13.Jun.2022
DISCOVER JAPAN
Japanese manhole cover
A blog about manhole cover ??? Did you know that in Japan manhole is really special, that every city has its own manhole design, and that they even have a national manhole card game?
Crazy you said? Let’s discover together why Japanese manhole is so different and interesting compared to the rest of the world.
Japanese manhole covers come in a variety of designs depending on locality, utility type and the manufacturer of the manhole cover. They have caught the imagination of a growing number of self-styled “drainspotters” from around the world
Japan’s manhole covers often include a symbol specific to an area or town as part of their design. In Kyoto, a turtle (a symbol of wisdom and longevity) is the main motif; in addition local landmarks, people, festivals or flora and fauna can all be incorporated into these underfoot works of art. Trees are the most common design, followed by landscapes and flowers.
There are 15 million manhole covers embedded on the roads throughout the country, with over 12,000 variations as of August 2017. Manhole covers last for around 30 years, and 100 thousand covers are replaced every year. However, there are not many standard designs that can be replaced by designed manholes.
But while manhole covers have become very popular in Japan for their designs, they have also become popular for their national card game / collection.
A total of more than 1 million collectible cards featuring pictures of manhole covers with unique local designs have been issued in Japan since distribution began in April last year, a group promoting the cards has said.
The manhole card project was initiated by the Gesuido Koho (sewage publicity) Platform group (GKP), which is made up of officials from the ministry and the Japan Sewage Works Association.
in the front is a photo of a manhole cover together with its geographic coordinates. An explanation of the background of the design is written on the reverse side. The cards are available for free at designated locations, including sewage treatment facilities and tourist information centers, with one card given to each person in principle.
However, some cards are really rare and they sold around 20 000 yens / 2OO dollars on the internet. some of the cards proved extraordinarily popular, with stocks running out less than a month after release and requiring a reprint. The manhole cards are popular probably because they are issued under the same format and people can get them easily.
A travel agency in Saitama Prefecture has developed a bus tour that allows participants to collect manhole cards.
Japan has a lot of fun facts and funny things. I really hope you liked the one about the manhole.
Thank you for reading me and I really hope I will be able soon to write about my new adventure.
