If there is one thing I can confidently generalize about Japan, I would say it is an amazing attention to detail. Everywhere I have visited, I am always stunned by a tiny detail that was done exceptionally well.
Something that would often be overlooked, but because of a keen eye and a sense of value in the tiny detail, it becomes art. In Japan, it is often wise to not discount the ground you are walking on, because you could very easily overlook the beautiful manhole covers. I have never noticed manhole covers before, but I am now a bit addicted to searching for new ones. Most localities in Japan have their own, unique, manhole cover, which often tells a tiny story about the town. The cover might display a scene from a famous local festival, or a fruit that is grown there, or a famous temple. The possibilities are endless, and I am sure each town is proud of its design. Here is a tiny sample of some of the man hole covers we have spotted.
Something that would often be overlooked, but because of a keen eye and a sense of value in the tiny detail, it becomes art. In Japan, it is often wise to not discount the ground you are walking on, because you could very easily overlook the beautiful manhole covers. I have never noticed manhole covers before, but I am now a bit addicted to searching for new ones. Most localities in Japan have their own, unique, manhole cover, which often tells a tiny story about the town. The cover might display a scene from a famous local festival, or a fruit that is grown there, or a famous temple. The possibilities are endless, and I am sure each town is proud of its design. Here is a tiny sample of some of the man hole covers we have spotted.
Was that photo of the snow-covered manhole taken in Yamanouchi, Nagano?
ReplyDeleteBTW, I wrote a post about Japan's manhole covers too:
http://tokyo5.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/manhole-covers/
It was in Yamanouchi. We visited recently to see the snow monkeys. :) Thanks for sharing your blog....I will definitely check it out!
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