That's Hokkaido for you! Horses might jump out, but so do tanks lol

Photo courtesy of @koderago's post

The photos drawing attention on social media show signs for "Horse Crossing" and "Caution: Tank Crossing." In Hokkaido, it's common to see signs warning of animals like deer and foxes darting out, but horse signs are rare, and tank signs are something you almost never see. The post has received over 17,000 likes, with comments like, "That's Hokkaido for you," "Hokkaido is full of animals," and "So there are wild tanks out there, huh?"

These signs are in Shikaoi, Hokkaido. But why are they there?

These rare signs are located on Hokkaido Prefectural Road 771 in Shikaoi Town.

These signs, photographed by the poster Koderago=san, are installed along Hokkaido Prefectural Road 771 in Shikaoi, Tokachi. The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Camp Shikaoi is located nearby, which is why these signs were put up. It also seems that these particular signs are only found here in Shikaoi Town in all of Hokkaido.

Shikaoi Town has many facilities where you can enjoy horseback riding.

Shikaoi is also famous as a town where you can enjoy horseback riding. The Shikaoi Town Riding Park, attached to the "Michi-no-Eki Urimaku" roadside station, is a popular spot where visitors can experience horseback riding, take lessons, and try a riding simulator. Therefore, the "Horse Crossing" sign also represents a unique feature of the town.

Until 2022, the Shikaoi Town Riding Park also hosted grass-track horse racing and Kusa Banba (draft horse racing) competitions.

These signs seem to represent a crossroads of the town's varied daily life, with both horses and tanks. If you're ever passing through the area, please be careful.