The city of Ikeda in Osaka Prefecture, known as the birthplace of instant noodles, has started using manhole covers featuring Hiyoko-chan, the mascot of Chicken Ramen brand instant noodles, in front of the city's popular cup noodle museum. The Ikeda Municipal Government has created four ...
City in Saitama Prefecture to tap into new revenue source with manhole cover ads
As the costs of operating its municipal sewer system rise, a city in Saitama Prefecture is hoping to cash in on the growing popularity of manhole cover designs with a plan to use the creative lids as an advertising medium. The Tokorozawa Municipal Government will ...
Collectible manhole cards detailing Japan's intricate designs top 1 million issued
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. "No item published by the sewage industry had ...
Manhole covers get new mission: predicting floods
Sudden storms called "guerrilla downpours" have been hitting with increasing frequency over the past five decades and are now considered a growing disaster threat. As municipalities struggle to deal with the increase in floods, companies are proposing new technology based on what they say is ...
Lifting the lid on Japan's growing crowd of manhole cover spotters
Some tourists look around them but Hidetoshi Ishii prefers to look down. The 65-year-old is a manhole cover hunter. He has spent the past two decades touring with a folding bike and map, on the lookout for treasures. "It's like finding a gem. When I spot ...
