The installation of manhole covers featuring characters from a hit series can be a great way to bring more visitors to obscure areas of Japan.

One of the biggest hit franchises, Pokemon, are utilising this strategy to help revitalise Japanese cities, especially ones which have been struck by disasters in recent years.

Pokemon have been collaborating with local municipalities around Japan to create ‘Poke Lids’, manhole covers with awesome Pokemon designs. Hoping to encourage more tourism to the areas, the covers are made specially in one-of-a-kind, original designs, so if you want to see your favourite Pokemon’s cover, you have to go to that particular location.

Hokkaido's Pokemon Manhole Covers

Now 15 new designs have been created to be placed all over Japan’s biggest and northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido. The Pokemon chosen to be included in these adorable original illustrations is Vulpix, and in Japan’s frozen north, it’s only appropriate that Vulpix’s ice-type regional form, the Alolan Vulpix, be included too.

Each design shows one of the two frolicking and palling about with other beloved Pokemon.

As Hokkaido is such a massive prefecture, the manhole covers are spread out over long distances from each other, so if you want to find them all, you’ll really have to get your explorin’ boots on. Each one will also be a Pokestop in the Pokemon Go game.

How to Find Pokemon Manhole Covers in Hokkaido

The location of each of these one-of-a-kind covers can be found on the Poke Lids website, which includes over 70 individual covers scattered all across Japan. Most are permanent but some are temporary so be sure not to miss your favourite Pokemon!.


By - Jess.