4 new Pokémon Utility Hole Covers, or PokéLids (Pokéfuta ポケふた) were unveiled for Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. The new manholes depict various Pokémon including Arbo, Dogas, Nyarth, Chonchie and Emperte and are based on images of various landscapes in the prefecture.


Each PokéLids is an original design and each is unique with the aim of promoting the appeal of Pokémon and each region they are installed in throughout Japan.

The PokéLids that are installed will gradually become PokéStops for the location-based game Pokémon GO for smartphones.

Arbo and Dogas are famous as the original Pokémon partners for Rocket Gang members Musashi and Kojiro in the Pocket Monsters anime. Ganryu Island is said to be the place where the great swordsmen Musashi Miyamoto and Kojiro Sasaki fought a duel, so you can see that the Pokémon selection for these PokéLids was made because of the name connection.

In addition, Nyarth, a member of the Rocket Gang, also makes an appearance in the illustration of the Arbo and Dogas PokeLids. On the Arbo lid, Nyarth silhouette can be seen behind a tree, and on the Dogas lid, Nyarth's tail can be seen in the foreground.

Ganryū-jima is an island with a circumference of about 1.6 km, located between Honshū and Kyūshū and is accessible via ferry from Shimonoseki Harbor. It is famous for the duel between Musashi Miyamoto and Kojiro Sasaki. On the island, you can imagine the duel between Musashi and Kojiro at their statues.

Sources: https://twitter.com/pokemon_pdc/status/1618119018543722499 and https://twitter.com/Pokemon_cojp/status/1618141626706059266