Japanese manga and light novel publishing company KADOKAWA is promoting titles from its series catalogue in a unique way: by displaying illustrations of the series on manholes around Tokorozawa in Saitama Prefecture. The manholes were laid on August 1, 2020, and are the first manholes in Japan to feature LED lighting.
LED Manholes
In 2003, Tokorozawa City Department of Waterworks and Sewerage became the first company in Japan to use manholes for advertising. The new LED manholes will run along the closest station to Tokorozawa Sakura Town, which was built by and is managed by KADOKAWA. That station is Higashi-Tokorozawa Station, and it will run from there past numerous facilities leading up to Tokorozawa Sakura Town.
Tokorozawa Sakura Town
Tokorozawa Sakura Town is part of the Cool Japan Forest Project, a joint project between KADOKAWA and the city of Tokorozawa. Set to have its grand opening on November 6, 2020, this large-scale facility includes an anime hotel, library museum and bookshelf theatre, restaurants, shops, and more.
LED Manhole Designs
Left: Daytime / Right: Nighttime
The LED manholes will take people right up to Tokorozawa Sakura Town, as well as function as crime prevention tools during nighttime for neighbouring facilities.
There are 28 designs in total from the following series and franchises:
A Certain Magical Index
Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin
The Five Star Stories
Anime Tourism Association Official Character “Junrei-chan”
Bungo Stray Dogs
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!
Yamato Takeru
The Melancholy of Harumi Suzumiya
Lucky Star
Slayers
Date A Live
Overlord
Sword Art Online
Full Metal Panic!
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Record of Lodoss War
Sgt. Frog
Spice and Wolf
KonoSuba
Kino’s Journey
Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious
Information
Tokorozawa Sakura Town
Official Website: https://tokorozawa-sakuratown.jp/
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