be shut down pretty quickly, or punched in the face."

are you sure? a gaggle of flimseys may surround him and reminise their tour of Scotland.

Bogi may be right. I'm not sure. I'll leave it to the professionals.

romulus, I could always do the punch-and-run, or even the punch-by where I wouldn't stop running in the first place.

“So at any rate the sign prohibits what he’s doing unless he has permission.” He has my permission. And I've never even been to Scotland. One day......

or you could stop and hit on one of the attractive flimseys.

Bogi wrote -- "Although you may find “acoustic” as one of the definitions of 音響機器, it generally refers to “audio equipment.” This sign can be interpreted in many ways but it really means don’t use any “powered” equipment/instruments."

So what we're really talking about is AMPLIFIED instruments. This is why translators have to have a good intuitive sense and not be dictionary-bound.

This laddie should be kilt immediately.

nessie, "This is why translators have to have a good intuitive sense and not be dictionary-bound"

well romulus is no translator, he is a cage fighter so if he wants to play the bagpipes there in front of that sign then whoever says he cant will have to deal full frontal chuck norris style whippin!

I'm inclined to agree with Bogi. But perhaps the spirit of the prohibition means don't bother everyone else within earshot, and he might find himself being ushered out of the park, with any luck.

Still, there is enough space at the bottom-left of the sign to add "..or bagpipes."

There's not much worse than the sound of terrible bagpipes.

'There’s not much worse than the sound of terrible bagpipes.' Gimme bad bagpipes over bad violin any day. At least the bag bagpipe player will get out of puff eventually - the bad violin player can screech along stompin' on cats all day.

"So what we’re really talking about is AMPLIFIED instruments. This is why translators have to have a good intuitive sense and not be dictionary-bound." Nice of you to drop in and edit some English, Nessie.

My spidey sense was tingling with images of people singing while others played the guitar. Thank god this guy's bagpipes are not powered, I mean, amplified.

"musical performances are prohibited"? He's okay then, as playing bagpipes is more "screeching of the damned" than legitimate "musical performance".

"So what we’re really talking about is AMPLIFIED instruments."

I wasn't planning on going into linguistic detail, but I think I should clarify my post. Of course "powered" usually means "amplified" when talking about musical instruments. But I specifically chose "powered" because the sign insinuates machines/instruments that are plugged in, hence "power." "Amplify" simply means to make bigger, and it is possible to amplify an instrument (or sound) without connecting it to an electric power source.

The shame and humanity of it all, what has the world come too!?

Not meaning to get too technical, but the sign says 'Within the park...'. He is on the bridge before descending to the gate to entering the park so technically speaking, he isnt even in the park and I think he can amp his pipes as much as he wants.

He's not using an amp, so he'd be fine in the park, as well.

I can't tell who this is from the photo, but the guys (and girls) who practice at Yoyogi do wear kilts when they perform. And they're fantastic!

Just heard back from a bagpipe-playing friend, who recognizes this guy and assures us he is a "good piper."

I love Yoyogi Park. There's always so much to see, listen to, and yes, sometimes run away from. ;-)

http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/recent/photo.asp

Another piper from the same practice group. (And his kilt really shows of his tats!)

I used to live in Tomigaya, close to Yoyogi Park, and had a lot of sympathy for the tuba player who regularly practiced there. I'd see/hear him when I'd ride through on my way to work, and assumed that he couldn't find, or maybe afford, any other place to practice. He wasn't particularly good (although its hard to tell with tuba practice), but he was certainly enthusiastic.

I like the sound of bagpipes played well, and I wish I still lived near there, so I could listen to this piper practicing.

As an avid frisbee player, my favorite park sign is "No ball sports."

I agree with benjie, he's not technically in the park and, as all restaurant owners know, music, like smoke, stops at invisible lines in the air, so he's free to play. (It looks like he's in the handicapped parking spot but maybe it's just an artistic design on concrete.)

Damn pipers, always sticking it to the man. ;P

"musical performances are prohibited" Another step towards removing all the peoples civil rights.

I request "Rebel yell".

I am pretty sure the piper is Japanese. The headshape, the little feet and the bum bag convince (apologies to any Scots out there of Asian origin - I know they exist, I dated one).

Freedom and Civil/Human Rights are dying in Japan. Part of the fun of Yoyogi Park was watching the locals perform, either dancing or playing instruments. Now the fun is gone. Fascism is alive and well in Tokyo.

Hey this is yesterday's picture of the day.

Whatjapanthink-san, Yes, the bagpipe is a musical instrument. But what he has in the picture seems to be the one WITHOUT an amplifier etc.Therefore, its usage is not explicitly prohibited.

Bagpipes are the most obnoxious instruments that we ever created. If someone plays anywhere in a park you can't get away from that noise and the silence is destroyed until he shuts up. Arrest him I'd say.

I used to think bagpipes were offesnive to the ear untill I heard them played well. The atmospheric hum overlaid with the piping can sound so majestic and powerfull, and can really stir the spirits.BAd bagpipes sound as bad as any bad music. And at the end of the day, as I love music and terefor all instruments of music, I wouldnt want to stomp on anyones creative attempts, wether its my cup of tea or not. All power to him, if you ban one instrument other would be sure to follow. I always love to see anyone with the balls to back themselves and perform to the public for free. Technicalities of the sign aside, its still a nicely ironic image.

This guy and I have something in common - I have a photo of myself proudly displaying a fish I caught right in front of the No Fishing sign.