Japanese artistic manhole covers, Nakatsu castle

In the medieval Japan the castle was the most important place in a town, because it was the center of the lord's power. Today, the few cities still having an original castle are thriving from tourism, and many other cities rebuilt their castles, having them as the main tourist attraction.

The castle of Nakatsu, in the Oita Prefecture, was rebuilt in 1964, and it is advertised on the city's artistic manhole covers, nicely painted in its original design, with wooden boats anchored in the castle's moat.