[Adachi Mystery Hunter] Takenotsuka Akayama Kaido is the concentrated area of color manholes whose number is one of the largest in Tokyo.

There is the concentrated area where one of the largest number of color manholes in Tokyo are close together in Takenotsuka Akayama Kaido.

Strange information was delivered to me at the end of the year, when I have a lot of things to do in December. 
In recent years, I knew that there are various color manholes all over the country, such as the design of famous anime characters and local specialties etc.
However, I did not know that there were color manholes in Adachi too...!
Most of all, the phrase of one of the largest number in Tokyo, aroused my interest.
Why are so many manholes installed in one place, and besides color manholes?
I definitely want to solve this mystery with my hands in the name of a mystery hunter!

I went to Akayama Kaido or Road for a field survey at once.

 

What ...!? so many ...!?
I was startled by the number of color manholes which are gathered in one area that I found soon after walking along Akayama Kaido from Takenotsuka Station on Tobu Skytree Line.
It is a common sight if there is dotted with color manholes.
However, there are so many in Akayama Kaido...!
I hope the following photos taken at the site convey my surprise.

The sidewalk is filled with color manholes. I was overwhelmed by volumes of them ...!
I guess such a scene can be rarely seen in a city where our readers live.

Such a scene is spread over about 1.6km around Takenotsuka Station on Tobu Skytree Line.
Specifically, from the east area up to Masuda-bashi to the west area up to Hannoki-bashi is a concentrated area of color manholes.
 I highly recommend you should wear comfortable clothes to walk such a long distance, when you go to the site.

There are various monuments other than color manholes

 Color manholes are not all Akayama Kaido has.
It has also various unique monuments which colored the street brilliantly.
The synergistic effect of color manholes, its large number and monuments changed Akayama Kaido into a special space.

Interview with Mr. Yakuwa, the creator of the concentrated area of color manholes

After finishing the field survey on Akayama Kaido, I was getting more and more interested in the concentrated area of color manholes.
 Why was such a design created?
 Why were there so many manholes?
 I became much interest in that like a spring water and cannot concentrate on my work ...!

 While spending days without any progress, I received important information that would help me solve all my questions.
 It was that Mr. Kazuo Yakuwa, who works at Adachi City Office, is the creator of the concentratd area of color manholes.
 I can solve all mysteries!
While controlling my eagerness, I made contact with Mr. Yakuwa and had an interview with him.

Manhole dense area was born from the waterway plan

--Thank you for your cooperation in the interview! Please tell us the secret story of the birth of one of the most concentrated area of color manholes in Tokyo today!

Mr. Yakuwa: It was the beginning with the road maintenance around Takenotsuka Station based on the Adachi waterway plan with the sewerage maintenance in the city. The sidewalk of Akayama Kaido, which was originally a waterway, was filled to shape the current appearance along with the sewerage maintenance. Since 1986, I have been assigned to the Design Section of Adachi City Office Civil Engineering Department Western Construction Office, and was in charge of designing Akayama Kaido maintenance.

--Did not Takenotsuka have the sewerage system back then?

Mr. Yakuwa: Except for the Senju area, which had already the sewerage system, it was under construction not only in Takenotsuka but also in the entire Adachi City. If once we have a typhoon, the amount of rainwater in the city is too much to handle and the roads were sometimes flooded. At the time of the flood, I sometimes went out to the street to pile up sandbags with my senior staff.

――Why are there so many color manholes on Akayama Kaido?

Mr. Yakuwa: It has to do with the population. If there are many people living along the street, they need to treat a sewage and rainwater on each site. So each basin (facility for draining rainwater and sewage from homes to the sewer) will inevitably increase. Since the opportunities for inspection, repair, and cleaning will increase, the number of manholes that are the entrance to the main sewer will also increase. This process led to the consentrated area of color manholes.

 Stick to my passion. Design with the history of Adachi City

――Please tell us how the unique design of color manholes happened.

Mr. Yakuwa: It is, what should I say, my passion of youth. At that time, seeing the casebooks of color manholes from other local governments made me want to take on the challenge (laughs). I was in full swing back then, so I think I was full of challenges and adventures.

--Did you receive approval for the plan easily?

Mr. Yakuwa: At that time, my boss told me that If it fitted within the budget, he would take responsibility. So try it. Thanks to his understanding, I was able to push through my passion (laughs).

--Please tell us about the design of color manholes.

Mr. Yakuwa: I requested the manhole design with the knowledge that the history of Adachi City will become well-known to people from other prefectures as well as Adachi resident.

Mr. Yakuwa: Some color manholes have slightly different characters based on these designs, so please find them all (laughs).

――It is like a smartphone game that collects certain monsters (laughs). It would be fun to walk along Akayama Kaido to find everything.

Mr. Yakuwa: In addition to color manholes, the roadside tree protection boards and the monuments, such as flat plates embedded in the sidewalk are also designed to introduce things related to Adachi City, so please enjoy them as well.

  The appearance will become tasteful with time.

 ――How long will color manholes and monuments last?

Mr. Yakuwa: It can be basically used for decads, since they are made of iron. However, the paint on the color manhole may come off and the monument may become weathered.

--I see. Certainly, I found a difference in paint peeling and weathering when I went to investigate.

 Positive voices from the locals after the completion!

--How was the reaction from the locals after making color manhole dense area?

Mr. Yakuwa: After the completion, we received a favorable voice saying that I was able to rediscover the charm of Adachi City! We hope that those who visit Akayama Kaido as well as the locals will continue to enjoy the concentrated area of color manholes. I am glad I was able to get involved in a job that will last forever!

--Thank you for making time for the interview today!

In this way, the mystery of the most concentrated area of color manholes in Tokyo was solved.
The color manholes were born out of the passion of the young staff at that time and the love of the locals!

I could not show you everything this time, but the designs of color manholes and monuments are all related to Adachi City.
If you are crazy about Adachi City, please visit the site and think about the origin of the design!

【配布中止】マンホールカード（2022年2月現在）

東京都より、新型コロナ感染症の拡大に伴い、配布を中止するよう要請がありました。
We will inform you when distribution will resume on our website, Design manhole introduction page. .

In February 2020, design manholes were set up at seven locations in Adachi City as part of the tourism policy of Tokyo.
And now, the collection item of the manhole cover, Manhole Card (Designed by Adachi City) is distributed at two places in the city. It seems that distribution has started in November, but some collectors seem to come a long distance to get them ...
Please note that there are a limited number of cards available!

[Click here for Adachi City design manholes and manhole cards]
https://www.city.adachi.tokyo.jp/s-shinko/designmanhole.html(Link to external site)