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About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers

By Muza-chan on Feb 19, 2010 | In Japan travel | 60 feedbacks »

Even since my first visit to Japan, my attention was attracted by the manhole covers (manhoru in Japanese), many of them unusual decorated: cute characters, plants, castles, buildings…

Japanese Manhole Cover

I photographed a few and I wish to find more of them, because I have to admit… manhoru mania got to me!

There are a lot of sites made by mahoru enthusiasts, some with random photos, others with comprehensive catalogs. And there are even books about the Japanese manhole covers…

The Japanese sewage system dates back to the Yayoi period (500 BC - 300 AD). The modern sewage system was built at the end of the 19th century, with assistance from the West. During the 1950s, some Japanese cities started to install manhole covers with specially made designs.

Finally, the wide variety of decorated covers we see today started to appear during the 1980s. Since the kawaii trend was in full swing at this time, it’s no surprise that some of the manhole covers were decorated with cute “kawaii” characters.

I selected a set of 15 Creative Commons photos with kawaii manhole covers from the large collection available on the Japanese Manhole Covers Flickr group.

Follow up:

Of course, many of them feature firemen…

Fire Hydrant cover
Creative Commons License photo credit: JanneM
Gullideckel in Toyko 2
Creative Commons License photo credit: Retinafunk
Hydrant Manhole
Creative Commons License photo credit: Gilgongo
Nagano Valve Cover
Creative Commons License photo credit: jpellgen
manhole cover
Creative Commons License photo credit: married to potatoes
Shimbashi Fire Service Cover
Creative Commons License photo credit: jpellgen

… but we can also encounter baseball teams (Hiroshima’s)…

Go Carps!!
Creative Commons License photo credit: What What

…or the famous Hachiko…

Hachiko Cover
Creative Commons License photo credit: jpellgen

… and many other cute Japanese characters:

Manhole cover
Creative Commons License photo credit: JanneM
Manhole cover
Creative Commons License photo credit: JanneM
Manhole cover
Creative Commons License photo credit: JanneM
IMG_6380
Creative Commons License photo credit: tiseb
Manhole cover
Creative Commons License photo credit: JanneM
Dragonhole
Creative Commons License photo credit: the_toe_stubber
Manhole cover
Creative Commons License photo credit: JanneM

Related article:


12 Sakura Manhole Covers
12 Sakura Manhole Covers

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 nihonjon
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 14:51
 HenryStradford
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 14:51
 migoy
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RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 14:52
 kaicito
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RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 14:54
 krhitoshi
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 14:54
 RetoF666
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 14:56
 HenryStradford
On Twitter:
RT @krhitoshi: RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 14:56
 imGoes
On Twitter:
nice, really interesting.. new information for me.. RT @Muzachan 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 14:57
 e_takong
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]// เฮ้ย..ฝาท่อสุดจ๊าบบบ...
02/19/10 @ 14:59
 MinohChick
On Twitter:
@Muzachan Cool collection of manhole photos! Minoh has a nice one, too, so I'll take a photo and show it to you soon ;)
02/19/10 @ 15:03
 kun_san
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 15:04
 TJXDJCITY
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 15:06
 ohsweetBloG
On Twitter:
About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 15:13
 KorvarTheFox
On Twitter:
RT: @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link] - retweeted for the concept of "cute manhole covers" - sounds rude!
02/19/10 @ 15:16
 ebechunBreeders
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 15:19
 Muza-chan [Member] Email · http://www.muza-chan.net

@MinohChick:
Thanks, I'm looking forward to see it. ^_^

@KorvarTheFox:
LOL That's right, there's a city in US where they renamed manholes to "maintenance holes" for "equality of genders"...
02/19/10 @ 15:25
 lifeyou.tv · http://www.lifeyou.tv
Have some cool in my area.. I will take some pictures of it ( if I don t forget ^^ )
02/19/10 @ 15:27
 aicnanime
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 15:28
 Muza-chan [Member] Email · http://www.muza-chan.net
@lifeyou.tv:

