These Japanese Manhole Covers Are So Beautiful You Wouldn’t Want To Step On Them

By Charmaine Shaharin  •  in Design
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(Source : 47regions and thislifeoftravel website )

Pokemon manhole covers in Tokyo have made it to the news recently, but anyone who has been to Japan knows that there are a variety of beautiful manhole covers waiting to be accidentally discovered.

According to the Japan Society of Manhole Covers, there are at least 6,000 intricately-designed manhole design covers featuring birds, fishes, landscapes, trees and even dinosaurs, scattered across the whole of Japan.

As much as we’d like to feature everything – where’s the adventure in that? So here’s our list of the top 10 most interesting manhole cover designs to pique your interest in the beautiful-weirdness that is Japan.

1. Katsuyama, Fukui Prefecture

Dinosaur Fossils were discovered in Katsuyama – home to the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum (source: Nippon.com)

2. Sapporo, Hokkaidō

(Salmon fishes are deemed as the “fish of the gods” by Hokkaidō’s Ainu people. Due to the improved water quality in the Toyohiragawa river in Sapporo, the fishes keep on coming back. The design shows the salmon swimming around one of Sapporo city’s landmarks – a watchtower. (Source: Nippon.com)

3. Osaka, Osaka Prefecture

(This manhole cover design shows the Osaka Castle during Cherry Blossom season (Source: Nippon.com)

4. Katsushika, Tokyo

The Monchhichi monkeys are a staple character in Katsushika. They even have a park name after them and are featured in local busses. (Source: Nippon.com)

5. Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture

Displaying Japan’s most famous mountain – Mount Fuji, the design also recalls the Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji by ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai (Source: Nippon.com)

6. Iga, Mie Prefecture

A manhole design that depicts cute ninjas in Iga, as Ninja culture lives on there. The small ninjas accompany other famous symbols of the district such as the city flower, tree, bird, bamboo, lily, pheasant and Japanese red pine. (Source: Nippon.com)

7. Daiei, Tottori

Daiei’s watermelon manhole covers. (Source: Tsunagu Japan)

8. Aomori, Aomori Prefecture

A manhole design featuring Aomori’s famous Nebuta Festival which is held at the beginning of August each year. (Source: Nippon.com)

9. Isahaya, Nagasaki Prefecture

Manhole design cover of Isahaya’s Spectacles Bridge. (Source: Nippon.com)

1o. Tokyo

Upcoming Pokémon manhole covers in Tokyo featuring famous Pokémons from the first generation. (Source: Timeout Japan)

Manholes are usually taken for granted but Japan has managed to make them an attraction for tourists and locals alike. Hopefully, in the future, Malaysia might looking into beautifying our rather dull manholes.

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