禁煙

The Otsu City Council passed a bill on March 18, 2009 to ban smoking in and around all major train stations in Otsu. The smoking ban will take effect from July 2009. The Japanese word for “No smoking” is kin’en (kanji written above).

Smokers beware–do not smoke in and around the following train stations:

JR stations: Otsu, Zeze, Ishiyama, Seta, and Otsukyo

Keihan Line: Sakamoto, Miidera, Ojiyama, Hama-Otsu, and Ishiyamadera.

The worse thing is to smoke while walking. Because people walking behind and beside you will get your breaths of poison as well. So don’t do it.

Also, smoking will be totally banned inside the Shiga Prefectural Office (Kencho) from April 2009. The smoker’s rooms on each floor will be removed and smokers will have to go outside the building to smoke.

Now let’s hope all the other cities and towns in Shiga will follow suit and ban smoking at train stations and government facilities.