Cool, let me know when you have them :)
02/19/10 @ 15:31
 DonKangolJones
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link] <=didn't think it was possible, but they are really cute
02/19/10 @ 15:39
 giancarlodrago
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 15:49
 selinamaitreya
On Twitter:
RT @HenryStradford RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 15:52
 BlogLinkJapan
On Twitter:
About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers: [link] #JBlogs
02/19/10 @ 16:10
 ohlookitsAlex
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link] (via @aicnanime)
02/19/10 @ 16:24
 Luis Gomez · http://onephotographaday.com
What a great post! Love this manhole covers.
02/19/10 @ 16:41
 Binglun
On Twitter:
so cute hahah RT @Muzachan 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 16:44
 Quarteni
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 17:04
 4Mori_RaBBiT
On Twitter:
RT @BlogLinkJapan: About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers: [link] #JBlogs
02/19/10 @ 17:39
 IndigoKitsune
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 19:02
 pkChinensis
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 19:27
 JapanIntercult
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 19:29
 queenlyflux
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 20:11
 whipcracker Email
RT @Muzachan: About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers http://bit.ly/9N8hrN I especially like the Hachiko cover myself. Seeing were both collectors of dragons, do you have any with them on it?:wave:
02/19/10 @ 21:03
 Muza-chan [Member] Email · http://www.muza-chan.net
I haven't seen one with a dragon, but there might be... :)
02/19/10 @ 21:27
 japanobserver
On Twitter:
About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers #Muza-chan'sGatetoJapan [link]
02/19/10 @ 21:39
 AustinOtaku
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 22:17
 gravyontherice
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/19/10 @ 23:36
 Nikolett · http://better-than-coffee.blogspot.com
These are adorable! I wish they had manhole covers like these in Canada :) I would love it if they had a Pokemon or Sailor Moon one haha.
02/20/10 @ 01:48
 photojoy · http://mummekkan.blogspot.com/
Nice to "meet" you. Thanks for your visit to my blog. This site is amazing. Very informative and pictures in amount. There are lots insights which even a Japanese like me hasn't ever paid any attention. I should study more about my own culture.
Let me "follow" you.
02/20/10 @ 05:15
 purplehayz
On Twitter:
About kawaii - 15 cute #Japanese manhole covers [link]
02/20/10 @ 07:50
 sanafu
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/20/10 @ 08:16
 LuciF
On Twitter:
15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/20/10 @ 09:57
 nuveeena
On Twitter:
RT @LuciF: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/20/10 @ 10:04
 Muza-chan [Member] Email · http://www.muza-chan.net
@Nikolett:

I agree, the streets would look a lot better anywhere in the world... :)

@photojoy:

Welcome, and thank you very much for your kind words!
02/20/10 @ 10:10
 reesan
On Twitter:
About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers: Even since my first visit to Japan, my attention w... [link] (via @muzachan)
02/20/10 @ 10:33
 lomodeedee
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/20/10 @ 10:54
 Brad F. · http://www.bradleyfarless.com/
Guess I'm the only one laughing about the way "manhole" was incorporated into Japanese. Don't ask me why but every time I saw "manhoru" I thought "manwh>:XXre". Made the post even more entertaining to read.

Regardless, I love how they've used the manhole covers as an outlet for creative expression. I doubt you'd see anything similar in the US. Too many people have a chip on their shoulder and feel like they need to protest anything that isn't flat and bland. I admire Japanese creativity.
02/20/10 @ 11:26
 Muza-chan [Member] Email · http://www.muza-chan.net
I never thought about it, but now that you mentioned it... LOL :D
02/20/10 @ 11:53
 tellerka
On Twitter:
About kawaii - 15 cute #Japanese manhole covers [link] (via @purplehayz) really interesting :)
02/20/10 @ 12:51
 nihongoup
On Twitter:
RT @tellerka About kawaii - 15 cute #Japanese manhole covers [link] (via @purplehayz)
02/20/10 @ 14:24
 tgrq
On Twitter:
RT @nihongoup: RT @tellerka About kawaii - 15 cute #Japanese manhole covers [link] (via @purplehayz)
02/20/10 @ 14:49
 bluegod
On Twitter:
RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/20/10 @ 14:52
 JanetStrath
On Twitter:
Sweeeeeet. RT @Muzachan: 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/20/10 @ 19:39
 ten_ten_ten
On Twitter:
Japanese manhole covers: [link] (via @HikiMadwoman)
02/20/10 @ 20:50
 Arachnanimist
On Twitter:
RT @ten_ten_ten: Japanese manhole covers: [link] (via @HikiMadwoman)
02/20/10 @ 21:13
 thistlebox
On Twitter:
RT: @Muzachan: About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/21/10 @ 14:31
 btraxinc
On Twitter:
15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
< yes the Japanese do love cuteness!> RT @JapanIntercult: RT @Muzachan
02/22/10 @ 01:15
 Harukita
On Twitter:
About kawaii - 15 Cute Japanese Manhole Covers [link]
02/22/10 @ 14:06
 Edward · http://www.whatwhat.co.uk
You know theres a book coming out soon on the subject. One of my photos is in it. (I also took the carps one above)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Drainspotting-Japanese-Manhole-Remo-Camerota/dp/0982075472

The same publisher is doing my book about Japanese mascots
http://idleidol.net/
04/13/10 @ 14:34
 Muza-chan [Member] Email · http://www.muza-chan.net
@Edward:
That's very interesting, thank you for letting me know! I'll surely buy it. :)
04/13/10 @ 14:53

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