Utsunomiya City, Tochigi‘s Manhole Cover
This is designed after Utsunomiya’s specialty, gyoza.
Gyoza are fried dumplings with vegetable and meat ingredients in a flour wrapper.
Although the manhole cover has a simple color scheme, if you look closely you can see even the folds of the gyoza, which perfectly captures the characteristics of the gyoza.
Just looking at it makes you hungry, right?
I call this kind of manhole covers “foodie covers“.
This is not an official name, it’s just what I call it.
Where is the manhole cover?
Gyoza Street (Miyajimacho-Dori)
This street is located in the center of Utsunomiya City and is lined with many gyoza restaurants.
In addition to the manhole cover with gyoza design on it, there are several things with gyoza motifs.
What is designed on the manhole cover?
Utsunomiya
Name of the city where this manhole cover is located.
Gyoza-Dori
“Gyoza-Dori” means Gyoza Street.
Gyoza
Gyoza is the local specialty of Utsunomiya City.
There are many gyoza drawn in this manhole cover, but were you able to find just one gyoza with a different color?
The gyoza with only one different color expresses the beautiful grilling, aroma, and concentrated flavor that are characteristic of Utsunomiya gyoza.
I think it`s a very playful design.
Manhole Card
This was distributed at “Utsunomiya City Tourist Information (Inside JR Utsunomiya Station)”.
The distribution location may be changed or distribution may be canceled, so please check carefully before visiting to get the card.
“Manhole card” is card-type brochure for public relations about sewerage, and aims to deepen understanding and interest in sewerage.
It is jointly produced and published by the Sewerage Public Relations Platform (Gesuido Koho Platform:GKP) and local governments nationwide.
As of October 2023, there are more than 900 types of cards nationwide.
On the surface, as shown in this photo, there is an image of the manhole cover and the coordinates where the manhole cover is located.
On the back side, the origin of the design is written.
Many people visit in getting these cards, and I’m one of them.
I’m going to write in detail about “manhole card”.
If you would like to know about other manhole cards, please visit the link below.
manhole card of link (Japanese Page)
Surrounding sightseeing spots
Utsunomiya Minmin
Utsunomiya Minmin is a gyoza restaurant located on Gyoza Street.
There are several gyoza restaurants on Gyoza Street, but this restaurant is one of popular restaurants that there is always a line.
It serves gyoza in different ways – boiled, pan-fried or deep-fried.
I ordered pan-fried and deep-fried.
Both were very tasty.
It’s interesting to eat gyoza prepared in different ways at the same restaurant.
I want to go eat again!
Gyoza-Street
This street is lined with several gyoza restaurants, including the aforementioned gyoza restaurants “Utsunomiya Minmin”.
And, there are several things on this street that have a “gyoza” motif.
I‘ll introduce some of them.
There is a large monument with the word “GYOZA” and giant gyoza.
You can take photos here.
It will be a good memory if you take a photo to commemorate your visit to Utsunomiya City.
There’s a sign on a telephone pole on the street that says “Gyoza Street”, but if you look above it, you’ll see…
Oh, Gyoza! It’s kind of interesting.
When I suddenly turned my attention to other utility poles, I noticed that the streetlights had turned into Gyoza!!
This looks cute and delicious!
I think it’s a really good idea that even the streetlights are shaped like gyoza.
I’m very interested in how this street lamp looks when it lights up at night.
If you only look for the manhole covers and only look at the ground, you might miss it.
I was surprised that capsule toys like this.
It looks like capsule toys with gyoza motifs from various gyoza restaurants.
I found them near “Utsunomiya Minmin”.
As a souvenir of enjoying gyoza in Utsunomiya, you can turn the capsule toy machine and take it home.
I would be happy if you would like to search for manholes in Utsunomiya City.