About Japan from... manhole covers, Kakunodate Yama-buttsuke Matsuri

Like in many other Japanese cities, the manhole covers in Kakunodate, Akita Prefecture, are decorated with area specific motifs.

In today's photo you can see one of the city's artistic manhole covers, hinting to a renowned local festival called Yama-buttsuke Matsuri, designated as an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.

Yama-buttsuke Matsuri is a floats parade particular because it is not decorated with gods or mythological characters, but with... samurai. After all, Kakunodate was a samurai town.