A bustling Tokyo street scene featuring tokyo's fedora-wearing crosswalk icon and passing pedestrians.

Tokyo’s Fedora-Wearing Crosswalk Icon and Other Pedestrian Symbols from 5 Cities Worldwide

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Written by Seth Sebastian

2026-09-20

Every time you wait at a traffic light, you’re likely greeted by a familiar icon: the walking man. This illuminated figure signals it’s your turn to cross, yet its appearance varies remarkably across countries. In Tokyo‘s bustling streets, you might notice something distinctive. Known as Tokyo’s fedora-wearing crosswalk, this unique figure stands out with its stylish headwear.

Artist Maya Barkai has captured this diversity in her delightful series, Walking Men Worldwide. The collection highlights the unique traits of pedestrian icons from cities spanning the globe.

The Fascination with Tokyo’s Fedora-Wearing Crosswalk

From the abstract forms found in Warsaw to the striking designs in Cape Town, each city adds its own flair to these figures. Singapore is also featured, and in Tokyo, the crosswalk man even dons a fedora, epitomizing this iconic crosswalk.

Delve into the cultural exchange between Japan and Scandinavia with Elna Nykänen Andersson’s exploration of Tokyo, highlighting unique cross-cultural design synergies.

Explore more of these captivating designs below. Is there an icon that stands out to you? Perhaps the fashionable hat-wearing figure in Tokyo captures your imagination with its quirky charm.

Close-up of Tokyo's pedestrian crossing light icon wearing a fedora hat.

Posters from this series can be found on Maya Barkai’s website, including highlights of the crosswalk man with a distinctive fedora.

Pedestrian crossing in Tokyo showing the distinctive fedora-hat symbol illuminated.

Via Kottke:

Iconic Tokyo traffic light featuring a stylized pedestrian symbol with a fedora.
Graphic poster displays stylized walking figures from cities worldwide against a black grid.
A graphic poster titled ‘Walking Men Worldwide,’ featuring stylized human figures representing various cities around the world, displayed in a grid format with a black background.

Sources & Links

Source: mossandfog.com

Frequently asked questions

What makes Tokyo’s crosswalk icon unique?

Tokyo’s crosswalk icon is unique because it features a figure wearing a stylish fedora, which stands out compared to other typical pedestrian signals.

Who captured the diversity of pedestrian icons worldwide?

Artist Maya Barkai captured the diversity of pedestrian icons in her series Walking Men Worldwide, which highlights the unique traits of icons from cities globally.

Where can you find posters of these crosswalk icons?

Posters from the Walking Men Worldwide series, including the crosswalk man with a distinctive fedora, can be found on Maya Barkai’s website.