Tsuwano Koi (carp)

This manhole cover is from Tsuwano, a small castle town in the mountains of western Iwami. It's a very popular tourist destination, and one of the things it is known for is its canals and ditches filled with colorful koi (carp). The town only has about 5,000 inhabitants, and they are outnumbered by the carp. They (the carp, not the inhabitants :)) were kept in the canals to serve as an emergency food supply in times of famine or siege.

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