Hello. I would be curious to know how this happened to be in a Tokyo street. That is the kind of roadsign we have in France to indicate the way to a village or various place. "La Bourgogne" is a large area of France known for very good wines. It is in the north-east part of France, north of Lyon. All the best to you and thanks for this interesting blog. I regularly read your posts but don't have much time to comment!
An English translation of this would be Burgundy, which I'd guess you've heard of. You're right, it's French, and definitely a strange thing to see in Japan. Maybe there's a wine shop that way!
If you saw that sign just off Waseda Dori around here then it would be pointing to Maison de La Bourgogne which “is located in the petit (little) Paris of Tokyo, Kagurazaka.”
If not, if you like the menu, it might be worth a visit on one of your peregrinations in the neighborhood.
The Bourgogne area in France is essentially synonymous with Pinot Noir, some people consider it the queen of all wine varieties. It often has an unsurpassed silky mouth feel. Pinot Noir was the star of the movie “Sideways.”
Now you have left us with a mystery? What did you find when you followed the sign? - I'm the same with French. I am still utterly ashamed to admit that in my high school French class, I pronounced "faux pas" exactly the way it is spelled. Oh boy, want to sound like a redneck? Just do that.
The sign is pointing in the direction of a French restaurant (to repeat myself) called Maison de la Bourgogne (the blue text means it is a link that if clicked on leads to another web page, in this case to the restaurant’s home page).
The sign, in 2008, was in front of the shop as you can see here if you click on the blue text: Maison de la Bourgogne restaurant review. Scroll down to see the sign in front of the restaurant in the past. Yes, that is the same exact sign or its identical twin (probably the same sign, though).
The sign Kaori saw was located at this intersection in the Kagurazaka area. Here is a Google Street view of the Kagurazaka intersection that leads to the restaurant Maison de la Bourgougne (you might have to expand the window). You can see the area if you wait for the view to download. Clicking , holding and dragging can give you a view of the area. It is exactly 70 meters from where Kaori took the photo of the sign to the restaurant. It takes 50 seconds by foot. Notice the vertical conduit; low window sill; and vertical lines in the wall below the low window sill, all in Kaori’s photo.
It is amazing what a Google search of La Bourgogne Shinjuku leads to.
I suspect nobody will read this. I feel like a kid in class who knows the answer but is soundly ignored. “I know teacher! I know! The answer is 4. Two plus two equals four,” a not-so-tall Gary says.
And everyone, including the teacher ignores him.
All I hear is other children in class say: “I don’t know. What is 2 + 2?”
“Yeah, Teach. Did ya ever find out what 2 + 2 is?”
Being ignored does not always equate with being wrong does it? Sigh. Not the first time I have felt a bit like a Cassandra. Although in such a trivial matter as this “Cassandra” would be a gross exaggeration.
Starange what ya find just walking.
ReplyDeletePlease let us know when you will find out...
ReplyDeleteHello. I would be curious to know how this happened to be in a Tokyo street. That is the kind of roadsign we have in France to indicate the way to a village or various place. "La Bourgogne" is a large area of France known for very good wines. It is in the north-east part of France, north of Lyon.
ReplyDeleteAll the best to you and thanks for this interesting blog. I regularly read your posts but don't have much time to comment!
La Bourgogne is my natal region , it's very well known for its awesome wines ;)Very funny sign ... :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like you're at least coming here to LA!
ReplyDeleteAn English translation of this would be Burgundy, which I'd guess you've heard of. You're right, it's French, and definitely a strange thing to see in Japan. Maybe there's a wine shop that way!
ReplyDeleteIt's a long way to Bourgogne from Shinjuku, I can tell you that much at least! :)
ReplyDeleteIf you saw that sign just off Waseda Dori around here then it would be pointing to Maison de La Bourgogne which “is located in the petit (little) Paris of Tokyo, Kagurazaka.”
ReplyDeleteIf not, if you like the menu, it might be worth a visit on one of your peregrinations in the neighborhood.
The Bourgogne area in France is essentially synonymous with Pinot Noir, some people consider it the queen of all wine varieties. It often has an unsurpassed silky mouth feel. Pinot Noir was the star of the movie “Sideways.”
Thanks for making me start my new week with a giggle! PS: When I see something I can't read or pronounce, it's always Japanese! Sigh. ;)
ReplyDeleteA promise in the making. Wonderful find.
ReplyDeletePlease have a good new week.
Look! It’s the same sign (in better days? I wonder how it got on the ground so far from the bistro).
ReplyDelete{OK, I found that photo here.}
Kaori,
ReplyDeleteIs this a kind of practical joke??
If you follow this sigh and find something, please report it. I'm curious. Fun photo!!
Best wishes,
keiko
You should try some to the Aboriginal names Kaori, believe they're tricky!
ReplyDeleteHome of the Boeuf.
ReplyDeleteInteresting - is that on the side walk?
ReplyDeleteSo?? Did you follow it..?? What was on the other side??
ReplyDeleteNow you have left us with a mystery? What did you find when you followed the sign? - I'm the same with French. I am still utterly ashamed to admit that in my high school French class, I pronounced "faux pas" exactly the way it is spelled. Oh boy, want to sound like a redneck? Just do that.
ReplyDeleteMakes me a little curious too!
ReplyDeleteThe sign is pointing in the direction of a French restaurant (to repeat myself) called Maison de la Bourgogne (the blue text means it is a link that if clicked on leads to another web page, in this case to the restaurant’s home page).
ReplyDeleteThe sign, in 2008, was in front of the shop as you can see here if you click on the blue text: Maison de la Bourgogne restaurant review. Scroll down to see the sign in front of the restaurant in the past. Yes, that is the same exact sign or its identical twin (probably the same sign, though).
The sign Kaori saw was located at this intersection in the Kagurazaka area. Here is a Google Street view of the Kagurazaka intersection that leads to the restaurant Maison de la Bourgougne (you might have to expand the window). You can see the area if you wait for the view to download. Clicking , holding and dragging can give you a view of the area. It is exactly 70 meters from where Kaori took the photo of the sign to the restaurant. It takes 50 seconds by foot. Notice the vertical conduit; low window sill; and vertical lines in the wall below the low window sill, all in Kaori’s photo.
It is amazing what a Google search of La Bourgogne Shinjuku leads to.
I suspect nobody will read this. I feel like a kid in class who knows the answer but is soundly ignored. “I know teacher! I know! The answer is 4. Two plus two equals four,” a not-so-tall Gary says.
And everyone, including the teacher ignores him.
All I hear is other children in class say: “I don’t know. What is 2 + 2?”
“Yeah, Teach. Did ya ever find out what 2 + 2 is?”
Being ignored does not always equate with being wrong does it? Sigh. Not the first time I have felt a bit like a Cassandra. Although in such a trivial matter as this “Cassandra” would be a gross exaggeration.
haha! the french language can be hard to pronounce at times. ^0^
ReplyDeletei also wonder where it leads to,
do tell us when you find it.