Manhole Covers

I'd love to get my hands on several of these to use as stepping stones in the yard but at 100lbs each the carryon is out of the question.

From Twisted Sifter...

In 95% of Japan’s 1,780 municipalities you will find artistic manhole covers unique to each city and town. It has become apart of the country’s national culture and it’s fascinating to see the different designs and styles that each town and city has chosen to represent them. With over 6,000 manhole cover artworks, it’s no surprise that spotting and photographing them has become a hobby for many. 

Apparently all manhole covers are forged in Nagashima Foundry from carved master plates that have all been preserved in a central library.

More here.

 For comparison, an artistically crafted and crossword puzzle inspired DC manhole cover...