Wayspot Restoration Request: 高瀬船のマンホール シンII - 2

Wayspot Appeals
1

City: Asaka City, Saitama
Coordinates: 35.8121535, 139.6106630
Reason to restore:
This Wayspot was incorrectly removed. Please restore it based on the following:

  1. Public Access: The manhole is located on a public walking path along the Shingashi River. It is outside the fence of the “Asaka Kuromegawa Farm” and is fully accessible to the public.

  2. Sign Misinterpretation: The sign next to it is a “No Illegal Dumping” (不法投棄禁止) warning by the local government, not a “No Trespassing” sign.

  3. Uniqueness: Each “Takasebune” manhole in Asaka city has a unique serial number (this one is II-2), making it a distinct historical and cultural landmark of the city’s canal history.

IMG_3442
IMG_34421179×1910 425 KB

IMG_3441
IMG_34411179×1937 459 KB

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IMG_3444386×512 110 KB

IMG_3443
IMG_34431920×2560 1.9 MB

2

I’m struggling to understand how a manhole cover relates to the canal.
The cover is there, covering the entrance to a utility duct.
The significance of the unique numbering is to help ensure when doing maintence you go to the correct entrance.
That is hardly of significant historical significance.

4 Likes
3

The picture you have shown does not suggest there is any canal anywhere near these manhole covers. Manhole covers are not normally associated with canals. Are you able to explain the connection?

1 Like
4

高瀬舟は江戸時代に物資輸送に用いられた舟であり、かつてこの地域周辺にも水運文化が存在していました。

現在は運河自体は残っていませんが、その歴史的背景を表現したデザインマンホールとして設置されています。

このようなデザインマンホールは地域の歴史や文化を伝える目的で設置されるものであり、現存する施設との直接的な位置関係を前提とするものではありません。

1 Like
5

このマンホールは、かつてこの地域で行われていた水運文化（高瀬船）をテーマにしたデザインです。

近隣には荒川水系や水関連施設（例：荒川右岸下水処理場）があり、地域の水との関わりを象徴しています。地域の歴史的景観や文化を後世に伝える公共的な意義があります。

6

From what I can see, this is how it looks to me.

  1. It is located on a public road. (It does not appear to be on a sidewalk.)
  2. It looks like a standard manhole cover commonly found in Japan.

Regarding point 2 in particular, in Japan, municipalities and various organizations generally install manhole covers with their own unique designs.
These special manhole covers are announced on the “Sewerage Public Relations Platform” and are featured on collectible cards.

Looking at this manhole, while the design is the same, it is unpainted, so it is likely a mass-produced item.
Furthermore, based on the website, it appears to be a manhole created by the “Saitama Prefectural Sewerage Corporation/Branch Office” when they developed the Arakawa Right Bank area in Saitama Prefecture.
Incidentally, the manhole that was specially painted and made into a manhole card to commemorate their development work seems to be located at 35.796000, 139.478944.

Other than that, it is thinked that a large number of these manhole covers were installed along the route where this sewer system was laid.
Therefore, I think decision to delete it was correct.

3 Likes
7

Thanks for the appeal, @tknba! We have taken another look but stand by our decision to retire this Wayspot.

1 Like