Good evening, I just started reading the latest Reader's Digest that popped into my mailbox the other day, Larry remembers this magazine being one of his Grandfather's favorites. I grew up with it too, still good reading but the pages are very few compared to those olden days.
There was a very short article about a book and the story of these lovely manhole covers in Japan. The book was printed awhile ago and is now out of print, and the books I found started at $200.00 If I used a library wondering if they would have a copy or could get one on loan.
I am wondering if any of you that have visited Japan saw any of these gorgeous manhole covers and looked for them?
This is a photo of the book
If you are on Facebook I found a group that has great photos and the locations of the manhole covers-the group's name is Japan's Manhole Cover Collections
There are several articles on line with photos Here and Here If interested-they are really gorgeous pieces of art-just do a search as I found quite a few posts. Adding this link-history and lots of photos here
Here are few photos copied from online
I think it would be fun if in Japan to look for these lovely pieces of art
Searching online for articles I did find a couple of cities selling their manhole covers that are obsolete here
Japan always has such beautiful art-in many forms
They are gorgeous, Kathy! We have some very nice ones here, but not brightly coloured. Thanks for sharing, hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteJapan always brings art and color
Deleteawesome
ReplyDeleteWow, those are really wonderful pieces of art! It must be nice to have this in the street.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, dear Kathy, I had n o idea.. Hugs to you and the lake.
I was so surprised too learning about these art pieces
DeleteThese are beautiful! And yes, I've visited Japan but I've never seen these gorgeous manhole covers. Not that they weren't there, but I think I was too agog looking up to look down!
ReplyDeleteI am thinking there was lots to view on your trip and who would think such beauty on manhole covers
DeleteFascinating information. Thank you
ReplyDeleteI think in America, such beautiful artworks would probably be swiped and made into side tables.
Prints of the Japan manhole covers would make a neat wall display.
Reader's Disgest! I haven't seen a copy in years. Mother use to gift subscriptions every year until she got up in years. Lovely magazine. I read the humor section right first. That and Look Magazine, and the Saturday Evening Post were favorites growing up.
I knew nothing about these manhole covers. Very interesting.
ReplyDeletesending a (((hug)))
cathy
hugs back
DeleteWish they would pint our manholes covers like these. I remember my maternal grandmother always keeping a copy of her Reader's Digest in the bathroom. Guess she liked to read in there. LOL Janice
ReplyDeleteYes we do the same-magazines in the bathroom-smiles
DeleteWhat beautiful works of art, right down on the street. Love it.
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty cool to see, would be fun to be there and look for them
DeleteHi Kathy. Yesterday was a busy day so I didn't get around to commenting. I didn't see any of these manhole covers back in 2018 when I was in Japan. Maybe they weren't around then, or maybe I just was never in the right spot. They would be great to see. And in your last comment on my blog you asked about my wrapped bees. They do have ventilation in the top (the insulated boxes slightly elevate the outer cover to let out the moisture, and of course the bottom is open so the bees can still get in and out. It's just a tough situation because these southern bees don't do well in our cold. I definitely don't want to Russian ones either that would probably be exactly what is needed here in NH. And add Varroa to weakening hives, it's a tough call. One local woman I spoke with lost 7 out of her 8 hives last winter and I notice she too has added extra covering. If we get any warm weather it only lasts a day or 2, and come March I will start unwrapping them, layer by layer. And if by rare chance we get an early warm up, I will do it then. Thanks for visiting my blog. Have a great rest of your week. hugs-Erika ps-Good luck finding that book also.
ReplyDeletegood morning thank you for update with your bees. we are from northern Illinois along the Wisconsin border and we had bees for several years but never lost any do to the winters-we did get really cold there but not as cold as your area. that's good the bees can still get out if it warms up a bit.
DeleteI think the manhole covers were installed in the'80s when they were upgrading the water systems. I am thinking these would be missed as not many looking for art on the street-smiles you have good rest of your week too hugs
OOOo Pretty Kathy! I took pictures of manhole covers in San Francisco... ! Hugs! deb
ReplyDeletethat sounds cool
DeleteI have photos of manhole covers in Wiochita and Newton, KS, but they don't begin to compare to the beauty of the Japanese covers. Just stunning. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteyou are welcome, I have never seen any here in the states that were painted-but then I have mostly lived rural not in a city
DeleteKathy these are beautiful! I saw an article about someone who used manhole covers t make prints on t shirts and jackets. They weren't Japanese covers-I think they were in Europe somewhere. They were so different and interesting.
ReplyDeletethat sounds like a fun art project
DeleteLovely post. I did see some lovely manhole covers when I was in Japan. I really enjoyed this post.
ReplyDeleteHow awesome!
DeleteThanks so much for sharing about the manhole covers, Kathy! They really are works of art. They certainly made me think of Japanese woodblock prints. I would love to see them in person on day.
ReplyDelete-Soma
you are welcome I agree that they all look like woodblock prints
DeleteThey are beautiful, many thanks for sharing them here.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
you are welcome
DeleteThey certainly are beautiful and such a good and uplifting idea to have this art throughout the city. Also, I fixed the link. I appreciate you letting me know!
ReplyDeleteI am behind in reading your posts. What an interesting piece of information regarding Japan and their manhole covers. These are gorgeous. You are so correct...Japanese art in many forms is so lovely. Take care.
ReplyDelete