A Rant About Japanese Traffic Cones

It doesn't get more exciting than this. Strap in for the adventure of a lifetime as I take you through the dizzying highs and lows of Japan's traffic cone obsession - an addiction that permeates even the ancient temples of Kyoto.
Twitter: / yozora_blues
Stock media provided by Wikimedia Commons and Pexels.com

[@TeeDee22]

I can't believe I just watched a 10 minute video about cones, but here we are. Absolutely phenomenal.

[@YoureNowOnTV]

Yeah I know right ! It should have been 12 or 15 minutes long 😆👍

[@smitty7326]

Honestly i hate you for putting the phrase "tragic cone" into my mind. This is never going to leave me. Why would you do this? This phrase is too powerful to release upon the world.

[@Tantacrul]

I needed this today. Excellent video. Conegradulations!

[@yozora_blues]

Delighted you felt a conection with the conetent

[@MikuNoDorei]

I have lived in Japan for 5 years... I didn't even notice until you point it out... I just started to ignore them at some point... Great video!

[@WhiteStarLine647]

Traffic cones protect the society and citizens.

[@calicocat1992]

I watched this a couple of months back. Because of this splendid documentary, my partner and I ( we are currently in Tokyo on holiday) are HYPER AWARE of all the traffic cones. It's no joke. They are EVERYWHERE and are used seemingly for everything. Follow up documentary idea based on our observations; an insight into all the people who's sole jobs appear to just be 'stand by the road, wearing a high vis and look official' 😂

[@yozora_blues]

I'm pleased to have enlightened (ruined?) your holiday experience. 100% agree on the mystery workers, they're a part of this conspiracy no question.

[@kiwi_bird]

This video is the reason why I still enjoy KZbin

[@unsocialburrito7179]

It's odd their cones seem so poorly made. American cones are essentially indestructible.

[@rdrisms]

I think many of these are the kind made with hard but brittle plastic, as opposed to thick rubber ones common here - so even if not trampled they degrade and disintegrate over time

[@andersbodin1551]

​@@rdrisms or it's just plastic that turns brittle form sun exposure.

[@akira3543]

This is a really well made video about an interesting subject. Amazing quality, and it's just a matter of time until you're way more popular. Thanks for the content!

[@yozora_blues]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@mr.miyazaki5082]

Documentary of the Year! Brilliant & hilarious indictment of a conepulsive and laconic society's inability to see how ridiculously cute and quirky it is. Another prime example of why I deeply love Japan.

[@NextSummon]

Your ability to make any subject interesting with earnest observation, dry humour and pleasant editing style that isn't overwhelming to the senses really make a winning combination for me. Subscribed.

[@11energize]

"These aren't traffic cones anymore. They are tragic cones."

[@RoseArkana]

This might be one of my favourite videos ever, the topic is so basic, yet I truly can feel the passion, integrity, and honour you speak with in regards to the cone-ditions you see in Kyoto. Bravo, good chap, bravo.

[@hypnotikrobot]

I wish I understood why this video has affected me so much. Absolutely brilliant.

[@peters2620]

It's to do with the abject terror Japanese people have of "misunderstanding". Imagine if someone just walked onto a building site and was slightly confused, and the builders had to go and talk to them and explain that there must have been a misunderstanding because they were stood on a building site and shouldn't be there.

[@AlexTran]

The kinds of video I would watch at 3am in the morning before midterm.

[@ig8083]

Very interesting. Very Japanese. Silent but tells everyone exactly what they DON'T want while keeping things low-key and non-confrontational.

[@1BipedalApe]

I live in rural Chiba, this is too true. Within 1 km I can think of 30 abandoned cones.

[@elizabethnarvaez4713]

Absolutey poetry! I have no idea why this channel doesn't have a million subscribers yet

[@quietjarvis]

Love that "I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts" reference

[@namenamename390]

This has been one of the most weirdly entertaining videos I've ever watched.

[@AwkwardThumbs]

As a cone enjoyer myself, I feel so seen. Premium content, keep up the good work.

[@websurf90]

Your videos remind me of How To with John Wilson. Never did I think I’d be laughing myself silly about traffic cones.

[@SodaScarletMachine]

Been living in Sapporo for 14 days now. Cones are everywhere.

[@basednuke7647]

Ive never seen a broken british traffic cone we build em right.

[@kitm141]

I’ve seen drunks break themselves trying to destroy our cones. Is this it, is this what we excel at?? 🇬🇧

[@TerkanTyr]

@@kitm141 The purpose of the British is to build strong cones, yes.

[@michiellombaers3198]

Ah, but then you never let them wither enough in the harsh sunlight to enter this state of deterioration. Patience it requires, patience.

