Updated on 6/25/18

If you've ever been to Japan, then you may have noticed a habit of artistically advertising local famous places and goods around towns. It inspires a hometown pride in people and serves as a reminder of what the place has to show off as its own. This doesn't just stop at souvenir shops, however. All you have to do is look down at the very streets you walk on to find yourself something pretty to look at!

Courtesy of online magazine Ufunk.net (now defunct), here's a sampling of the various pretty manhole covers you can find in the streets of Japan. While it may be a better idea to head over to a local museum or art gallery, at least this unusual type of street art is free of charge!

Note: The images above were originally posted on the Instagram account for Fabien Bouchard's now defunct online magazine Ufunk.net

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Anime-Themed Manhole Covers

You can even find manhole covers with anime themes, like this one of Conan from Great Detective Conan in Hokuei City, Tottori Prefecture:

Or these manhole covers of Mari and Chika from Love Live! Sunshine!! in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture: