Thanks a lot for the information!

So it's a promotional sign? Do you mean that it's saying that these 
people (Ninben) are advertising that they have been making bonito (dried 
fish) for a long time?

Thanks,

Scott.

KEN wrote:
> SJC wrote:
>> Hello all,
>>
>> Can anyone help me with the text in this image? I don't speak a word of
>> Japanese so I can't even make a start :) Thanks in advance to anyone who
>> spends some time on it.
>>
>> http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/8991/japanesecp9.jpg
> 
> 
> That sign(?) is saying:
> -----------------------------------------------------
> Our shop NINBEN was established back in the year of Genroku
> 12th (ie. 1699) at Nihonbashi (, Edo = Tokyo now).
> We have been dealing in katsuobushi straight from the start.
> -----------------------------------------------------
> [NB]
> Genroku is a name of era in Edo times which span is from 1688
> till 1703.
> The sign like イ^| is their trademark which is well-known in Japan
> now.
> 
> 
> A web page of that company NINBEN is this:
> http://www.ninben.co.jp/
> 
> What the hell is Katsuobushi?? Just read the following info, then,
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsuobushi
> 
> Cheers,
> KEN
>