SAITAMA, Japan - Manhole covers featuring characters from the popular manga and anime series "Crayon Shin-chan" were unveiled Sunday in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, near Tokyo, where the story is set.
The Kasukabe city government said the manhole covers, which come in two designs and are approximately 60 centimeters in diameter, feature the city's symbol, wisteria flower, along with vividly colored illustrations of the main character, Shinnosuke Nohara, and his family.
Crayon Shin-chan, which started airing on TV in the 1990s, follows the adventures of 5-year-old Shinnosuke, nicknamed Shin-chan, and his family and friends in the city. The anime series has also been broadcast elsewhere in Asia, including South Korea, and parts of Europe.
Five covers have been installed around Kasukabe Station, operated by Tobu Railway Co., according to the city government.
During an unveiling event held on Sunday at the city hall, a mascot resembling Shin-chan made an appearance and posed for photographs with children who were present.
Kasukabe Mayor Kazuhiro Iwaya said in an address to the crowd, "I hope you can get a real sense of Kasukabe, the town where Crayon Shin-chan lives."
Aoi Arai, 9, who participated in the photo session, said, "I was surprised to see the colorful drawings of Shin-chan. They are impressive."