[@NihongoWakannai]

When you don't need to build 100 for every street, I suppose you can focus a bit more on the quality

[@timpierpont7402]

This is hands down one of the videos I have watched

[@Corpomancer]

This must be one of the best videos about cones and their usage, although I can see the brilliance of using them to siphon the general public towards the correct paths. At the restaurant for example, having multiple identical exits, it helps just passively blocking a whole side to prevent attempting to open closed doors. Next up I'd hope for a video of the nonsensical warning placements in England, I've never seen "warning of electrocution" signs on all light switches before. Let alone every guard rail or fence getting signs added to tell people not to jump over into the river. Big sign must have won over big cone. Once you look at anything too much, it's everywhere. Time for more of these lovely videos. Subscribed and might even hit a bell. Thank you!

[@DaGhost141]

This is probably one of the most original videos I've seen in a long time. Love it!

[@slickbert43]

Most compelling content I have seen this year, hats off to you!

[@ToranosukeEdo]

This topic is hilarious. I was in Japan for a little while and never noticed the abundance of cones. Came here from Pewds Japan rating video

[@yozora_blues]

My regards to the big man.

[@josh9736]

I too had never completely noticed the prevalence of cones in Japan. You have now ruined my perception of this forever, and I am now compelled to start taking photos of all the weird cones I see

[@Elksy]

I'm so pleased to have found your channel

[@leon930]

One of the best videos I've ever seen

[@andrewweisbrod4506]

I suspect the cones against a wall are not in use, but are used nearby often enough that they're just left out of the way for easy access.

[@NeonEast]

I adore the pernickety vibe, your stellar script (what have you been practice-writing to arrive at this? I'm so intrigued), and the fact that I learned something so specific and arbitrary yet relevant to my interests. I hope you get all the subscribers you could ever want, you deserve it.

[@neonvoid]

outstanding quality, deserves millions of views.

[@kevinchang]

so the FRC game this year involves picking up cones with robots... on my deep dive into the internet i've stumbled on such an interesting video! well scripted, intrigueing, and even a little beautiful. Though i mind your french just a little bit, overall a pleasurable experience :) subscription well earned

[@vDuzz]

the writing in this video is surprisingly amazing

[@WinterNorth]

PewDiePie just mentioned the cones in his new "Reviewing Japan" video

[@yozora_blues]

Glad to hear it! He and I used to go to banjo camp together so it makes sense.

[@ahausch1]

First video of yours im watching, i love your humour, long live the cones!

[@kunairuto]

Finished watching all of your videos. Proud member of the first 1000 subscribers on this inevitable 1000000+ channel!

[@yozora_blues]

Thank you and welcome aboard!

[@AikoiEmil]

This is eyes opening :P

[@nuffsaid0]

I respect all of the cone-passion in your heart that you have for cones.

[@ashlaundess4923]

Top tier content. Really appreciated the deer at the end. 5/5 tragic cones.

[@100horses5]

Wow that really was a lovely deer

[@Lady_Vengeance]

This is the best video I’ve ever seen.

[@linolafettatnet]

Watched all of your "rants" and i really enjoy the camling voice and british humor. Keep it up :)

[@1000Tomatoes]

This is a gem

[@IAreBirdy]

Very entertaining video, well done man!

[@AM__Society]

I'm Obsessed.

[@fowad27]

Hilarious video from statt to finish!

[@xeno942]

You have an excellent sense of humour, great video

[@patkelly8932]

Sheer brilliance! As a coneophile myself, I've emotionally aligned myself to this video for all eternity.

[@burgesssam]

i love that John Wilson has seen this

[@yozora_blues]

Just seen the Polygon interview where he references it, thanks for mentioning!

[@burgesssam]

@@yozora_blues and FWIW, I think your videos are brilliant and original in their own right, no matter if they were influenced by John or not!

[@Rudsinnit]

masterpiece, thank you

[@Simco_]

1:48 I knew the zoom was coming and still chuckled.

[@aesde7492]

This is genius, please we need more

[@alizestrelado]

Take my sub and like. I never thought I'd spent this long watching a video about traffic cones

[@MrShtrudL]

I agree with everyone in the comments, so well done, this video was such a treat! Keep it up, I don't know if this is your goal but this is the type of content that gets millions of views, just a matter of time

[@yozora_blues]

Thank you! I'll keep working at it

[@MrGloutube]

Absolutely brilliant

[@praetorianx86]

Amazing video

[@user-hd5gs7vn7s]

That was beautiful

[@Imperialguardftw]

Don't forget the cones that have lights and flash at night time! Those were everywhere.

[@alectricavenue9278]

Love it!

[@DCSAmimd]

thats a rich content right there, think about it, 17 years ago when the "this is me at the zoo" was first posted the ideal was probably this exact, to show the world all possible angles and shapes around. now days its all about eye candy and microfones that only record lower tones so when Ad's pops up they use high strident pitch to reach all people around the viewer, yet people still produce contents like this, intelligent, deep, smart, profound and funny. congratulations for that point of view, thats a rare stuff.

