Haikyuu!! manhole covers to be installed in area of Japan that inspired the series
Last Updated on April 17, 2025
Fans of the volleyball manga series “Haikyuu!!” will soon have a new reason to visit Sendai City, as a range of themed manhole covers will be installed around the city.
This new initiative aims to celebrate the popular manga and anime franchise while adding a unique artistic touch to Sendai’s urban landscape.
The themed manhole covers will be placed along the route extending from Tomizawa Station on the Sendai Subway Namboku Line to Kamei Arena, a significant sporting venue in the city.
This route is expected to become a new point of interest, or “pilgrimage spot” for “Haikyuu!!” enthusiasts visiting Sendai.
A total of four distinct manhole cover designs will be installed, each showcasing key teams and characters from the “Haikyuu!!” universe.
The designs and their corresponding base colors are as follows:
Design ①: Date Kogyo High School
This design features players from the formidable “Iron Wall” of Date Tech, set against a green base.
Known for their exceptional blocking prowess, Date Tech is a significant rival school early in the series.
Design ②: Aoba Johsai High School
Players from the talented and strategic Aoba Johsai are set against a light blue base in this design.
Led by the charismatic Toru Oikawa, Aoba Johsai is another key rival to Karasuno High.
Design ③: Shiratorizawa Academy
Players from the powerhouse Shiratorizawa Academy are set against a purple base, which matches the color of their team uniform.
This dominant team, featuring the exceptional Wakatoshi Ushijima, presents a formidable challenge in the series’ national-level competitions.
Design ④: Karasuno High School
The setter and middle blocker of Karasuno High School, Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama, are set against an orange base that evokes elements of the team uniform.
Miyagi Prefecture, where Sendai City is located, serves as a real-world inspiration for the backdrop of the “Haikyu!!” series, with many locations within the area inspiring settings and environments depicted in the manga and anime.
This initiative to install “Haikyu!!” themed manhole covers further solidifies the prefectural connection to the franchise and is anticipated to attract even more fans to the area, boosting local tourism and providing a unique form of public art for residents and visitors alike.
The project follows a growing trend in Japan where popular anime and manga are celebrated through public installations such as manholes.
Tokorozawa City in Saitama Prefecture features a large number of anime themed manholes based on series such as Mobile Suit Gundam THE ORIGIN, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Re:Zero, and Bungou Stray Dogs.
Many Japanese cities also have Gundam themed manhole covers as Bandai Namco have been donating them as part of a local tourism project that has seen them installed in a large number of cities including Mito and Matsuyama.
The new “Haikyuu!!” manhole covers are set to be installed in the city shortly and will be available to visit starting from 10:00 AM on Wednesday, April 30th, 2025.