This is a blog about manhole covers. Did you know that in Japan, manholes are special, with designs varying by city, and there is even a national manhole card game?
Crazy, right? Let's think together about why Japanese manholes are interesting compared to manholes around the world.
Japanese manhole covers have various designs depending on the region, the type of public facility, and the manufacturer of the manhole cover. They are attracting attention from self-proclaimed drain spotters around the world.

Japanese manhole covers often feature the symbol marks of the region or town. In Kyoto, the main motif is the turtle, which symbolizes wisdom and longevity, but other local landmarks, figures, festivals, and flora and fauna are also incorporated as art at our feet. "Trees" are the most common, followed by "landscapes" and "flowers."
There are 15 million manhole covers embedded in roads nationwide, with over 12,000 variations as of August 2017. The lifespan of a manhole cover is about 30 years, and 100,000 covers are replaced each year, but there are not many standard designs that can be replaced with decorative manholes.

However, in Japan, manhole covers have become very popular due to their design, and they are also gaining popularity as a national card game/collection.
It has been revealed by a card promotion organization that since the distribution began in April last year, over 1 million trading cards featuring manhole cover designs have been issued domestically.

The Manhole Card Project is led by the "Sewerage Public Relations Platform (GKP)" composed of officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and the Japan Sewerage Association.
On the front, there are photos of manhole covers and their geographical coordinates. The back explains the background of the design. These cards are distributed for free at designated locations such as sewage treatment plants and tourist information centers, with a principle of one card per person.
However, there are some truly rare cards that are sold online for around 20,000 yen. Some cards are very popular and have run out of stock in less than a month after their release, necessitating a reprint. The popularity of manhole cards is likely due to their issuance in the same format and their easy availability.

A travel company in Saitama Prefecture has launched a bus tour where you can collect manhole cards.
There are many fun facts and interesting things in Japan. Did you enjoy the story about manholes?

I hope to be able to write about my new adventure soon.