Eye-catching manhole covers adorned with unique designs that showcase local tourist spots and specialties have become valuable tourism assets in Japan, drawing many visitors to municipalities.
Manholes are installed at over 16 million locations across the country as inspection hatches for sewer pipes. The initiative to create specially designed manhole covers began as a public relations campaign to improve the image of the sewage industry.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and other sources, the history of manhole cover designs dates back to the 1980s. At that time, an official from the then-Ministry of Construction proposed creating designs unique to each municipality in an effort to change the negative perception of sewage as foul-smelling and dirty.
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