What’s This Sign? A Crowd Around a Pull-Up Bar? ~Ireland Exploration Report~

Hello! This is IS from the Media Relations Department.

Recently, I left Japan for work and traveled to Dublin, a city in Ireland. As a music lover, when I think of Ireland, I think of Enya! U2! My Bloody Valentine! The Cranberries! While the music of these beloved artists played vividly in my mind, I had only a vague understanding of the cityscape and local specialties. With a fresh perspective, I found myself stepping into the world of Ireland.

I departed fully prepared for the cold, but it wasn’t as cold as I expected. After researching later, I learned that due to the warm current (Gulf Stream) flowing nearby, Ireland’s climate is mild, with snow rarely accumulating throughout the year and extreme cold being uncommon.
(In fact, the cold-weather gear I brought proved more useful after returning to Japan.)

In this blog, I’ll introduce some interesting things I encountered while exploring the streets of Dublin, Ireland from a PR perspective during breaks from work.

First, this sign! It has a logo resembling a pirate flag, but can you guess what kind of shop it is?

Below the skull are a “comb” and a “razor,” and beneath that, the word “BARBERS.” Some may not be familiar with the term “barber,” but it refers to a barbershop or hairdresser. While “beauty salons (hair salons)” are overwhelmingly more common in Japan, “barbers” are also common overseas.

In Dublin, Ireland, there were barbers all over the city.
I was surprised to find that many shops were combined with tattoo studios!

When SCHOREM, the world’s most famous barber from Rotterdam, Netherlands, came to Japan for the first time in 2015 and held a cutting show, news reported that over 800 audience members attended. This suggests that demand for barbers may be gradually increasing in Japan as well!

Next is this sign. Socks? I can faintly see a ball too…
(The white area is a logo, so it’s hidden)

A rugby team advertisement!
Actually, this is an advertisement for a beverage. Those who love alcohol, especially “beer lovers,” may have immediately recognized it upon hearing “Ireland.”

The answer is:
An advertisement for Guinness, a stout (beer) originating from Dublin, Ireland!
The black socks represent Guinness beer, and the white cuff represents the foam. I happened to see it on the street, and when I realized it was a Guinness advertisement, I couldn’t help but exclaim “Wow!”

After seeing this sign, I headed to the Guinness Storehouse, which showcases Guinness’s history, manufacturing methods, and past advertisements, to learn more about Guinness.

Near the building entrance, the lease contract signed by Guinness founder Arthur Guinness for the brewery was on display. What’s surprising is the contract term—9,000 years! Here too, I couldn’t help but exclaim “Wow!”

Inside the six-story building, I enjoyed a wealth of content including a souvenir corner, spots to learn about the manufacturing process, past bottles, and interesting advertisements!

Particularly recommended within the Guinness Storehouse is the Guinness Academy, where you can learn the proper way to pour Guinness. They carefully teach you the angle of the glass relative to the beer tap and how to pour beautifully. You can also drink the Guinness you poured yourself, and at the end, you receive a Guinness Master certificate, so both your heart and stomach will be satisfied!

I’ve digressed a bit, but finally, about the pull-up bar that drew a crowd in the streets of Dublin!

On weekend evenings in Ireland, bars are thriving. Every bar I looked into was overflowing with people enjoying music with Guinness in hand. In the midst of this, I found a crowd on the street, so I took a look and saw a pull-up bar, a sports timer, and next to it a sign reading “100seconds=€100.” Someone with a red face was hanging from the bar, so I immediately understood.

This is a game where “if you can hang for 100 seconds, you win €100!” Challengers included not only men but women as well! (There appeared to be an entry fee. Since it was cash, I assume it was around €10.)

Among those I watched, no one could endure even 60 seconds, so I think it’s a more difficult game than it appears. If you think “I could hang for 100 seconds!” please visit Dublin, Ireland! *Travel and entry fees are at your own expense.