Here’s something that will drive home how far behind we are when it comes to pedestrian infrastructure: While people walking on two feet around these parts are constantly dodging electrical poles and fissures, some countries are just trying to find ways to make getting around by foot entertaining.
Japan, for example, has made it a thing to use decorative manhole covers. Usually, their designs are based on a theme inspired by their location. These, though, are proof that authorities responsible for them have room to get creative.
Yes, there are Pokémon manhole covers in Japan. You can find them scattered across different cities across the country, including Fukuoka, Fukushima, Kyoto, Osaka, and of course, Tokyo. It’s a neat way to liven up the walking experience for local pedestrians, as well as give tourists something Instagram-worthy to check out while getting around on foot.
Granted, we aren’t familiar with many of these Pokémon anymore. The original ones? Sure, we recognize Pikachu, Eevee, Jigglypuff, Onyx, and the rest of them. A lot of these manhole covers appear to feature later-generation monsters, though. You can check all of them out here.
Man, we could definitely see something like this working here in the Philippines. Perhaps manhole covers inspired by national landmarks or heroes? Frankly, though, we’d take at least patching up all the holes around these parts as a good start.
