The Art Beneath Your Feet: Japan’s Beautiful Manhole Covers

Beneath Japan’s bustling streets lies a hidden art gallery — not underground, but right underfoot. Across the country, more than 12,000 unique manhole cover designs (manhōru futa) turn ordinary sewer lids into canvases that celebrate local history, culture, and craftsmanship.

From Hokkaido’s snowflakes to Okinawa’s hibiscus blooms, Japan’s manhole covers are miniature city emblems — colorful, civic, and deeply Japanese in their balance of practicality and beauty.

A Brief History: From Function to Art

Japan’s manhole artistry began in the 1960s, when cities started modernizing their sewage systems after World War II. At first, covers were plain — simple cast iron discs. But in 1985, a Ministry of Construction official named Yasutake Kameda proposed an idea that would change urban design forever:

“What if each city could design its own manhole covers — to take pride in their infrastructure?”

The goal wasn’t purely aesthetic. Japan was spending heavily to upgrade pipes and sewage, but few citizens cared — or understood why. By giving each municipality its own distinctive design, Kameda believed locals would pay more attention, take civic pride, and even protect their systems from vandalism.

It worked. Within a decade, custom manhole covers spread across the nation. Soon, designs depicted local landmarks, flowers, mascots, festivals, and folklore, each cast in heavy iron, hand-painted with enamel, and proudly displayed in the streets.

Why Japan’s Manhole Covers Have Art

In Japan, design and function are rarely separate. Everyday objects — from chopsticks to train stations — are treated with the same care as fine art. Manhole covers became a natural extension of this cultural philosophy:

• Local Identity: Each city or prefecture tells its own story. For example, Hiroshima’s covers feature maple leaves, Kyoto’s depict cherry blossoms and temples, and Nagoya’s show its golden shachihoko (mythical tiger-fish).

• Tourism & Pride: Many towns use manhole covers as promotional symbols. They appear on souvenirs, T-shirts, and even in local stamps called manhōru kādo (collectible trading cards issued by the Sewerage PR Center).

• Civic Engagement: Residents take pride in their city’s unique designs — photographing them, sharing them online, and keeping their streets clean. In some towns, schoolchildren even help vote on new designs.

• Functional Beauty: The covers aren’t just decorative — they’re durable, anti-slip, and serve as inspection points for the water and sewer systems below.

Modern Mania: From Collectibles to Culture

In recent years, Japan’s manhole covers have gone viral — both domestically and internationally. Travelers now hunt for them like Pokémon, photographing and pinning them on Instagram, or following guidebooks devoted entirely to their designs.

Some highlights include:

• Tokyo’s Pikachu & Eevee Covers: Installed across Tokyo and Yokohama as part of the Poké Lids project — Japan’s national Pokémon collaboration.

• Osaka’s Castle & Octopus Covers: Combining history and humor, reflecting Osaka’s playful civic character.

• Hakone’s Hot Springs & Fuji Views: Blending nature and nostalgia, echoing its volcanic onsen culture.

• Okinawa’s Coral & Whale Shark Motifs: Celebrating marine life and tropical beauty.

• Nagano’s Winter Olympics Covers: Featuring athletes frozen mid-ski, a nod to its 1998 Games.

These designs are now part of Japan’s “soft power” — a visual signature of national creativity. There’s even a Japan Manhole Cover Summit, where designers, engineers, and fans gather to showcase new works each year.

How They’re Made

Each cover begins with a cast-iron mold, often weighing over 50 kilograms. Designs are drafted by artists or city planners, reviewed by local governments, and then sculpted by specialized foundries.

Once cast, they’re sometimes painted by hand — usually with heat-resistant enamel — before being installed in streets. Many modern designs remain unpainted for durability, but even in grayscale, the intricate craftsmanship stands out.

Where to See the Best Manhole Covers in Japan

If you want to turn your trip into a design scavenger hunt, here are a few must-see spots:

• Tokyo: Shinjuku (Tokyo Metropolitan Building designs), Akihabara (Poké Lids), and Asakusa’s Edo motifs.

• Kyoto: Gion’s sakura and pagoda designs, and Fushimi’s torii-gate-themed covers.

• Osaka: Around Namba and Dotonbori for castle and festival themes.

• Hiroshima: Maple leaves and peace dove patterns throughout the city.

• Sapporo: Snowflakes and ski-jump designs near Odori Park.

• Kumamoto: Kumamon mascot covers scattered across the city.

• Okinawa: Whale sharks and coral reefs, especially around Naha.

Pro Tip: You can even collect “Manhole Cards” (マンホールカード) — free trading cards distributed by local city offices, each detailing the design’s story and release date.

The Meaning Beneath the Metal

Japanese manhole covers aren’t just pretty — they’re a reflection of the nation’s deep respect for craftsmanship (monozukuri), community identity, and the aesthetic of everyday life (wabi-sabi).

They remind travelers and locals alike that art doesn’t have to hang in museums — it can live beneath your feet, turning infrastructure into inspiration.

As one Japanese designer once said:

“If you look down instead of up, you’ll find Japan’s quiet beauty waiting for you.”