Manhole covers in Japan are unlikely pieces of pavement art that are scattered around the country. Each city has its own set of colourful covers, with over 10,000 different patterns and images since the first ones appeared in the 1980s.
Pokémon manhole covers, also known as Pokéfuta, have started popping up all over the country. There are currently over 150 different designs installed in Nara, Hokkaido, Tokyo and other prefectures, often with the goal of attracting visitors to lesser known areas.
Kyoto is the latest destination in Japan to get Pokémon manhole covers and these five designs are the newest additions to the collection. Believe it or not, these are Kyoto’s very first Pokéfuta. They feature second generation Pokémon species like Chicorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile and Pichu, plus the rare legendary flying bird Ho-Oh. You can find them at Okazaki Park, Maruyama Park, Umekoji Park, Arashiyama Park in the Nakanoshima area, and Nishikyogoku Athletic Park.
These Pokemon manhole covers serve as Pokéstops for the Pokémon Go mobile game, so get your smartphone out when you come across one. To find the new covers around Kyoto and the rest of Japan, you can use this official map.
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