That puts the new total of Pokéfuta in Japan at 110!

Pokémon manhole covers have been slowly but steadily taking over Japan. Starting with just a few featuring Eevee in Kagoshima in 2018, then gradually progressing to taking over streets across the country with lots of different Pokémon, the Pokéfuta, as they’re known in Japanese, have begun attracting lots of visitors to lesser known parts of Japan.

Up until now 105 Pokéfuta were located throughout ten of Japan’s prefectures, but now we can add five more to that number. Tottori, whose Pokémon ambassadors are both forms of Sandshrew, has added more to their roster, so now they have a Pokéfuta in every municipality!

The five new covers were installed in Chizu Town, Yazu Town, Hokuei Town, Hiezu Village, and Kofu Town (in order from left to right, top to bottom in the image above), which are all in different parts of the prefecture. They feature one or both kinds of Sandshrews, and are just as colorful and adorable as always. They also show off something iconic to the municipality they’re placed in — for example, Yazu’s has Alolan Sandshrews snacking on persimmons, which the town prides itself in, and Hiezu’s has a Sandshrew and a Ditto Sandshrew playing among tulips, which are produced by the town.

Actress and model Yumiko Shaku, known as the “manhole actress” since she played a character that uses manhole covers as weapons in Kamen Rider Zi-O, appeared at the press release and posed with both Sandshrews for a photo after sharing some words about the new covers.

“Thank you for referring to me as the ‘Manhole Actress!’ I’m so happy to see Sandshrew and Alolan Sandshrew here too. The new manhole covers are cute, aren’t they? I love how there are Pokéfuta anywhere you want to go in Tottori! Once the coronavirus pandemic is over and we can all gather together again, I want to visit Tottori with everyone! I’ll be ready to be called the ‘Manhole Actress’ then, too!”

Our Japanese language reporter Ikuna Kamezawa already took a tour of the Tottori Pokéfuta and made sure to spin each of their Pokéstops…but now she’ll have to go back! There are plans to have new Pokéstops at these Pokéfuta too, so it will be worth the trip. Once it’s safe to travel, why not check them out yourself?

Source, images: PR Times
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!