13Toyama City Manhole Card Tour | Half-Day Walking Model Course
Toyama Sightseeing Model Course | Collect up to 6 Manhole Cover Cards in 2-3 Hours!
Even during your usual stroll through town, if you take a moment to look at what's right in front of you, you'll discover a new side of Toyama.
In the central area of Toyama City, there are numerous spots where manhole cover cards are distributed, making it easy to collect them while walking around the city.
In 2024, the "Manhole Summit in Toyama" was held, and the enjoyment of exploring the local history, culture, and charm of the town through manholes has expanded.
In this course, you'll visit five distribution spots around town and collect up to six cards. The designs vary, featuring Toyama Castle, streetcars, flowers, festivals, and even the anime "Yuru Yuri."
Along the way, you'll find spots where you can encounter real manhole covers and "Poke-lids" that have been turned into cards. As you collect the cards, take a stroll through the streets of Toyama with a slightly different perspective than usual.
Recommended time to visit | Year-round
*The distribution locations for some manhole cover cards differ between weekdays and Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
Toyama Station
Tram and other public transport information center
Toyama International Exchange Center (Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) / Toyama City Hall (weekdays)
Toyama City Downtown Tourist Information Center
Toyama Civic Plaza
TOYAMA KIRARI
Toyama Station
Toyama Station
Our manhole cover card tour starts from Toyama Station!
Once you arrive at Toyama Station, let's get your first card right away.
On this course, you'll visit distribution spots around town and search for real manholes and "Poke-lids" that have been made into cards.
Paying attention to the ground beneath our feet, something we usually overlook, we set off into the city center of Toyama.
Tram and other public transport information center
The first photo was taken at Toyama Station. "Yuru Yuri Akaza Akari"
The first place we'll head to is the "Tram and Public Transportation Information Center" located on platform 8 of the Toyama Station tram stop.
What you can get here is a manhole cover card featuring Akaza Akari, the main character of the manga series "Yuru Yuri," which has ties to Toyama Prefecture.
The bright and vibrant design, combining colorful flowers and characters, is eye-catching.
Toyama International Exchange Center (Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) / Toyama City Hall (weekdays)
Get two types of cards that reflect the unique character of Toyama!
The distribution locations vary depending on the day of the week.
On Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays, head to the Toyama City International Exchange Center on the 3rd floor of the CiC Building in front of Toyama Station. There you can pick up two types of manhole covers: the "Azami" design and the "Manhole Summit Commemorative Manhole Cover."
The "Azami" design is inspired by the wildflowers of the former Toyama City and evokes the feeling of "Toyama, the city of medicine." The other design is a commemorative design for the "Manhole Summit in Toyama" held in Toyama City in 2024, and depicts motifs characteristic of Toyama, such as Toyama Bay and the Tateyama mountain range.
Manhole Summit Commemorative Manhole
On weekdays, the same two types of cards are distributed at the Waterworks and Sewerage Bureau Customer Service Station on the 2nd floor of the West Wing of Toyama City Hall.
Stopover Memo
Actually, this place is a "holy site" for manhole cover enthusiasts.
Toyama City Hall is a spot often referred to as a "holy site" among manhole cover enthusiasts. You can enjoy various manhole covers, including the commemorative manhole cover for the 2024 "Manhole Summit in Toyama," the commemorative design for the 2026 Mynavi All-Star Game, and "Poke-lids." If you visit on a weekday, be sure to check out the manhole covers around the city hall in addition to the cards.
Toyama City Downtown Tourist Information Center
I got "Mizuhashi Bridge Festival and East-West Bridge" near Toyama Castle.
Once you arrive at Toyama Castle Park, head to the "Toyama City Downtown Tourist Information Center" located within the park.
What you can get here is a manhole cover card featuring the "Mizuhashi Bridge Festival and the East and West Bridges." The card is based on the "Mizuhashi Bridge Festival" held in the Mizuhashi district in eastern Toyama City, and depicts the East and West Bridges, cherry blossoms in full bloom, and fireworks illuminating the summer night sky.
*From December 1st to March 15th, hours are 9:00 to 17:00.
Stopover Memo
Let's try to find real manhole covers at Toyama Castle Park!
Once you've collected the cards, pay attention to the ground around Toyama Castle Park. On the west side of the park, you'll find a manhole cover with a "thistle" design. Furthermore, around the moat on the southwest side where the AMAZING TOYAMA monument is located, you'll find "Poké-lids" featuring the Pokémon "Ledyba" and "Comfey." Just nearby, you'll find a manhole cover featuring "Yoshikawa Chinatsu" from "Yuru Yuri." Searching for manhole covers scattered throughout the town in between collecting cards is one of the joys of this course.
Toyama Civic Plaza
"Toyama Castle and Tram" - both the card and the real thing are now available.
Next, we'll head to Toyama Civic Plaza.
Here, you can receive a manhole cover card featuring "Toyama Castle and the streetcar," which are symbolic of downtown Toyama.
This design, featuring Toyama Castle and a streetcar against the backdrop of the Tateyama mountain range, is full of the essence of Toyama City.
Stopover Memo
Let's compare the card with the actual manhole cover.
In front of the entrance to Toyama Civic Plaza, you'll find a manhole cover with the same design as the card. We recommend comparing the card with the real thing or taking a photo together. In the surrounding area, you might even come across a scene reminiscent of the card's design, such as a streetcar running with Toyama Castle in the background. Try to find the Toyama-esque scenery depicted on the manhole cover in the actual city.
More detailsTOYAMA KIRARI
The finale is the English version of "Toyama Castle and Trams".
The final distribution spot is "TOYAMA Kirari," which has an impressive exterior combining glass, stone, and aluminum.
At the general information desk on the first floor, they were selling the booklet "Toyama Castle and Trams" that I had just obtained at the Toyama Civic Plaza.English version manhole cover cardWe are distributing these materials. Having both the Japanese and English versions with the same design allows you to compare the differences in wording, which is one of the unique pleasures of this course.
Once you've finished collecting all the cards, we recommend stopping by the Toyama City Glass Art Museum or the Toyama City Library located within the museum grounds.
Toyama Station
Once you've finished collecting the cards, take the tram to Toyama Station.
From TOYAMA Kirari, head to the "Nishimachi" tram stop and take the tram back to Toyama Station.
Walk around town collecting cards, find real manhole covers, and finally reach the finish line by streetcar.
Even in the places we usually pass by without noticing, the history, culture, and stories of that land are hidden.
Use manhole covers as a starting point to discover the hidden charms of Toyama that you may not have noticed before.
Here's the route for this time!
In addition to the city center routes introduced here, manhole cover cards are also distributed in other areas of Toyama City, such as Iwase and Yao.
If you have some extra time, we recommend venturing a little further to collect even more cards. Why not try to complete your collection of Toyama City's manhole cover cards by expanding your area from strolling around town to Iwase and Yao?