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15 Cool Manhole Covers in Japan Decorating the Ground with Rich Designs
We usually walk on the asphalt-pavement. We tend to assume it’s the same, plain grey and hard ground no matter where we go. But sometimes in Japan, we can find interesting things. What is it? It’s the manhole covers. Photo: flickr.com
They Express the Local History and Culture
There are several kinds of manhole covers in Japan too, but those with innovative, beautiful designs are so popular that there are enthusiasts in Japan. Also many foreign visitors of Japan have taken it up as a hot topic only recently that Japanese people even put a design on manhole covers that is only to be placed on the road.
They express the local history, specialty goods, or culture within the limited space both clearly and beautifully, and they are scattered across the country.
Beautiful Manhole Covers in Various Localities
We would like to introduce several manhole covers from various places below. We would like you to imagine what each local manhole cover is expressing.
1. Chitose City, Hokkaido
2. Hakodate City, Hokkaido
3. Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture
4. Takaoka City, Toyama Prefecture
5. Ogasawara Village, Tokyo
6. Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture
7. Kishiwada City, Osaka Prefecture
8. Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture
9. Amanohashidate, Miyazu City, Kyoto Prefecture
10. Tawaramoto-cho, Shiki County, Nara Prefecture
11. Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture
12. Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture
13. Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture
14. Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture
15. Kumamoto City, Kumamoto Prefecture
In addition to the above, there are still tons of unique manhole covers in various places across the nation. If you are interested, you could take a look at websites that introduces the manhole covers.
Manhole Cover Society of Japan: http://sky.geocities.jp/usagigasi1f/
When you are traveling around Japan, please do pay attention not only to the landscape in front of you but also to the ground you are standing on. The ground may appear to be an ordinary flat road, but if you casually look down upon it, you might sometimes discover an interesting thing or something hidden that will impress you.
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