First-ever Pokemon manhole covers installed in downtown Tokyo

Tokyo’s Ueno Park is one of the city’s biggest tourism draws, and it’s actually several attractions in one. In addition to its shady cherry blossom tree-lined pathways and beautiful lotus pond, the park is home to multiple museums and a zoo, and now it’s added even more attractions with a pair of brand-new Pokemon manhole covers.

These are the first-ever Pokemon manhole covers, or Pokefuta, as they’re called in Japanese, to be installed in central Tokyo, and none other than Pikachu himself was on-site for a special ceremony prior to their June 14 installation.

Appearing on the first of the two covers is Tyrunt, the Tyrannosaurus-like Pokemon who Trainers can resurrect from a fossil in the Pokémon. Appropriately, the Tyrunt Pokefuta, which also features Wynaut, is found in Ueno Park near the entrance to the National Museum of Nature and Science, which has an impressive collection of dinosaur fossils itself.

▼ The Tyrunt/Wynaut Pokefuta is found not far from the museum’s full-scale blue whale replica statue.

Meanwhile, Ueno’s other Pokemon manhole cover stars Baltoy, whose design is inspired by Japan’s traditional earthenware dogu figures from the late Jomon period (c. 1000 BC), and Bronzor, a mysterious steel/psychic-type found in tombs, according to Pokemon lore.

▼ Dogu

Because of Dogu and Bronzor’s connections to ancient civilizations, their Pokefuta has been placed near the main gate of the park’s Tokyo National Museum, whose extensive collection of artistic antiquities includes dogu.

▼ Both Pokefuta are in public areas of the park, so you don’t need to purchase a museum admission ticket to see them.

▼ Pikachu was joined at the pre-installation ceremony by the vice-directors of both museums.

As the first Pokefuta in Tokyo’s 23 central wards (the capital’s others are out in the suburbs or a town that’s 24-hour boat ride from downtown that’s still technically part of Tokyo), the two new covers are sure to get plenty of visitors Thankfully, the Pokefuta are permanent installations, so there’s no rush to see them if a trip to Tokyo isn’t in your immediate travel plans, and if you end up having to wait until next spring you’ll be just in time to also see the full-size Pokémon skeletons at the special exhibit coming to the National Museum of Nature and Science.

Sources: PR Times

Insert images: PR Times, Wikipedia/Saigen Jiro

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