Hilarious Japanese cartoons introduced to help bumbling tourists

Tourists who travel to the Iwate Prefecture in Japan will be guided by hilarious cartoon samurais designed to help travellers overcome the language barrier. 

The cartoons – which are part of a broader "Ten ways to make travellers happy" campaign – come as Japan readies itself for an influx of foreign tourists who are expected to arrive for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.  

The Iwate Prefecture, which is on the northeast coast of Honshu, also recommends that locals assist tourists with their luggage, take photos for them, and offer to help if they appear lost.

The informative illustrations are designed to assist travellers with a number of tricky situations, from understanding Japanese menus to using traditional bathhouses.

Local businesses are being encouraged to download and post the pictures, which have been placed on the Iwate Prefecture's website.

There are 26 "unique icons" in the series, which have been drawn with shops, bathhouses, and restaurants in mind. 

While most of the designs are pretty self-explanatory, a couple of the panels might cause a bit of confusion.

For example, the above cartoon inadvertently implies that you should watch people while bathing, rather than being careful of them while showering.