It was almost two weeks ago that I went to the Arima Memorial hall in Kurume City to see their latest exhibition. I was of course happy to see the exhibition, but I was on the lookout for something else that day. I knew that if I kept my eyes cast low, I’d see it. It was right outside the recently refurbished JR Kurume station that I found it. A colour manhole cover!

The city of Kurume has decorated their manhole covers with representations of the beautiful nature that surrounds it. In the background is the stunning Minō mountain range (耳納連山), which lays to the East of the city. Every morning when I drive to work, the towering range fills my windscreen. To my constant surprise, it manages to stay hidden for weeks at a time thanks to the annual rainy season.

In the foreground is the Chikugo River (筑後川). The real-life version of which I’m happy to say, actually looks like a river. And, rounding out the scene are the bright, pink azaleas which cover the Chikugo Gawa’s banks.