In Japan, scanning the streets for colourful manhole covers has become a pastime for anyone looking to experience the distinctly Japanese visual phenomenon of 'drainspotting'. Some of the finest manhole cover art has been collected by drainspotter extraordinaire, Remo Camerota
Tue 22 Jun 2010 08.34 EDT First published on Tue 22 Jun 2010 08.34 EDT
Yokkaichi City, Mie: Called the 'windy city', this Yokkaichi City cover represents the city’s port and infamous windsPhotograph: Remo Camerota/Photos courtesy of Mark Batty Publisher Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Kinosaki Town, Toyooka City, Hyogo
Photograph: Remo Camerota/Photos courtesy of Mark Batty Publisher
Kisarazu City: Based on a local myth, these mischievous raccoons tried to surprise a local Buddhist priest every day, but the priest was never surprised. One day, the raccoons beat their bellies as hard as they could, eventually beating themselves to death. In the end they did get the better of the priest, who was shocked that they had died at their own hand. The raccoons are now the town mascotPhotograph: Remo Camerota/Photos courtesy of Mark Batty Publisher Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Shimokitazawa, Setagaya Wards, Tokyo: The firefly and killifish can only survive in clean water, so having them on the cover tells people not to dump pollutants into the water supply Photograph: Remo Camerota/Photos courtesy of Mark Batty Publisher Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Matsumoto City, Nagano: Matsumato City is famous for making temari, which are bouncing balls made from tightly-wound cottonPhotograph: Remo Camerota/Photos courtesy of Mark Batty Publisher Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Kumamoto City, Kumamoto
Photograph: Remo Camerota/Photos courtesy of Mark Batty Publisher
Fukuchiyama, Hiroshima: This drain cover represents the annual Fukuchiyama festival dance, held in the city’s templePhotograph: Remo Camerota/Photos courtesy of Mark Batty Publisher Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Urayasu City, Chiba
Photograph: Remo Camerota/Photos courtesy of Mark Batty Publisher
Takamatsu City, Kagawa: This cover is based on the Tale of the Heike, a medieval epic detailing a war between two clans for control of JapanPhotograph: Remo Camerota/Photos courtesy of Mark Batty Publisher Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Hanzan, Marugame City, Kagawa
Photograph: Remo Camerota/Photos courtesy of Mark Batty Publisher
