Japan's Unique Manholes: Pieces of Art At Your Feet
Let’s create a sewage system, but please make it all kinds of kawaii
That might just as well have been the internal brief when the Japanese government began rolling out its new sewage system after World War II. In a PR move that could probably not exist in any other country, intricately designed manholes were thought to be the best measure to garner the population’s support for the large infrastructural changes. Nowadays about 12,000 different manhole designs are said to decorate municipalities across the country – featuring folktales, local history, landmarks, mascots, you name it. If drainspotting isn’t one of your favorite leisure activities yet, let us show you why you should consider joining Japan’s wacky community of manhole lovers.
First of all, manholes are a typical example of how Japanese officials nicely wrap government decisions to make them palatable, averting possible resistance from the population by emphasizing admiration for artisan pride and fun with kawaii messaging. While the renewal of the sewage system had begun in the 60s, sources usually point to one no-name government official as the unknown mastermind behind today’s manhole craze. Urban myth has it that around the mid-80s he suggested colorfully designed manholes to raise awareness as well as taxpayer’s acceptance for the costly redevelopment projects, which surely interrupted their neighborhood peace with noisy construction sites.
Thanks to government-initiated design contests early on, municipalities were soon competing with each other to see who could draw more attention and tourists to their regions – a competition that still goes on today. And it’s a rather costly one: elaborately colored design manholes can cost around $1000 a piece as opposed to an average mass-produced standard lid which is said to lie at around $10. Today nearly 95% of the 1,780 municipalities in Japan reportedly sport their very own customized manhole covers.