[@unduloid]

During my time in Japan I had to use Bakurochō station in Tokyo, its long corridor walls lined with red traffic cones. _Hundreds_ of them. Why were they there? Were there issues with those walls? Would touching them summon the souls of dead samurai who would chase you through those gruesome corridors? Or were the cones some sort of artistic expression? Who knows? Whatever they were for, last time I checked they are still there, guarding the walls against any traveler daring to get too close to them. Not that anybody would want to.

[@firesurfer]

They are probably just storing them there so that in case they are needed for some obscure reason, the workers don't have to get them. So...laziness.

[@randomusernameq1891]

Never before have I watched such an interesting video about such an uninteresting subject. Bravo sir.

[@calheaven]

That was one of the funniest videos I've ever watched 😂

[@garfieldoftheweek]

Wait until you find the small, light-up traffic cones that you can buy from the vending machines

[@Kaaxe]

I would not at all be surprised if there WERE some big producer of cones that greased the right palms to encourage the use of cones everywhere

[@dublinbounder]

This isn't a rant, this is an Exposé!

[@tom_123]

“It’s pure tautology” lol

[@danspratt2]

Beautifully written my dude

[@WhiteStarLine647]

The base can be separated and fixed. Maybe not in Japan.

[@Nogitaman]

I suggest your hitting an expressway to check out one of the occasionally seen mega-cones: large enough for you to inhabit - like a modern day Jobraith - and tell us whether your razors stayed sharper, longer...

[@Sebshep]

Cones for the cone god, cones for his cone throne!

[@ahhnanas]

This was much more entertaining than I expected it to be - nice one!

[@NightpireVideos]

Greatly enjoyed the reward deer at the end. I wonder how long did it take to capture all that cone footage?

[@yozora_blues]

Thanks for watching! It was about 2 months of cone hunting altogether, as I tried to focus on the most interesting specimens.

[@ybbdrasil]

You should come to Tokyo for the umbrella graveyard sites too

[@jacobadams2680]

Well written!

[@vogelkopbowerbird]

After years of me going on about this also, my friend just sent me this - initially thinking I may have made it. Like the author, I am at a complete loss as to why the Japanese feel obliged to let loose the plague of cones on their cities - and worse - natural settings. About time the government decided to make proper signage and outlaw this urban blight.

[@Scopa0304]

You need to make a rant about the Japanese overuse of concrete. Concrete beaches. Concrete rivers. Concrete houses, buildings, walls, mountain sides, etc. I believe Japan is the most paved country in the world. I believe I read that nearly the entire perimeter has been paved and nearly every river.

[@yozora_blues]

I was just reading a BBC article that mentioned the concrete, you're completely right!

[@dustin5181]

Well written and entertaining,

[@Dan-kr9bm]

Love these small cultural / environmental observations.

[@beantrouser]

Very reminiscent of John Wilson. And rememeber!... It's all about the cones....

[@PrimeFlash93]

I have a hunch some of these cones are placed to keep drunks from pissing/throwing up on them. Like the little alcove with the wall and closed door looks like a drunk piss magnet.

[@firesurfer]

Could be!

[@bencone3737]

My people call me back to the homeland

[@SMmania123]

You've won me over. I'll subscribe

[@katelisson8864]

Pleasant

[@Prohibitorum]

I am shocked and saddened that the two meter high traffic cone at the entrance of Kyoto university hospital did not make it into your video.

[@firesurfer]

Just for you, ''Japan’s new traffic cones come with built-in Jizō Bosatsu, the protective deity of travellers''.

[@l1veguru]

Amazing content. Absolutely died laughing when you said “this cone is like a person who let despair take over their life” for some reason. Brilliant 😂

[@kinesta]

Oh deer! Great vid

[@Context0233]

I'm one of your first 1000 subs, see ya at a million

[@Dan-kr9bm]

The amount of cone footage he collected is almost concerning.

[@Arkanthrall]

Nice video. Subscribed.

[@Shajirr_]

In my whole life I've seen less traffic cones than in this single video

[@NDLV]

You're "based" in Japan alright. This video gave me undescribable joy. A quality shitpost if I've ever seen one. Thank you.

[@louisk1758]

hello, at 9:16 you didn't say cone-munity and frankly i think it would have been too much, too fast, too soon. we admire and appreciate your use of restraint.

[@Diehydro]

Bravo

[@YoureNowOnTV]

😀👍 🍦 Your cone enthusiasm is impressive !

[@ZacharyBerger]

Bonus episode of How To with John Wilson

[@toot4you19]

So much truth here 😂